Just say "no!" to charging...

[JerseyGirl]

OK, was paying bills today and am really stressed out...so this week unless an emergency pops up I am not charging anything. I have my budget for the week, when it's gone, it's gone! Anyone with me?

 

[RMAMom]

We went cash only several years ago. It can be done but I would recommend that you take your cards out of your wallet and put them somewhere safe. It will be a whole lot easier if you don't have them in the store with you and only have your cash to rely on.
Good luck!

 

[RachaelA]

Us! We haven't had any extra money to put into savings the last 2 months (other than what goes in automatically when DH gets paid) because of lots of baby expenses. We've already hit our spending limit for the month so we are on a freeze for the next 10 days!

 

[pandora174]

I know how you feel ! We have 2 credit cards to keep up our credit but I refuse to touch them. In the last week we've had to get new shocks for DH car. My electric bill came out $283 & that's with running the cealing fans & keeping the ac at 78 & now the water heater in our leased house broke & we have a $200 maintenance clause in the lease. I know it may sound mean on my part but I hope it's more than $200 then we don't have to pay !

And yeah I still have to buy DS uniforms for school. I'll wait for tax free day here in FL to save some but just getting 2 of everything it's still about $280 Everything is $$$, so we are on lockdown budget wise too !

 

[DisneyScraps]

I am with you always. I have a few to back up for an emergency but between my Disney obsession, love for Sephora and shoes. If I didn't keep myself on a tight leash I would need Suze Ormand!

If I used credit cards for my daily things I would be at Disney monthly!

 

[KELLY]

I have no choice. I don't have a credit card. I do have a debit card but that is it. Dh has 2 credit cards and we only put on them what we can afford to pay off. We try to pay cash for everything. Right now after this weekend I have a huge 5.00 left. But pay day is Tuesday and Thursday's for us. I'm a WAHM so if I had a credit card I would probably shop during the day online. I really don't have alot of self control when it comes to that stuff. But at least I know it.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Try to make that a long term choice. It took us a while to figure it out but we are soooooo much happier debt free. We do have a card but have not used it in forever. We do everything on our debit card. We find we "need" much less than we think we do. I do use my kohls to get the best deals but ALWAYS pay it off when it comes at the end of the month.

 

[njmom47]

We're getting there. DH's credit cards have been paid off for a few months, mine are 1 1/2 yrs into a 4 yr pay-off program, no car payments, and I finally feel I'm on a budget. Savings accounts are growing slow and steady. My only fluctuation is grocery shopping. It is a good feeling!

 

[Nature Mom]

We don't charge anything either and have been a cash-only (well, our bank's Visa debit card) for almost 10 years. Between fertility treatments and then my becoming ill with cancer, we almost lost everything due to debt. Now my husband refuses to ever be in that position again, and so far, it has worked great for us. I have very little shopping control (Momma likes to shop! lol ), so no credit cards are good for me. If I don't have the money to buy it and pay my bills both, then I go without. Bills get paid, I buy less junk, DH is a happy man. (We do keep one for dire emergencies and he uses it occasionally just to keep it active, but it gets paid off every time there is a balance...and no, he doesn't consider shoes and purses an emergency. )

 

[JerseyGirl]

I have no choice. I don't have a credit card. I do have a debit card but that is it. Dh has 2 credit cards and we only put on them what we can afford to pay off. We try to pay cash for everything. Right now after this weekend I have a huge 5.00 left. But pay day is Tuesday and Thursday's for us. I'm a WAHM so if I had a credit card I would probably shop during the day online. I really don't have alot of self control when it comes to that stuff. But at least I know it.

I really should cut them up...I do spend too much. Looks like we are going to Disney the same time!

What type of work do you do? I've been trying to get a WAH position but everything seems to be a scam. I worked pt home/pt in the office and the company downsized.

 

[JerseyGirl]

We don't charge anything either and have been a cash-only (well, our bank's Visa debit card) for almost 10 years. Between fertility treatments and then my becoming ill with cancer, we almost lost everything due to debt. Now my husband refuses to ever be in that position again, and so far, it has worked great for us. I have very little shopping control (Momma likes to shop! lol ), so no credit cards are good for me. If I don't have the money to buy it and pay my bills both, then I go without. Bills get paid, I buy less junk, DH is a happy man. (We do keep one for dire emergencies and he uses it occasionally just to keep it active, but it gets paid off every time there is a balance...and no, he doesn't consider shoes and purses an emergency. )

I know what you mean...I like to shop too.
I'm trying to put off my trip to Walmart because I know I will be tempted to buy more than what I need...I think I'll just the leave the card home.

 

[Nature Mom]

I know what you mean...I like to shop too.
I'm trying to put off my trip to Walmart because I know I will be tempted to buy more than what I need...I think I'll just the leave the card home.

Exactly!! While I still want things, I feel so much better that we live this way when I hear others in our peer group talk about how much debt they are in. I couldn't imagine ever being in that kind of debt again, especially after going through some life altering moments. Now that we are older and not so immature about our spending and saving, we realize it is much better to be debt free than worried all the time and trying to keep up the 'good life' with the Joneses. ( And even though I will never tell him and it is something no one really likes to think about, DH is right about making sure the other partner is not left with mountains of debt if something were to happen to the other one of us. )