Debt Dumpers 2025

[ruadisneyfan2]

Just canceled our storage unit. That'll save $90/month. Will figure out what to do with it. Might put it toward the EF, a little extra on the car payment, pay more on the CC (can now have CC1 paid off in 2 months maybe vs. 9 months if I put all $90 toward CC1) or something. Maybe toward our grocery budget. Who knows. But it helps. Also lowered our internet from $100 to $40, and that will kick in this month.

So, you're saying all that DR advice of Baby Steps and Debt Snowball that 20 people explained to you were for naught?
You actually don't need to increase your food budget, you need to find ways to spend less.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

My favorite way to make chicken salad is to get a rotisserie chicken for $5 (well in our case we buy 2 because there's 5 of us), but we will eat the chicken for dinner one night and then I pick off the rest of the meat and will make the chicken salad from what's left on the bones. And THEN I throw all the bones, some onions, carrots, celery into a pot with water or crock pot and let that simmer for a few hours to get chicken bone broth and then I cool it and save it in a jar in the fridge to make something with in the next few days.

Dh does this too. He usually buys a whole chicken or split breasts. There's always some leftover so he'll either cut it up into little cubes and add little ziploc bags of lettuce and cheese and we bought small condiment cups on Amazon and put Caesar dressing in, and he'll wrap up some flatbread and make lunch kits for the next day.
In fact, I had that for lunch today. Sometimes he'll make chicken soup and less often chicken salad. I don't really know how he decides which to make. Maybe depends on how much is leftover. His chicken soup is amazing.
He also has been making his own Chinese food. I don't eat it; I can't get past the smell but he used to buy it at our grocery store. After a certain time of day it would be on clearance and he'd buy it then. After a while he looked at the ingredients and said I can make this myself. So he does. He buys all the sauces from Amazon.

Dh grew up poor, one of six kids, so he's good at being thrifty when we need to be. All I have to say is our spending was a little heavy this month so cut out all extras and only buy if we absolutely need it and he's good with that.

 

[Tygerlilly]

Got a notice that certain deliveries between 5:45am and 8:45am will have an extra $7 per delivery incentive on them tomorrow morning, so guess who is going to drag her butt out of bed at dark and cold thirty am to go make deliveries? I'm making a goal to try and make $100 a day, 5 days a week. Sometimes that may be in 3 hours and sometimes it may take 5 or 6, but that extra $7/trip will definitely help!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Got a notice that certain deliveries between 5:45am and 8:45am will have an extra $7 per delivery incentive on them tomorrow morning, so guess who is going to drag her butt out of bed at dark and cold thirty am to go make deliveries? I'm making a goal to try and make $100 a day, 5 days a week. Sometimes that may be in 3 hours and sometimes it may take 5 or 6, but that extra $7/trip will definitely help!

If it makes you feel any better, tomorrow I'm doing a prep for a colonoscopy on Wednesday. I have my tubs of Jello and Gatorade/Miralax all ready to go.
I'm predicting it's going to be a crappy day.
Still better than having advanced colon cancer so I'll gladly get it done.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

It is, but my doc said eating the low sodium version is good. So that's what we do.

You know that is processed right? Maybe tuna is fine is it’s just tuna in water, but that other stuff is processed.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

That's what we're doing. Trying to find ways to cut the groceries budget.

So, you're saying all that DR advice of Baby Steps and Debt Snowball that 20 people explained to you were for naught?
You actually don't need to increase your food budget, you need to find ways to spend less.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Thanks. We're trying to find ways to lower it.

And the canned chicken. Cheaper and healthy to buy it by the lb in multi lb packs and divide it up. Paper products @WDW_fan_in_TX are in my grocery budget also. I have a gluten free eater in my household. Our budget for 3 adults is less than $600 a month and most of our food comes from the outside of the store. Me make it happen by freezing meats. Eating the fruits and veggies that are on sale. Boiling eggs for breakfast and sometimes lunch for the week. When there is a will, there is a way. And since your wife doesn’t eat vegetables and is presumably living off the cheap and highly processed stuff, you should be able to cut the budget.

 

[barkley]

Tuna pouches aren't bought unless they are a dollar or less and then I stock up, why because their are good for at least 2 years and we eat it a lot.

same here. have you tried the great value brand? regular price is .94 for a 2.6 oz chunk light in water-i find it superior to chicken of the sea and the other name brands.

My favorite way to make chicken salad is to get a rotisserie chicken for $5 (well in our case we buy 2 because there's 5 of us), but we will eat the chicken for dinner one night and then I pick off the rest of the meat and will make the chicken salad from what's left on the bones. And THEN I throw all the bones, some onions, carrots, celery into a pot with water or crock pot and let that simmer for a few hours to get chicken bone broth and then I cool it and save it in a jar in the fridge to make something with in the next few days.

I do this too! I had a friend though that had stretching a single rotissery chicken down to a science-he would buy on for $5 on the weekend along with 2 of the 10 oz frozen steamer veggie packets. those packets have 2 1/2 servings each so each day he took his container of deboned chicken with frozen veggies and some rice he cooked up over the weekend- which he nuked in the work microwave. he did the same you do with the bone broth (froze it if he would'nt use it in a few days). he spent a total of $10 a week on his very healthy work lunches.

 

[afan]

It is, but my doc said eating the low sodium version is good. So that's what we do.

You can get packs of low sodium tuna, it's what I get on sale for a buck. I'm sure one pack is equal to 2 tiny cans. Then look for decent mayo that doesn’t add a bunch of sugar or crap to make it low this or no that. Then find better crackers than what's in the little pack you are buying. Kroger has some good ancient grains, rice crackers etc in their simply truth line that don't cost a lot. I used to break them up to use as croutons on my salad.

Using sale prices and mixing this stuff up yourself you can save money and eat better because you can control the crackers. This would all still meet what the Dr is advising without spending extra on the convenience factor.

 

[afan]

same here. have you tried the great value brand? regular price is .94 for a 2.6 oz chunk light in water-i find it superior to chicken of the sea and the other name brands

Is that Walmart brand? I don't shop there. We get starkist which works for me. I only ever use it for sandwiches or eat with saltines so it's always mixed with something.

 

[Twilghtsprkle]

Then look for decent mayo that doesn’t add a bunch of sugar or crap to make it low this or no that.

If you have a food processor you can make your own pretty easily.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

I mix it up when we're eating it at home. That's the best cause I can put as much mayo and relish as I want. But for work, I have to be able to keep it in my desk. But I love homemade at home. So, so good.

You can get packs of low sodium tuna, it's what I get on sale for a buck. I'm sure one pack is equal to 2 tiny cans. Then look for decent mayo that doesn’t add a bunch of sugar or crap to make it low this or no that. Then find better crackers than what's in the little pack you are buying. Kroger has some good ancient grains, rice crackers etc in their simply truth line that don't cost a lot. I used to break them up to use as croutons on my salad.

Using sale prices and mixing this stuff up yourself you can save money and eat better because you can control the crackers. This would all still meet what the Dr is advising without spending extra on the convenience factor.

 

[Tygerlilly]

If it makes you feel any better, tomorrow I'm doing a prep for a colonoscopy on Wednesday. I have my tubs of Jello and Gatorade/Miralax all ready to go.
I'm predicting it's going to be a crappy day.
Still better than having advanced colon cancer so I'll gladly get it done.

Hey, at least you're checking it off the day before and not the day after Thanksgiving. Lol. Zero percent chance of my skipping out on deviled eggs and homemade mashed potatoes for that. Good luck!

 

[Tygerlilly]

I mix it up when we're eating it at home. That's the best cause I can put as much mayo and relish as I want. But for work, I have to be able to keep it in my desk. But I love homemade at home. So, so good.

That's what we're trying to say. Instead of buying $4 worth of tiny tuna kits, make it at home and then bring it with you in a little container with crackers. A lunch bag with an ice pack in it will keep it cold enough until lunch.

 

[afan]

I mix it up when we're eating it at home. That's the best cause I can put as much mayo and relish as I want. But for work, I have to be able to keep it in my desk. But I love homemade at home. So, so good.

Mix it up the night before, put it in the fridge and then use an ice pack in an insulated lunch bag. I guarantee it'll keep and taste the same. I've been doing this for years with all my work lunches. I always use ice packs and have never had an issue with whatever needs to be cold staying cold. Yogurt, cheese, tuna, hard boiled eggs etc.

You're far more likely to get sick from touching door knows and shared surfaces at work than you are mixing tuna at home for your lunch the next day.

 

[barkley]

Is that Walmart brand? I don't shop there. We get starkist which works for me. I only ever use it for sandwiches or eat with saltines so it's always mixed with something.

yeah it is. I tried it out after every freaking store (chain and local owned) started only carrying starkist.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Hey, at least you're checking it off the day before and not the day after Thanksgiving. Lol. Zero percent chance of my skipping out on deviled eggs and homemade mashed potatoes for that. Good luck!

We already did our family Thanksgiving dinner on the 15th. My brother does HVAC and is on call for the real Thanksgiving. My dad was sooo happy to see everyone together. I haven't seen him that happy in the 6.5 years since my mom died. That was the best part.

Dh will be spending the 4-day weekend helping ds25 refinish his living room floor and stairs.

 

[royeheat]

Thanks. We're trying to find ways to lower

Questions to ask yourself
When was the last time I made a sacrifice, regarding money, to get ahead?
What if we choose not to go on vacations this upcoming year?
Am I really get rid of everything i possibly can get rid of?
How are my past and present day spending impacting my future self?
If I continue theses habits how long will I have to work?
I would offer advice but too many on the boards have done that already.
This is from someone who is 52, will retire at 57 with a full teachers pension and hopefully a paid off house by then, as well as cash flowed college tuition. No inheritance, 1 vacation a year, stay mostly at home for fun, 1 subscription service, pay as you go phone, rarely eating out, home cooked meals and most of all living below my means.

 

[LadybugsMum]

If it makes you feel any better, tomorrow I'm doing a prep for a colonoscopy on Wednesday. I have my tubs of Jello and Gatorade/Miralax all ready to go.
I'm predicting it's going to be a crappy day.
Still better than having advanced colon cancer so I'll gladly get it done.

I have mine in Jan. My appendix ruptured and an endocrine tumor was found when it was removed. So, I felt the need to have my next one sooner rather than later. If I get the all clear then I can wait 10 years for the next one.

As for me, I get to have surgery tomorrow. This is the second to last one I need for my breast reconstruction after breast cancer. I got an infection when I had the surgery to switch the expanders to implants and had to have one of the implants removed. So tomorrow I get a new expander and in 4 months I have the last surgery (hopefully)! I am soooo ready for all of this crap to be done.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Questions to ask yourself
When was the last time I made a sacrifice, regarding money, to get ahead?
What if we choose not to go on vacations this upcoming year?
Am I really get rid of everything i possibly can get rid of?
How are my past and present day spending impacting my future self?
If I continue theses habits how long will I have to work?
I would offer advice but too many on the boards have done that already.
This is from someone who is 52, will retire at 57 with a full teachers pension and hopefully a paid off house by then, as well as cash flowed college tuition. No inheritance, 1 vacation a year, stay mostly at home for fun, 1 subscription service, pay as you go phone, rarely eating out, home cooked meals and most of all living below my means.

No. 1 - the last 2 weeks. We've cut our storage unit out altogether, renominated our internet bill and insurance bills;
No. 2 - I told DW this past weekend we won't be able to go to Disney this upcoming year and that the trip we took this past July to Chicago was our last vacation for a while. She was not happy at all.
No. 3 - I'm trying to sell stuff. I listed 21 items (books, clothes, Christmas ornaments) on eBay yesterday. Not sure where else to sell besides there.
No. 4 - I'm scared about spending. More scared that we don't make enough money. You can only cut so much until you have to start upping income. I'm afraid to talk to my boss about me finding another job cause I'm afraid he'll take that to mean I don't like it and want to leave, and he'll let me go right then;
No. 5 - I'm sure I'll have to work til I'm 70 already. Habits and spending are changing for the better, but I can't make up for lost time;

I've been listening to advice, changing habits and spending and trying to right the ship. I know everyone has offered advice, some solicited, some not. But everyone has piled on.