I need a support group for budgeters!!

[cackle]

I am trying so hard to pay off old debit and I know I can do it I just keep getting derailed. The last time was this morning when I found two pork tenderloins I paid 15.00 for were sitting on the dryer where i had set them while putting other stuff in the freezer.(I am trying to do the groceries once a month and this would have been 8 meals and leftovers for my husband and me). Between chicken feed costing as much as our grocery bill and just other things that come up on seemingly a daily basis I am just stalled on paying off a mountain in CC debit. I was doing okay until a house we own in a another state did not sell. I had to pay mortgage for 7 months depleted savings) and It needed 3K in repairs that we put on a card. This set me back almost 2 years on my own scheduled payment plan.

My son is getting married in June and I should be able to pay for the rehearsal dinner with my tax refund. My sister and I will do the food.

I am trying to sell all but a few chickens- we have over a 100 and were selling the eggs but now with only a dozen or so being laid we are going in a hole fast. I did sell 6 yesterday so that will help a little. I am going to give about 10 away that are no longer laying and as much as I hate it might process a few for ourselves.

With this years bonus I can pay off a 401K loan and then take one that will pay off about 1/3 of the CC debt. That will free me up to make higher payments on the other cards. Does this make sense?

I have looked for a few forums on budgeting and found Mint.com which I am using but I am just so very very frustrated.

Susan

 

[TanksHill]

I am sorry about your situation, money troubles can be very stressful.

I don't have any advice.

g

 

[miss_thenorth]

Check out Dave Ramsey. http://www.daveramsey.com/home/

The only way you are gong to be able to get debt paid off is to stop spending money you don't have.

My sympathies. I have been there. While we didn't do the Dave Ramsey method to the T, his basic guidlines worked for us, now all we have to pay off is the mortgage. You can check out his book at the library.

 

[cackle]

Check out Dave Ramsey. http://www.daveramsey.com/home/

The only way you are gong to be able to get debt paid off is to stop spending money you don't have.

My sympathies. I have been there. While we didn't do the Dave Ramsey method to the T, his basic guidlines worked for us, now all we have to pay off is the mortgage. You can check out his book at the library.

I was going so well until the house in MS set us back. I am doing Mint.com which helps it is just so hard getting started. I have just finished listening to the first Dave Ramsey CD and I am working to get 1K in savings. If I do the 401K loan then hopefully over the next two years I can continue to pay off the rest.

The house in MS(700 miles away) is rented for a year so for now that is on the back burner. The man has a 2 year contract so hopefully they will stay in the house an additional year. The payment is only 100 more than the mortgage but that is going back on the card we used for the new AC unit and repairs.

 

[i_am2bz]

I second MTN...listen to his radio show if you can, or at least read "Total Money Makeover" (which I got for Christmas last year ). It is NOT easy & you'll have to be focused but it can be done. We will never be rich, but all our cards are now paid off, only debt is the mortgage, plus some savings set by for emergencies.

Some days it feels like one-step-forward, two-steps-back, believe me, & other times like the wolf is at the door, but take small steps & they build on each other. Good luck!!

 

[FarmerChick]

yea I have been in that revolving debt situation, where every time you turn around everyone or something wants your money lol

I plugged along. Sold things (like extra animals, farm equip I wasn't using etc), paid of CC debt, ya might hit a small windfall (ya never know to help you), just keep plugging along.

Like Miss said...stop the spending as much as you can. If you truly cut back spending, the money can fall onto the debt to help you. There really is many ways around that lol

 

[cackle]

We have cut back on spending and the fact that we can now wear jeans to work helps a lot and I have only bought 1 pair of jeans to add to my winter wardrobe. So right now I am not even doing a clothing allowance.

This year I told my husband my garden is going to have to really produce. we are no longer going to raise layers so friends and coworkers can get fresh eggs they pay 2.50 a dozen but with the cost of feed it is not worth it.

I will see if my library has the Dave Ramsey book.

 

[Wannabefree]

cackle start putting word out about the kind of work you can do as side jobs on weekends. If you can make even $40 per weekend that's $160 a month toward debt. I know what you mean about losing something like that tenderloin it's a disgusting reminder of how tight things are and doesn't help your confidence. I have done the same with food items. Try to cut back your grocery budget for a couple weeks to make up for the loss. Eat several vegetable dinners and drink more water. If you feel you can make up for it, you'll feel better. Dave Ramsey is a great learning tool, and I will tell you that you can learn a LOT from his books. Grab Total Money Makeover and check out the chapter on insurance first. Trim the fat off existing policies, and you can save HUGE by just doing that. Raising deductibles and making sure you aren't double insured. I was paying for Em. roadside service on my auto insurance when I had it free through another program. It was only a savings of $3 a month, but every penny counts. That $3 was about $5 difference when applied to debt and paying down to save on interest! Anyway, if I can do it anybody can

 

[tortoise]

My motivation was thinking how GOOD it would feel all paid off. I came out of a divorce with a mortgage, a kid, and all the marital debt. Bad deal, but I wanted the house since it was cheaper than renting.

It took 2 years to pay off all the (bad) marital debt, and it was so stressful! It was all in collections and it seemed like everytime I paid off one account, another one would pop up!

I would eat ramen every meal for a month. Use (free) candles instead of electricity, keep the heat at 40 at night - 50 during day. Rented out a room. Worked overtime, plus odd jobs...

Now I just have my car loan and student loan. My house is rented out to my parents - they have it up for sale (i.e. they saved my butt from foreclosure when I lost my job last year.)

You can do it, but you're going to need to make big sacrifices. I vote for putting your chickens in the freezer. It will stretch your grocery budget far and stop the financial bleeding out for their feed. Maybe keep just enough layers for eggs for your family, and feed them SS-style come spring?

Best of luck!

 

[cackle]

I am willing to make big sacrifices I am 55 and no where near retirement on the road I was going down. We could start drawing husbands SS in Oct but I don't want him to take early because he will get so much more if he waits until 66. Right now he is looking for a job. I have a good one with benefits.

He is totally in on this- He use to go into town almost daily in his highlander- Now he goes once a week for feed etc. I drive a Miata so it is hard for me to do feed pickup. . That helps a lot. I try to work from home when I can so that saves a round trip of 2 gallons of gas or 62 miles.

tonight we are having barley soup out of soup bones and barley that were given to us. Breakfast was - eggs - toast and leftover meat from Friday. I have been heating a l ham once a month and that is lunch for us for most of the month. I grind the meat around the bones and add mayo and sweet relish and then the bone goes into 15 bean soup and then the dogs get it after all the good is gone for a treat. I am taking baby steps and I guess once I see the CC's start to go down I will feel better about this.

We do have meatless meals twice a week and maybe I need to increase that. Reading this I sound spoilt for the good things. I need to do the ramin noodles and spend less on food.