mmbrad02
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2006
- Messages
- 1,200
I know March isn't quite over but here is an update:
Financial Goals:
Goal 1– Pay off Small credit card bill – Goal achieved.
Replacement Goal – Payoff newer Same as Cash CC with a balance of $2,470.52. Our regularly monthly payments will achieve pay off during same as cash period, but I would like to pay it off sooner if possible.
Goal 2 – Pay on HELOC down/off – We are paying pretty aggressively on this but we still have a ways to go. Beginning of 2026 the balance was $15K. Current balance is $11,536. This includes payments with extra for January, February, and March as well as additional amount paid from our tax return. Next short term goal now is to see it get below $10K.
Goal 3 – Furniture Credit Card Same as Cash – Goal achieved
Replacement Goal – This isn’t exactly apples to apples in comparison, but we are trying to pay aggressively on our new car loan. It’s financed for 6 years but we certainly do not want to have the loan that long. We financed $32,775.00 on January 12. Current balance is $31,815.07 with April’s payment already scheduled with an additional $206 towards the principle. The goal is to pay at least that much each month extra, but we shall see how life goes. Next short term goal now is to get the balance below $30K.
Other Goals:
Teaching my daughter to make better financial decisions – Between my dad’s surgery and it being my fiscal year end at work (I’m an accountant) and just life in general, this has really been pushed to the backburner. She is not a bad kid but everyone can use good financial direction, even starting young. She does see our every day life and how we don’t tend to buy things on a whim and we discuss the cost of such quite often, so for now hopefully all that is sinking in
Lowering monthly CC Expense – Dumb luck was on our side in February and our bill was about $1K lower than normal. But March was back to what our ‘normal’ has been. I can’t complain -I have put zero effort into this. We don’t carry a balance but less spending in general means more money that could be paying toward our debt above.
Ebay Sales – I had a goal of having 200 items listed all the time. I’ve consistently kept this, sitting at about 220 right now. Sales in January and February were pretty slow in terms of volume but overall the $$ is about the same as March. I’m not going to make a life on this but the profits go to funding my travels so it’s motivating. My average profit is about $250 a month.
Now to stay on task for April...
Financial Goals:
Goal 1– Pay off Small credit card bill – Goal achieved.
Replacement Goal – Payoff newer Same as Cash CC with a balance of $2,470.52. Our regularly monthly payments will achieve pay off during same as cash period, but I would like to pay it off sooner if possible.
Goal 2 – Pay on HELOC down/off – We are paying pretty aggressively on this but we still have a ways to go. Beginning of 2026 the balance was $15K. Current balance is $11,536. This includes payments with extra for January, February, and March as well as additional amount paid from our tax return. Next short term goal now is to see it get below $10K.
Goal 3 – Furniture Credit Card Same as Cash – Goal achieved
Replacement Goal – This isn’t exactly apples to apples in comparison, but we are trying to pay aggressively on our new car loan. It’s financed for 6 years but we certainly do not want to have the loan that long. We financed $32,775.00 on January 12. Current balance is $31,815.07 with April’s payment already scheduled with an additional $206 towards the principle. The goal is to pay at least that much each month extra, but we shall see how life goes. Next short term goal now is to get the balance below $30K.
Other Goals:
Teaching my daughter to make better financial decisions – Between my dad’s surgery and it being my fiscal year end at work (I’m an accountant) and just life in general, this has really been pushed to the backburner. She is not a bad kid but everyone can use good financial direction, even starting young. She does see our every day life and how we don’t tend to buy things on a whim and we discuss the cost of such quite often, so for now hopefully all that is sinking in
Lowering monthly CC Expense – Dumb luck was on our side in February and our bill was about $1K lower than normal. But March was back to what our ‘normal’ has been. I can’t complain -I have put zero effort into this. We don’t carry a balance but less spending in general means more money that could be paying toward our debt above.
Ebay Sales – I had a goal of having 200 items listed all the time. I’ve consistently kept this, sitting at about 220 right now. Sales in January and February were pretty slow in terms of volume but overall the $$ is about the same as March. I’m not going to make a life on this but the profits go to funding my travels so it’s motivating. My average profit is about $250 a month.
Now to stay on task for April...
Last time I just got food here. This time I packed myself a little bag with some fruit, granola bars, cheese sticks, tuna pouches, and other little snacks. Sure beats the heck out of concession stand food all day and much healthier. Not saying I won't cave and partake in some nachos around 4pm (gotta support our club right? 
), but spending $3 is better than $23.
