*The Dave Ramsey 'Baby Steps' Thread*

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

What you need is a SMART goal. Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely. When I paid off my last car loan of $20000 in 2 and 1/2 years that was the goal, to pay any extra money I had towards the loan. The same is true now with getting the mortgage under 6 figures. We have the money increments on a grid that i highlight everytime we hit that dollar amount. Having something visible helps. This advice is from someone who eats out maybe once a month, meal plans, packs my lunch, goes on one vacation a year, pays off my credit cards every month, and lives a simple life to retire at 57 years old, in 4 years, after 34 years of teaching. You have to continue to make sacrifices and say NO to eating out with friends, NO to new debt, YES to tackling debt, and YES to a second job, not just selling stuff online. I am being up front and honest as you state you do not want to work until 75. Another suggestion is to wear an elastic bracelet. Everytime you are tempted to eat out or spend money snap it as a reminder.

Very good advice. Thank you. Right now the goal is to pay everything toward the bank loan until it's paid off. Hopefully by the end of the summer. That's the current goal. And we've cut to a bare bones budget pretty much. We meal plan, I take lunch 4 days per week with the only exception being the mandatory lunch out once a week, we meal plan and only go to Walmart once a week and buy what we need just for the week. So we're doing all the steps. Oh, and no vacations of any kind. We'll go home a couple of times a year, probably every 2-3 months. And that'll be considered our vacation, even though it's really not one. We're in sacrifice mode the rest of this year, no doubt. And I've applied for several part time jobs working 3-4 days per week. Just haven't gotten on anywhere. But some very good tips. So thank you.