Debt Reducers

[comicguy]

Is it possible that your district will reimburse some of your tuition? Our district will reimburse us for grad classes up to what one class will cost at TCNJ. We can be reimbursed for one class each semester, plus a summer session class. Sometimes it doesn't fully cover the cost of the class, but it sure does help.

All of the districts in our area do not pay for certification advancement. They want us to do it and almost force us to do it but will not help with any of the expense of it(we do get increases in pay over time by accumulating addition college credits, but it will take me 6 years to make the money back after deducting taxes over that time. I think this will be the last class I take for a while. Yesterday it was mentioned that I should think about getting a reading certificate after I am done with the grade 5 and 6 certificate, I politely said NO.

 

[Kathi OD]

All of the districts in our area do not pay for certification advancement. They want us to do it and almost force us to do it but will not help with any of the expense of it(we do get increases in pay over time by accumulating addition college credits, but it will take me 6 years to make the money back after deducting taxes over that time. I think this will be the last class I take for a while. Yesterday it was mentioned that I should think about getting a reading certificate after I am done with the grade 5 and 6 certificate, I politely said NO.

Man, that stinks! I don't think I would be going after a reading cert under those conditions either.

 

[tinaninea]

The student loan is paid off!!! And we leave for Disney next Friday! I'm down to 5 debts. We've really been feeling some relief on our bills in the last couple of months. So now it's time for DHs Student loan. It's small, under $2000.

 

[SpaceGirl]

The student loan is paid off!!!

Great news, keep up the good work.

 

[bubba]

Way to go, TINANINEA ! Keep up the great work (and enjoy your trip to visit the Main Mouse !)

 

[tinaninea]

Thanks guys! I'm on my second evacuation in less than 2 weeks, I'm so tired of traveling, I actually called to see if I could change my dates to go tomorrow. We're really worried about getting hit this time & if I've got no power, I might as well be in Disney! But, no room available for me. All I can think is that all those people who cancelled last week due to Ike are there this week.

 

[Narnia]

I'm in a bit of debt( I have never been in debt until this year!) but this month has been a great month. We haven't added any new debts. We paid cash for even gas. We put $400 on our debt and have a small savings and money to cover all the bills in the bank We really do want to put more $$ on our debt so I'm even buying used clothes for the kids this winter and cooking up a storm.I've bought alot of really nice christmas gifts this month since our local liquadators was putting out toys and things for $1-3 dollares with an additional 50% off! i got great gifts like a craft organizer shelf for my mom and really nice candle holders for my sister. I also bought food items like wagonwheels and ind. wrapped cookies boxes for .19 a box! and .10 for fruit dip.I even had enough money to redo some of my kitchen things so I'm more likely to cook at home. I picked up 3 make your own donut kits each came with three pans( $1 each), silicone 3 pan set($3), mugs and bowls@.20 each and glasses( $2 of a 18 peice set). My house is filled with food but it's mostly fresh or ingrediants so I can make soups,stews,chili. We are almost on our way to becoming debt free!!! We have a $2000 check coming to us in the next few weeks so we ae going to have our mini savings. I even worked out how to save $1000 for spending on my trip in 2 months.

 

[littlelulu33]

How is everyone doing? We had a very small setback--I still think we are going to be on track for a Nov payoff, but our sump pump quit working during the big rains and the basement started to flood. So we needed a new sump pump system and we also needed to get a new car seat for DD. Otherwise we are doing very well and can't wait until Dec when we will have a little more freedom with the money. Then we are going to get the car paid off next, my hopes are to be done in April. The car is interest free so we may get our savings built up more and only pay our regular payment. I really like the idea of having the bill gone in 6 months or so instead of the 2 + years that it would take otherwise. I guess we could always pay extra and if we needed extra one month for something else that we only would pay the min. What would you do?

 

[mrsklamc]

We were able to make a double car payment this month, yay!

I'm considering applying for a retail holiday position just to pay it down but DH thinks I'm crazy.

 

[littlelulu33]

Another payment made to the CC. We only have one month left and we will done with the CC. Now I have a question we have a car payment that is interest free. Well should we live tight like we have been to get the CC paid (all bills paid and some extra, yes we still go out to eat but have not bought any big extra fun stuff and I also have really thought about things that I bought do I really need it). If we live tight I will done with car in March. Other wise I can keep making the regular payment and it will be done in 2 years and can just bank the $$$. I was leaning towards just paying it off in the next few months and be done and then start saving. We also could just make larger payments and save some. What would you do?

 

[8 Ears]

littlelulu33- although it is not interest free we only have 6 months left on 1 of our vehicles. We are paying extra on it each month, about $17.00. We had thought about just paying it right off but we are also saving for what is becoming our bi-annual trip to Florida.

Sure you will get different answers but this is what we are doing.

Way to go on the CC! It feels wonderful when they are paid off!!!

 

[WDisneyMom]

Love this thread!!I have added our Debt in my siggy line!

 

[Deffenm]

I will making my last car payment next week. We will no longer have a car payment. Next will be student loan, about $3000 and DH's doctor bill, $1300. After those 2 bills are paid off we will only have our house and the Camper. It feels so good to be so close to having almost no debt.

 

[ski_mom]

Next Monday we are closing on the sale of a duplex that we bought about 10 years ago. We (I) have been losing money on it for the past 4 years. This whole project/money making idea was mine and DH really didn't want any part of it. He's very busy with his job, doesn't really like fixing things that aren't his, etc. Anyway, when we bought this, the idea was that we would have it paid for (with the rent paid to us from the renters) by the time the kids started college and then the money from the renters would be used to pay for/on their college while they were there.

At first, it was great - relatively few problems and my dad is a big fix-it man, loves tinkering with things like this and had some rentals of his own. So, basically, he helped me with it a lot - did most of the repairs, checked on it periodically, etc. Well, a little over 4 years ago, my dad died in a car accident and since then, I've not really done much of anything with it, so needless to say, it has drug us down.

Anyway, not to bore anyone with our story, but Monday we will be selling this and will be able to start seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!! When I find out how much we will receive over the amount of the mortgage, I'll post what we still owe and my plan to get us out from under this! I'm so excited!

We've got a lot on 2 different credit cards. One is at zero percent until January and the other is at 2.99% until paid off. My goal is to have the zero % one paid off by January and to not have to try to find another place to put that debt. I think it is doable, but right now, the balance is over $17,000. I'm hoping to have at least $5,000 to put toward it from the sale of the duplex and DH get a large bonus in the middle of December. It should be at least $10,000. So, hopefullly between that and the fact that we won't be throwing around $600 each month into the bills for the duplex, we will be able to achieve it! Then we can start on the other with the 2.99% until paid off.

Anyway, I've rambled on more than I was planning, but at least I'm started my journey!

Thanks for listening!
Becky

 

[SpaceGirl]

Another payment made to the CC. We only have one month left and we will done with the CC. Now I have a question we have a car payment that is interest free. Well should we live tight like we have been to get the CC paid (all bills paid and some extra, yes we still go out to eat but have not bought any big extra fun stuff and I also have really thought about things that I bought do I really need it). If we live tight I will done with car in March. Other wise I can keep making the regular payment and it will be done in 2 years and can just bank the $$$. I was leaning towards just paying it off in the next few months and be done and then start saving. We also could just make larger payments and save some. What would you do?

After next month when your Credit Card is Paid-In-Full... ...I would continue living even tighter. Start saving all your extra money then if/when the current economic situation improves you will have the money to pay the car loan off early. If the economy doesn't improve you will have additional savings to help get your family through some possable rough times.

With the loan at 0% remember you are using their money, they aren't using yours.

Good Luck

 

[SpaceGirl]

Ski_Mom & WDisneyMom Welcome to the thread.

Ski_Mom good luck with the closing Monday sounds like a good time to sell the duplex.

WDisneyMom hope this thread helps.

 

[SpaceGirl]

I have been plugging away working on getting my utilization down on my credit cards, until I can post they are all Paid-In-Full.

I'm still having great results keeping my electic bill down, received my bill today only used 926kwh last month.

Everyone keep up the good work and remember...

"Batten down the hatches there be storm clouds ahead."

 

[katiemacsmom]

This month I have been tracking my KWH on my electric meter daily measuring the amount of electric power use.

SpaceGirl,

Can you explain to me how you are doing this? Do you have a device that shows daily Kwh or do you actually go out and read your meter each day?

 

[SpaceGirl]

I check it everyday but my metor is right by my garage door so while walking back from the mail box it's right there. (So I check same time everyday) My bill also has the reading 77435 and the amount of kwh 926 used each month. I double check against my readings, so far I have been right on the money. I have a digital metor so it gives me the readout without the little wheels going around, but I have always checked my bills against the metor readings, just not everyday until my bills just kept getting higher and higher.

Yesterday we were gone all day and when I checked we only used 12kwh.

The biggest surprise I have had was one day I turned the oven on to make some cornbread OMG so now if that oven gets turned on several items are cooked at the same time.

Hope this helps.

 

[tinaninea]

Well, I'm finally back. We've been through Ike & Disney since I last posted! We got a little damage with Ike (some roof damage & a tree on our fence), but we also got my grandparents who live on the Bolivar Peninsula (by Galveston). Who knows when they will get power back (or water for that matter), but the went home Sunday because Galveston ISD opened back up on Monday and MawMaw is a teacher.
Anyway, the debt: Starting/$61,834.88 Current/$54,920.79 Paid/$6,914.09
I've paid almost $7000 in debt and after DH gets paid tomorrow, I will be over $7000!
We are already feeling so much relief from the debts that we dont have to pay anymore. We're still paying the same amount, but it's much easier knowing that we don't have to pay so much if an emergency arises. And we've adjusted to the new lifestyle (we cook more often, don't go see as many movies, find lots of free things to do, etc.) We had our first emergency, & we didn't take a dime out of the emergency fund! And a trip to Disney with another one booked, I must say, it feels great!