Debt Dumpers - 2019

I am sitting here wondering what the heck I'm going to do all weekend, though, without running errands picking up things I really don't need. It's becoming more and more clear that for me, spending is more about the entertainment of it. Going out (alone, which I love), listening to my favorite pod casts in the car, finding just the thing I "need", etc. Time to work at finding a replacement hobby!

I could have written this VERBATIM. I am still a SAHM, my kids are in school but my husband's job is high pressure and demanding. So I have to be around 24/7 for the kids because I never know if I'll have help with them or the house. Number one way to keep busy? Go to the store(s). Since I'm out, I need lunch! Before you know it I have spend $100. Repeat 1-3 times a week.

Here is what is helping me, YMMV because our hobbies/interests may differ but maybe some of it will help you...
-Load up my library hold list with books. I was a book buyer but had a rude awakening when I donated a ton to the library after none sold at a garage sale (like 50 books, all less than 3 years old). I have saved so much by not buying anymore. Reading keeps me out of the stores.
-I love the Sims on my laptop. I've played it since I was 14 and it's kind of been my guilty pleasure. I don't play it often. But I'd rather sit and play it 2 hours when I get the urge to get in the car and go to Hobby Lobby.
-Delete shopping apps from my phone (for me it was amazon, eBay, ali, target)
-Remove shopping bookmarks on my browser
-Remove stored cards from shopping sites (probably good for safety reasons too!)
-Remove all my credit cards from my wallet and put them in a manila envelope and put them in my bedroom where my husband can see them. I only carry my debit card.
-Make a list of things around your house that need to be done. Whether it's home improvement, to do, cleaning, etc and start.
-Learn to be bored. Honest. There's nothing wrong with it. If I had learned to deal with being bored in the first place I probably wouldn't have spent my way here. Granted not all this debt is boredom. Some was dental work. Some was car repairs. But the boredom made it unmanageable. It made it stressful.
 
I recently realized that while putting a good amount of money on my cc debt, i could be putting so much more. I was still spending too much on "stuff", taking away from money I could have been putting on my debt. My goal was to use cash or my debit card for everything but groceries and gas (love me some cc reward points!).

I did well this week. I needed batteries and wanted a cheap headphones from Target, so I used my debit card. That's all I bought all week other than food. For me, that's great! I am sitting here wondering what the heck I'm going to do all weekend, though, without running errands picking up things I really don't need. It's becoming more and more clear that for me, spending is more about the entertainment of it. Going out (alone, which I love), listening to my favorite pod casts in the car, finding just the thing I "need", etc. Time to work at finding a replacement hobby!

I used to do this too. I replaced it with walking. Seriously, I just put on workout clothes, load up my podcast playlist, and take a walk. I usually walk for about 2 hours. It takes up most of my day while the kids are gone, what with showering when I get back (I sweat easily) and then I start meal prep for dinner and by then, kids are home. I actually get annoyed on the days I have to go grocery shopping, because it cuts down or eliminates my opportunity to walk.

I haven't lost any weight or anything, but walking has been very therapeutic for me in other ways. I just go into the zone listening to podcasts and enjoy the scenery. It helps that I live where the weather is mild year round and I have beautiful scenery during my walks.
 
Here is what is helping me, YMMV because our hobbies/interests may differ but maybe some of it will help you...
-Load up my library hold list with books. I was a book buyer but had a rude awakening when I donated a ton to the library after none sold at a garage sale (like 50 books, all less than 3 years old). I have saved so much by not buying anymore. Reading keeps me out of the stores.
-I love the Sims on my laptop. I've played it since I was 14 and it's kind of been my guilty pleasure. I don't play it often. But I'd rather sit and play it 2 hours when I get the urge to get in the car and go to Hobby Lobby.
-Delete shopping apps from my phone (for me it was amazon, eBay, ali, target)
-Remove shopping bookmarks on my browser
-Remove stored cards from shopping sites (probably good for safety reasons too!)
-Remove all my credit cards from my wallet and put them in a manila envelope and put them in my bedroom where my husband can see them. I only carry my debit card.
-Make a list of things around your house that need to be done. Whether it's home improvement, to do, cleaning, etc and start.
-Learn to be bored. Honest. There's nothing wrong with it. If I had learned to deal with being bored in the first place I probably wouldn't have spent my way here. Granted not all this debt is boredom. Some was dental work. Some was car repairs. But the boredom made it unmanageable. It made it stressful.

Thanks for the tips. I do have a room in the house that I need to re-do (DS that moved out and got married). I've been thinking of starting at least cleaning it out. That would be a good start. And I definitely need to take my cc out of my wallet!

I used to do this too. I replaced it with walking. Seriously, I just put on workout clothes, load up my podcast playlist, and take a walk. I usually walk for about 2 hours. It takes up most of my day while the kids are gone, what with showering when I get back (I sweat easily) and then I start meal prep for dinner and by then, kids are home. I actually get annoyed on the days I have to go grocery shopping, because it cuts down or eliminates my opportunity to walk.

I haven't lost any weight or anything, but walking has been very therapeutic for me in other ways. I just go into the zone listening to podcasts and enjoy the scenery. It helps that I live where the weather is mild year round and I have beautiful scenery during my walks.

That sounds like a great alternative. It's cold here in upstate NY, but I do have a treadmill that I've been using more. Thanks!
 
We've got 6 weeks at home over the summer now (DH and I both teach, Littles one finished daycare and is about to start school so runs on school terms now, how I miss the escape of a couple of daycare days in the holidays now!) and we are all getting bored! We have a few family things planned but are slowly working our way through tidying and sorting a room at a time, library, some nice walks around town, prepping and cooking things we don't normally do because we need quick meals when we come home from activities.

On my own, I like to go to the library and then a local cafe. Not in a mall, less tempting to spend then. But the small price of a coffee and a couple of hours out of the house and reading is often worth it to me.
 


Here is what is helping me, YMMV because our hobbies/interests may differ but maybe some of it will help you...
Those are all great ideas. I joined a gym a few months ago even though it costs money, for mental and physical health. After last physical labwork results in the fall came back my doctor suggested I workout 4 - 5 days a week, so it became more of a priority and I think exercise helps me mentally. If I didn't live close to the gym or found myself not using it like I should, I'd cut it out, and I've done that in the past cut out memberships I don't use. But at this point in time, I'm going, so all is good. I hate cold weather so it's indoors for me. When the weather is better in spring and through fall, I like to go for a late walk especially after dinner, or like early morning, and listen to podcasts or Youtube shows, particulary the Disney park visit ones and anything finance even if I don't follow the philosophy, I just like to listen to shows.

I write down movies I want to see or scan through movie recommendations, and keep my movies list in my notes. When they make it to rentals, I'll rent them or catch whatever is on Netflix. I allocate that on my budget, usually rentals from Amazon or iTunes, I don't do more than $20 a month on. So, for that reason I keep my Amazon. But disclaimer on Amazon is I've noticed Amazon seems to have been up to something with movie rentals, seems the option to rent a movie is less available, that's been my experience, happened this week again in fact, Wednesday a movie was there to rent, and Friday it wasn't an option anymore only to purchase the DVD.

I keep my main cards in my wallet, as I do play a small bit of the credit card points game.
 
On my own, I like to go to the library and then a local cafe. Not in a mall, less tempting to spend then. But the small price of a coffee and a couple of hours out of the house and reading is often worth it to me.

The library! What a great idea to get out of the house for a bit and have some time to yourself. I'm going next Saturday!
 
I recently realized that while putting a good amount of money on my cc debt, i could be putting so much more. I was still spending too much on "stuff", taking away from money I could have been putting on my debt. My goal was to use cash or my debit card for everything but groceries and gas (love me some cc reward points!).

I did well this week. I needed batteries and wanted a cheap headphones from Target, so I used my debit card. That's all I bought all week other than food. For me, that's great! I am sitting here wondering what the heck I'm going to do all weekend, though, without running errands picking up things I really don't need. It's becoming more and more clear that for me, spending is more about the entertainment of it. Going out (alone, which I love), listening to my favorite pod casts in the car, finding just the thing I "need", etc. Time to work at finding a replacement hobby!
Great job! I don’t know if this is your thing or not, but I love watching documentaries. Netflix has a good collection. I decided this week that I didn’t have the attention span for reading after work (I get home after 7pm and have a long commute) and have watched one every night.
 


I write down movies I want to see or scan through movie recommendations, and keep my movies list in my notes. When they make it to rentals, I'll rent them or catch whatever is on Netflix. I allocate that on my budget, usually rentals from Amazon or iTunes, I don't do more than $20 a month on. So, for that reason I keep my Amazon. But disclaimer on Amazon is I've noticed Amazon seems to have been up to something with movie rentals, seems the option to rent a movie is less available, that's been my experience, happened this week again in fact, Wednesday a movie was there to rent, and Friday it wasn't an option anymore only to purchase the DVD.

Great job! I don’t know if this is your thing or not, but I love watching documentaries. Netflix has a good collection. I decided this week that I didn’t have the attention span for reading after work (I get home after 7pm and have a long commute) and have watched one every night.

don't forget that libraries can be a great resource for free movie rentals. even if your local branch doesn't have a great selection they may be set up with libraries all over the place and you can do a search on their website to request even very recent releases. the public university near us allows members of the public to get library cards for the university library-that place as THOUSANDS of movies and access to tens of thousands more, all free just for the asking. we've also set up a kind of an extended family vudu account. ourselves along with 2 other family member households all load the digital copies of any movies we buy into one vudu account so we can all benefit from each others purchases.

p.s. i'm a documentary junkie as well. loved 'r.b.g'., have 'love gilda' on the dvr right now (it's still got multiple showings upcoming on cnn if you missed it) and recently bought but have not yet watched 'marwencol'. if you like old television/hollywood stories-check out 'wait for your laugh', it's a spectacular documentary about rose marie (from the dick van dyke show). incredible career from early childhood AND the integrated home movies she made for decades are amazing (see vegas built before your eyes).
 
don't forget that libraries can be a great resource for free movie rentals. even if your local branch doesn't have a great selection they may be set up with libraries all over the place and you can do a search on their website to request even very recent releases. the public university near us allows members of the public to get library cards for the university library-that place as THOUSANDS of movies and access to tens of thousands more, all free just for the asking. we've also set up a kind of an extended family vudu account. ourselves along with 2 other family member households all load the digital copies of any movies we buy into one vudu account so we can all benefit from each others purchases.

p.s. i'm a documentary junkie as well. loved 'r.b.g'., have 'love gilda' on the dvr right now (it's still got multiple showings upcoming on cnn if you missed it) and recently bought but have not yet watched 'marwencol'. if you like old television/hollywood stories-check out 'wait for your laugh', it's a spectacular documentary about rose marie (from the dick van dyke show). incredible career from early childhood AND the integrated home movies she made for decades are amazing (see vegas built before your eyes).
Love Gilda was one of the ones I watched this week. I also loved RBG and the Mr. Rogers one. I’ll look for Wait for your Laugh. Another one I watched the other day and loved is Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
 
the Mr. Rogers one

caught just the end of it when they ran it on pbs a couple of months ago-then never reran it so i asked for and got it for christmas. i plan to watch it in the next week or so. kinda of older ones but still 2 of the most impacting i've ever watched and would highly recommend-'paperclips' and 'a life without pain'.
 
Hi, I have been lurking the Debt Dumpers thread for 18 months from Australia and have decided to take the plunge and join.
Without singling anyone out as I would sound like a fangirl, I find you all inspiring and you have helped me get rid of my debt and healthy financial habits.
In the last 6 months my circumstances have changed health wise and family wise so I am joining to keep myself on track and not get overwhelmed which may lead to us making poor financial decisions.

My husband and I both work for ourselves so budgeting income can be tricky. We have 2 sons both in private school so we have big expenses there. We run 2 households as school is 1.5 hours away from the farm and mon-fri myself and the boys stay in town in my little office/townhouse and we head home on the weekends. We have only been doing this for 6 months, so we are still adjusting.

Our only debt is our mortgage of $120K, no credit card debt or personal loans. We also run 2 cars.

2019 Financial goals:
  • Save $6,000 towards our emergency fund
  • Increase both of our super contributions to 15%
  • Establish a Disney trip fund. Our last trip was 7 days DL in 2016
  • Increase our share holdings by $4000
  • Establish a car fund

2019 Personal goals:
  • Make more time for self-care
  • Keep a regular exercise routine
  • Establish work/life boundaries 9-5 and 5 days a week
  • Lose 12 pounds
 
Hi, I have been lurking the Debt Dumpers thread for 18 months from Australia and have decided to take the plunge and join.
Without singling anyone out as I would sound like a fangirl, I find you all inspiring and you have helped me get rid of my debt and healthy financial habits.
In the last 6 months my circumstances have changed health wise and family wise so I am joining to keep myself on track and not get overwhelmed which may lead to us making poor financial decisions.

My husband and I both work for ourselves so budgeting income can be tricky. We have 2 sons both in private school so we have big expenses there. We run 2 households as school is 1.5 hours away from the farm and mon-fri myself and the boys stay in town in my little office/townhouse and we head home on the weekends. We have only been doing this for 6 months, so we are still adjusting.

Our only debt is our mortgage of $120K, no credit card debt or personal loans. We also run 2 cars.

2019 Financial goals:
  • Save $6,000 towards our emergency fund
  • Increase both of our super contributions to 15%
  • Establish a Disney trip fund. Our last trip was 7 days DL in 2016
  • Increase our share holdings by $4000
  • Establish a car fund

2019 Personal goals:
  • Make more time for self-care
  • Keep a regular exercise routine
  • Establish work/life boundaries 9-5 and 5 days a week
  • Lose 12 pounds
Welcome! Wow your commute with school and farm is far, but I know one has to do what they need to when it comes to schooling, and sounds good there is only the mortgage. I agree with a car fund, you just never know when it will give up or need repairs, but you can guarantee that at some point, it will. What is a super contribution 15%, is that similar to US IRA or a 401k? Exciting you're in Australia, I'm fascinated with Australia, it's always has been on my bucket list of the countries I'd like to visit!

don't forget that libraries can be a great resource for free movie rentals. even if your local branch doesn't have a great selection they may be set up with libraries all over the place and you can do a search on their website to request even very recent releases.
True! I forgot that, I used to go all the time for the kids to rent DVDs and check out books. I mainly stream video now though, watch on the iPad I wonder if I can download any for free. I tried digital library books and that sort of worked, except when I lost access when I didn't get it read in my allotted time!
 
I recently realized that while putting a good amount of money on my cc debt, i could be putting so much more. I was still spending too much on "stuff", taking away from money I could have been putting on my debt. My goal was to use cash or my debit card for everything but groceries and gas (love me some cc reward points!).

I did well this week. I needed batteries and wanted a cheap headphones from Target, so I used my debit card. That's all I bought all week other than food. For me, that's great! I am sitting here wondering what the heck I'm going to do all weekend, though, without running errands picking up things I really don't need. It's becoming more and more clear that for me, spending is more about the entertainment of it. Going out (alone, which I love), listening to my favorite pod casts in the car, finding just the thing I "need", etc. Time to work at finding a replacement hobby!

We used to do this as well. We shopped as just something to do. Realizing it, admitting it, and being willing to change are big steps!

That said, dh is going to Costco because he's bored. Sigh...
Christmas lights are down so I can't pester him with more chores.
 
Finally got amount of DH's card. He owes $7,889. The Soccer Club owes him $4k so once he receives that money we will only owe $3,889. I am planning to pay the full amount because the club is dragging their feet.
DH's check engine light came on yesterday so now we have a $700 car repair. Luckily I have the money in our emergency fund but that takes a big chunk from there.
No job yet but have made several contacts, so hopefully something will work out soon.

Did you already have work done on this? My check engine light came on (Toyota Sienna) and when I googled what it might be, so many people said it was their gas cap. They just put some Vaseline around the cap and screwed it back on and their light went out. We tried it before taking to the shop, just in case it really might work, and it did! This also happened on my mom's Explorer.
Worth a try.
 
joining in this year hoping this will help keep me accountable/motivated. I have a spending problem; I can readily admit it, but am having issues controlling it.

In the spirit of holding myself accountable to a group of strangers on the internet....I only strayed from the budget by $4.86 this week! (stupid Steak ‘n Shake breakfast when I was feeling lazy and rushed on my way to work one morning)
No income/no debt dumping this week, but maybe the spending problem is headed in the right direction. :-)
 
My husband and I both work for ourselves so budgeting income can be tricky. We have 2 sons both in private school so we have big expenses there. We run 2 households as school is 1.5 hours away from the farm and mon-fri myself and the boys stay in town in my little office/townhouse and we head home on the weekends. We have only been doing this for 6 months, so we are still adjusting.

Ooh, whereabouts are you? I'm in Newcastle NSW.

DH and I did the separate house thing when our oldest started school, he was in defence at the time and posted to Sydney but we'd built north of Newy and he was meant to be getting a post up there in the next year. Our youngest was onlying 6mths old when we started, it was a hard year!

What is a super contribution 15%, is that similar to US IRA or a 401k? Exciting you're in Australia, I'm fascinated with Australia, it's always has been on my bucket list of the countries I'd like to visit!

Yeah, super is basically like a 401k. Your employer has to make contributions of a set % of your wages/salary but you can also add in pre or post tax income.
 
We did well on spending this weekend too. No extraneous spending. Just bought groceries from Costco and Kroger, a new flea and tick collar for the dog (ended up half off after sales and coupons!), and horse feed. My only unplanned expense was that my mouse died for my computer yesterday. I ordered a basic one from Amazon which I ended up paying $3 OOP for after using some Amazon points from our credit card. Really hoping to keep our eating out expenses low this month. We took my nephew and his girlfriend out for lunch yesterday to celebrate him graduating college and his birthday, so I'd planned for that. My mom's birthday is this month as well, so I'm planning to take her out to dinner or lunch for that. Other than that, hopefully low expenses this month!
 
Hello all :wave2: I was active on this board for a chunk of time last year, then life got super busy (as it always does!) and I fell out of habit of checking in.

Overall, we made some really positive strides in 2018:
-Started using YNAB. This has been HUGE for us
-Paid off all credit card debt (totaling $5.5k)
-Paid off my highest interest rate student loan ($5k)
-Put $2k into our Emergency fund and $8k into our van payoff fund.
Most of these goals were met thanks to the sale of our rental property. It was a great time to sell (we had two offers within 24 hours!) and I am sooo happy to no longer be a landlord.

End of 2018 was a bit rough. We had major flooding in our finished basement on Thanksgiving Day (which we were hosting) :sad2: With the deductible and plumber costs, that was $2,100 in unexpected expenses. Then, just after Christmas our dishwasher died. We went with a Bosch which is a bit more expensive than some other brands, but an investment worth making for a family of 7! That was an additional $800 unexpected expense. We blew through our $2k in savings and now will dip into our van payoff fund to cover the other expenses. These expenses plus the expense of Christmas made for what felt like a big step backwards.

I am SO ready to take on the New Year. With what we ended up spending on Christmas (WAY too much!) and looking over our YNAB reports, I realized that even though we are starting down a healthier financial path, we still have a spending problem. So, my goals for 2019:

-Rebuild our emergency fund and our one month buffer
-Curb our frivilous spending. We
Could make much better headway on paying off our cars and student loans if we get this in check.
-Pay off or pay down our van significantly

I’m looking forward to a wonderful year of debt dumping with all of you!
 

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