Are you one of those people who know very little about cars? Well, I am. In my life I have depended on the good will of my Dad, my brother and my friends to help me with car repairs because I don't have a clue beyond oil changes and gas fill-ups.
I am fortunate at this point in my life to know a very reputable young man, a member of our congregation, who is a bonafide mechanic working for a major automobile repair chain. Not only that, he is very helpful in all automobile situations by offering sound advice and reasonable labor. My car runs beautifully under his mechanical attentions with regular oil changes, tire rotations and lately transmission flush service which brings me to my point.
Yesterday when the car needed a new cab filter and transmission flush service I walked right up and handed them the old debit card with no qualms as to where the money was coming from. This is all due to the proper management of money taught me by Mr. Dave Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover. 2 years ago I would have been scrambling to get the money or locating a credit card with the correct amount of chargeable options to take care of this routine service. Or worse, putting off the service because I didn't have the money. But, thanks to Dave, yesterday was a breeze. The money was where it was supposed to be in time to handle the service the car needed. It was a mechanical miracle in my book!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Another One Bites the Dust
As of today I have one less credit card account in my name!
I mailed the check today that paid off an account that I have had for many years. The balance was just over $500 this time last year and as a result of budgeting and a debt snowball that picked up speed as the year went on I was able to finish it off this week. Hip Hip Hooray! Another debt is gone forever and it is increasing my debt snowball another $20 every month. I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it looks like freedom!
I mailed the check today that paid off an account that I have had for many years. The balance was just over $500 this time last year and as a result of budgeting and a debt snowball that picked up speed as the year went on I was able to finish it off this week. Hip Hip Hooray! Another debt is gone forever and it is increasing my debt snowball another $20 every month. I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it looks like freedom!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Rebates!
According to an article I read on the internet today the IRS will be issuing most taxpayers a rebate ch
eck around June of this year. My understanding is that the amount will be anywhere from $600-$1200 dollars and more if you have children.
eck around June of this year. My understanding is that the amount will be anywhere from $600-$1200 dollars and more if you have children.What a time for my son to get married and move out! Just think, instead of the thousands of dollars I'm saving in the food, electric, gas, insurance and phone bills I could get as much as $300 extra dollars if I had a child at home. And that doesn't include the nights I do not worry about whether or not he's coming home safe. As much as I miss him I think I'll be okay with the smaller rebate.
The rebates are meant to boost the lagging economy...hmmm....well I guess $600 is better than nothing. I can see a nice place for it in the budget to help shrink my debt. I'm afraid this consumer will not be spending it frivolously and boosting the economy in that way. Does a lower debt ratio boost the economy? I don't know about that. But I do know that any extra money coming my way this year is going straight into the budget to decrease the amount of money I owe other people and strengthen my personal economy. Bring on the rebates!
Friday, January 4, 2008
Dave Would Be So Proud
While at work today a co-worker was talking about a $650.00 purse she was going to save up and buy. The conversation followed it's due course until we were bemoaning the stupidity of people who use credit cards to make those outrageous purchases which only adds interest to the already astronomical cost.
My co-worker proceeded to explain that she wanted go to get one of "those credit card companies" to pay her bills for her because she couldn't figure out a budget. to which I calmly said, "Oh, you don't want to do that. They will only charge you money for what you could do yourself".
She was sceptical at first until I began to lay out The Total Money Makeover plan without ever mentioning Dave Ramsey or the fact that I had read a book. These would have been complete turn-offs for her and the conversation would have died. Instead I was able to discover her interests and talk her into a part time job to pay off the debt and a plan to save an emergency fund so that credit cards are not necessary.
Her argument was that she was too "retarded" to manage it. But we figured out that her significant other is very good at money management and very trustworthy so I encouraged her to take one "date night" and make it a budget night so that she would have peace of mind from then on.
I don't know if I made a difference or not, only time will tell. But I think I stopped at least one more person from heading even farther down the road to debt. Thanks Dave!
My co-worker proceeded to explain that she wanted go to get one of "those credit card companies" to pay her bills for her because she couldn't figure out a budget. to which I calmly said, "Oh, you don't want to do that. They will only charge you money for what you could do yourself".
She was sceptical at first until I began to lay out The Total Money Makeover plan without ever mentioning Dave Ramsey or the fact that I had read a book. These would have been complete turn-offs for her and the conversation would have died. Instead I was able to discover her interests and talk her into a part time job to pay off the debt and a plan to save an emergency fund so that credit cards are not necessary.
Her argument was that she was too "retarded" to manage it. But we figured out that her significant other is very good at money management and very trustworthy so I encouraged her to take one "date night" and make it a budget night so that she would have peace of mind from then on.
I don't know if I made a difference or not, only time will tell. But I think I stopped at least one more person from heading even farther down the road to debt. Thanks Dave!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Life After the Holidays
After the hustle and bustle of the Holidays most of us are ready for some time to relax, some food that does not include sugar and a respite from our wonderful family and friends. I think I spend more time with my family, consume more calories and sleep less in the last quarter than I do all of the rest of the year combined. It's a time of year I look forward to all year long and then what a relief when life goes back to normal. For a few days, anyway.Except normal for me is not relaxing or respiteful in the least. Since I work in accounting, the busiest time of our year is the first two weeks in January. Scrambling to get all the sales for the previous year in before we close out the books for the year. Deadlines are met by whatever method is necessary which usually includes long hours of overtime and no relaxing! And ordering in pizza for the hard workers is a small reward. I usually dread the "final push" as we call it. But not this year...
What's different about this year? This year I am on a budget with a rolling snowball of debt and I am looking forward to all that overtime revenue to help me shrink that debt! I have no bills from credit card gifts to atone for because Christmas was planned ahead and completely cash this year. I am excited to see just how much of the debt I can get rid of with the extra cash from the overtime and how much closer I am to being debt free. Thanks to The Total Money Makeover and it's author, Dave Ramsey, January will be a great month for me.
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