Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Taking The Challenge Seriously

I'm almost a week into the 6 month challenge and I have to admit that my mind has really been starting to take it seriously. Now I have to confess some of my past bad habits here. For one, eating out at lunch had become a bad habit. A couple of co-workers and I were eating out 2-3 times a week at about $10 a pop. That's $30 a week or to put it into a bigger picture for you....$1,560.00 a year stuffing down a quick lunch. Yikes. When you do the math and look at the calculator, you just want to bang your head against the wall a couple of times. We had one final day out and decided it was just too expensive to do anymore and as we all want to buckle down and save money where we can, we went to our favorite place (Montoyas), had a wonderful time, ate one extra basket of chips, just because, and made a pact that we wouldn't be back until the first birthday of the group. April seems like a very long way off. However, by April, by not eating out, figure 4 weeks a month and only counting 3 months, I will have saved $360.00. This 6 month challenge is starting to look pretty good.

As you know, if you read my previous post about the challenge, I have a credit card that has a ugly balance on it. You'll have to read my previous post to find out the exact amount, but at the beginning of the challenge it was around $3,200. My goal is to have the credit card paid off by the end of the challenge if not sooner. I can happily say that today I made a whopping $600 payment towards the balance. For me, that's a biggie. Now I am not a person to just pay the minimum balance, but I used to only pay a little more. You know....maybe a $100 when the minium payment was say $54. Something along those lines. For me to put down $600 as a payment was a huge feel good step. There's a light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train. It's called being debt free. Now don't get me wrong, the credit card is not the only debt I have. I have a house and I'm thinking (yes that can be very dangerous) that if I can be focused to pay off the credit card, once it's paid, why can't I be focused to pay off the house. I've read stories before where people paid off their house in 3-7 years. Can it truly be done? Can I be that focused financially without "living like a nun". No offense ladies cause I love you all and you know it.

I don't know, but it seems like the challenge has taken a hold of me somewhere deep inside and the thought of living debt free is something that really appeals to me. What would my life be like without having to pay a credit card or house note each month. How would it feel to be able to pay cash for everything I want to buy. I have no idea, but I'm going to find out.

I don't believe that God wanted us to live in a world stressed by bills all of the time. Free Will. I freely and willingly got the credit cards and bought the house. Now, don't get me wrong......if you can buy a house, buy it. Put that money you are spending every month into your own pocket so to speak, instead of someone else's pocket. Guaranteed roof over my head, but do I really want to spend the next 30 years paying on it. I don't see any light in that tunnel, but I know there is one around the bend.

Yep this challenge is starting to make a great deal of sense to me. I think it's going much deeper than only spending $35/week on groceries. By the way, the challenge started on Saturday and as of right now I have only spent $22 and don't have any plans to go to the grocery store again this week. Which means I get to ad $13 to the money I will save by not eating out each week which is making the savings for the 6 month challenge go up. Remember, I get to count everything I save.

As the challenge started on Saturday, I will be posting on Friday what I have accomplished that week, groceries, swagbucks, coupons, etc. It should be interesting and as I am making myself accountable to you guys, it's becoming more of a game than a challenge.

And by the way...as I am cooking meals again, I tried a Vegetable Ham Cheesy Chowder the other night and it was REALLY very good. If the hubby likes it, you know it's o.k. because as you all know by now, he is the pickiest eater in the world. I'll put the recipe up tomorrow. Right now I bid you all a peaceful sleep.

Till tomorrow.......


1 comment:

  1. Wow I commend your will to become debt free! I too want to pay off all the cc's and car and focus on the house. I have become very serious about NOT over spending because I have a will to buy things at the lowest price possible. Like the makeup deal I posted. I've had my eye on that for a long time :) I just can't shop without coupons anymore unless I really NEED the item!

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