Debt Dumpers - 2019

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.

If I wasn't working I would soooooo join a gym. I used to go at least 3-4x/week in my pre-Mommy life. (In addition to working FT.) My department was on the 3rd floor and when I had to go to 8, I'd just jog up the stairs, no sweat. My students would say, "Ummm… I'll take the elevator and meet you there."
 
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.

Some health insurance companies give a slight rebate/discount if you go to a gym regularly. Can't hurt to ask.
 
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.

Maxed Out is a documentary about consumer debt. It's been a while since I watched it but it helped keep me motivated when I was paying off my cc bills.
 


Some health insurance companies give a slight rebate/discount if you go to a gym regularly. Can't hurt to ask.
True, though for me my job term ended this year as I was in a temporary position and term ran out, but for others to that is definitely something they can consider.
 
In the spirit of holding myself accountable to a group of strangers on the internet...
Sometimes that is the best place to hold yourself accountable. ;) At least you know that with this group of strangers we won't judge you when you have setbacks and we'll encourage you along the way when you have wins big or small. You can't always say that with a regular group of friends. :thumbsup2
 
I feel like I did ALL of the adulting this weekend... yeesh. Paperwork for new health insurance plans for DH and I, signed him for a long-term disability policy through work, plus he was able to get an additional $170,000 worth of life insurance for me through his work for only $12/month. Sent in my student loan repayment renewal form, still need to get my PSLF form signed by my work. We discussed retirement plans some too. I want DH to up his contributions once he gets this year's raise. I want to up my 457 plan contribution too, but I want to pay off my student loan first. Hopefully the government will open soon (for a multitude of reasons), but also so I can get my tax refund to pay that down more. I'm hoping between my monthly payments from now until March, my tax refund, and my third paycheck in March will mean the end of that student loan forever!
 


I want to pay off my student loan first. Hopefully the government will open soon (for a multitude of reasons), but also so I can get my tax refund to pay that down more. I'm hoping between my monthly payments from now until March, my tax refund, and my third paycheck in March will mean the end of that student loan forever!

great goal!

be patient on the refund-my cpa told me this weekend she can't even get some of the forms she needs yet b/c they were still being finished up by irs prior to the shutdown so no idea on when we can even file. just a heads up (it's on my mind b/c i'm helping dd figure it out w/our cpa on her filing).

just a tip when you are looking at upping contributions and such for this year-remember to factor into your number crunching that the payoff of your student loans :cheer2::cheer2:means for your 2019 taxes paid in 2020 you will have little to no student loan interest to write off so if your habit is to plan on a chunk of change for your tax return it could be lower in 2020 and esp 2021 (when you've had no student loan interest to write off). i know it's not usually a huge difference but every penny counts.
 
just a tip when you are looking at upping contributions and such for this year-remember to factor into your number crunching that the payoff of your student loans :cheer2::cheer2:means for your 2019 taxes paid in 2020 you will have little to no student loan interest to write off so if your habit is to plan on a chunk of change for your tax return it could be lower in 2020 and esp 2021 (when you've had no student loan interest to write off). i know it's not usually a huge difference but every penny counts.

Ha, unfortunately my student loans will never be paid off lol. I have a small mortgage's worth and am on the public service loan forgiveness program. I also don't get to deduct my student loan interest since my husband and I have to file our taxes separate due to my student loans. So my tax refund usually is very sad every year since I have to itemize and my only deduction is mortgage interest. The only reason I think I'll get a healthy refund this year is because I changed my withholding to zero out of fear of the new tax laws.
 
I need someone to teach me the game. Once my cards are paid off at the end off the year, at least.

When you're ready take a look at the I Love Credit Cards thread. Super friendly group willing to guide you through.
That board is fantastic! Word of warning--the pace is hectic and there's some jargon that takes a bit to learn. I even asked a moderator for a list of abbreviations and when he/she didn't answer, I had to trudge through. BUT that is the board I learned to fly for nearly free on for our WDW trip in December.

Hi, I have been lurking the Debt Dumpers thread for 18 months from Australia and have decided to take the plunge and join.
We LOVE former lurkers! Welcome!!!

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. :-)
I'd love a shake right now...

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.
Hey @MamaBelleRN and welcome back!
 
Ah, YOU GUYS! I sat down on Saturday and forecasted my income and CC payments and if I keep my nose to the grindstone, I'll have the CC's paid off in August and the car in November!!! And that is counting the $350/mo payments back, too!

Not sure that the menu will be much more than Ramen noodles, but what's a little carbs? I'm reserving the banana dances for when the payoff's happen, and the first is scheduled on 6/5/19.
 
I need someone to teach me the game. Once my cards are paid off at the end off the year, at least.


I play the game while I still have debt. The key is paying off the cards you play the game on. My debt is on my 0% interest card. My points earning cards are treated no different than cash or a debit card. I pay them in full and NEVER carry a balance.
 
Oui- prayers and pixie dust would be great. At urgent care with our five year old who ‘heard a crack’ when he fell playing in the basement and has been guarding his arm since it happened. Hoping it’s not broken, but I’m worried it is :sad1:
This is when I am especially grateful to have a funded HSA so I don’t have that worry on top of it. Poor little guy!
 
@Jen and Ashwin, you beat me to it. I saw someone asking and thought I'd start this one when I finished catching up on the posts.

Right about now, my only goals for 2019 are to manage to not lose my car and house. Since last summer, my health issues have drained every gain I thought I had made, and set me back even further than I was when I started. I just want to curl up in a ball, cry, and die.

@dayvewc I'm sending prayers your way. Good luck in 2019. Do you have health insurance or any kind of financial aid that is helping you?

We've had to deal with several hospital bills in the past that we were able to get either cut down or get help with from some kind of grant.
 
I should post an update to keep myself held accountable! So the debt I'm paying off first (auto loan) will be paid off next month. It's sort of a hollow victory as the car was totaled in an accident in October so I'm paying for a car I don't have anymore. I actually had only owned the car for 31 days when it was totaled and I owed more than it was worth and didn't have gap insurance. I was super lucky that my MIL was planning on getting a new vehicle and gave me her old car for free so I didn't have to add more debt to get another vehicle. I also lost my job due to that accident but that's a whole other story. I've been working as an independent contractor since then for a delivery company but I actually enjoy it more as I make my own hours, I can work more whenever I want to make extra money, take off any day I need to and I make about the same as I was in my previous job that I didn't like very much. My DH started a new job in September and he loves his job and makes pretty good money so the income part is all good now at least.

After the car loan is paid off the next debt is a credit card that should be paid off by April, possibly March if I can throw extra $ at it. And if my DH and I don't accidentally both lock our keys in our car again like we did last week. It took about 30 seconds for the technician to get the car open and it cost $120! Beyond that our biggest issue is that we like to eat out, we don't add to debt for it but it does take away money we could be putting toward debt instead. We have cut it down by about 50% already so that's a step in the right direction at least. We both want to lose weight so it gives us more reason to cook our own food to watch calories versus eating out with the higher calories that brings. We are doing DietBet to keep ourselves motivated to lose weight and joined a gym.
 
Oui- prayers and pixie dust would be great. At urgent care with our five year old who ‘heard a crack’ when he fell playing in the basement and has been guarding his arm since it happened. Hoping it’s not broken, but I’m worried it is :sad1:
This is when I am especially grateful to have a funded HSA so I don’t have that worry on top of it. Poor little guy!

OH NO! Sending prayers, pixie dust and hopes that you don't have a high deductible! Please update when you can. My 12yo just got her cast off her wrist last Thursday she only had it on 3 weeks. Any younger and the doctor said it would have been less. Kids are so resilient. I am going to be a worried Mama over here for you guys!!
 
Took husbands car in for a repair. the estimate was $300 and the total came in at $298. YAY for not being over the estimate or finding more issues. I was looing at my chase account on line (the Disney card is first up in the payoff plan) and noticed two charges for about $90 each from Amazon. Looked on my Amazon account and I didn't buy anything, checked my daughter's Amazon account and called her and she didn't buy anything either. Called Chase and initiated fraud alert. They refunded and are sending out new cards. Good thing this is the card we are focused on because it made me pay attention. Zero balance cards I pay attention to in order to make sure nothing weird gets added but cards with balances I'm not as focused on. Lesson learned.
 
I know having a car payment is always a no-no in the debt freedom world, but all these car repair issues make me grateful I lease. I never have to buy tires or do any repairs. Yes, I pay $300/mo for infinity, but I like knowing I'll never have car issue...yes, there can be recalls and ****, but it's always covered. Oh and living in the Motor City, we just all lease, LOL. The BF can't get over our lease prices. He's hoping to drop his $450/mo truck payment for a $125/mo lease on a new truck when he gets here.

Now in debt savings.....my poor 9yo still pees at night. He got cursed by lovely family genetics (not his dad or I, but grandparents, cousins, etc). He still wears a pull up at night. I was in Target on Sunday and the 42ct box was marked $8.99. Further more if you bought 2 you got $10 back. They are regularly $25/box. I looked at the tag, it was next to the $25 regular price. The tag said 42 ct and said $16 savings. So I grabbed 2 boxes, snapped a photo of the tag and hit check out. They rang up $25/ea. I showed the cashier and she agreed I get the price difference (then immediately called to have the tag pulled, LOL). So I got 2 boxes for $18 and then $10 giftcard too. So $50 of pullups for $8! Had I waited and went to customer service, I would have gotten $5 or $10 more back thanks to the Michigan scanner law. But the CS line was really long, LOL. That's still $42 back into the budget for now :)
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top