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Archive for the ‘debt’ Category

Well, I was tempted to skip over this update and hope no one noticed.

Darn my honesty.

We went nowhere on debt this month. Why? Shopping Sprees? New TV’s?

Not so much.

Our extra debt payments went to insulating our home and to pay to my brother’s father-in-law (combined with some manual labor) for some desperately needed furniture.

Perhaps the best part of this equation? We have a nearly new fancy mattress. Now, sure, it would be difficult NOT to impress me. Our previous mattress was more than a dozen years old. But for TWO YEARS, I thought I was an insomniac.

Turns out. I’m not. I just needed a new bed.

I would say I’m losing sleep over this update but for the first time since we bought this house, the temperature in our bedroom is over 55 degrees even though it’s 37 outside and our mattress is zzzzzzzzzzz…

My Debt
• Original Debt: $38,495.86
• Added Debt: $1,781.50
• Total Debt: $40,277.36
• Paid: $ 31,662.16
• Remaining: $8,615.20

Broken Down

• Auto Loan 1: $0
• Credit Card: $0
• Student Loan: $8,615.20
• Auto Loan 2: $0
• Vet Loan: $0

I received my husband’s registration for his truck in the mail yesterday. I noticed it looked a bit naked, the registration had a big empty white space.

Curious, I took a second look and noticed the void was a representation of our new debt free way of living.

Yup, the ‘Lender Information’ section was bare for the first time since we’ve been married. Heck, for the first time EVER.

We paid off his truck in July and seeing that big empty space brought back the same feelings I experienced the day I mailed the final check. I received two reminders since then that my fight with debt is ending. The pink slip made me giggly and the registration nearly made me cry.

Debt has haunted me, but I’m finally starting to clear the ghosts out of the closet.

It’s a wonderful feeling.

I opened my trunk over the weekend to put in some groceries and saw a box of gloves and some wiping cloths. I asked my husband if they were his and he stared at me blankly. “Nope. Not mine.” he replied.

I thought perhaps the auto guy left them behind and I didn’t want him to miss the gloves so I drove to his house down the street to drop them off. When I showed him the gloves, he gave the same look my husband did. “No. Not mine.”

I checked with my brother. They weren’t his either.

‘NATURALLY’, I assumed they belonged to the guy who keeps breaking in to my car. Great. Now the guy is not only stealing from me, he’s framing me for other crimes. I could see myself on trial, “Yes your honor, those gloves and wiping cloths were in my possession and were identical to the ones used to commit the crime but I swear, someone put them in my car.” My brother suggested I take the box to the police for finger printing (clearly we share active imaginations and we watch too much CSI).

I called my husband and told him I was now terrified the thief won’t leave me alone. “He is taunting me!” I yelled. “He’s still in my car! What’s next? A parking ticket from Tijuana? A speeding ticket from Compton?! A stocking cap?!?”

“OK. So, maybe the gloves are mine.” he said trying not to snicker too loudly.

Turns out, my husband didn’t want me to know he was in my trunk because he noticed the small tool kit I bought him for his birthday and didn’t want to hurt my feelings since he saw it too early. He didn’t think I would actually try to return the gloves to the mechanic nor did he think I would question my brother about it and consider police involvement.

If I blow my debt out of proportion as much as I did the gloves, I think I’m in pretty good shape.

And yes, hubby apologized profusely.

Five years of perfect behavior.

Five years of no break-downs.

Five years of easy flying.

Now, my car is acting like a rebellious child.

Brakes. Gone.

$280. Gone.

Thankfully, my husband’s new pay raise will cover it so our debt payment for December should be normal. Plus, we’ve both been working side jobs so we may actually make a dent this month. Whew!

Oh no. I think I just jinxed it.

My co-worker lost her sister suddenly to an unknown health condition. Understandably shaken from the unexpected loss, she took a few days off work. During that time, she tried her best to notify her sister’s creditors of her death.

She came back to work this week and I stopped at her desk to see how she was doing and ask if she needed anything. She talked to me for a little bit and when she finished, I started to walk away. She caught my arm and said, ‘I have another reason for you to hate credit cards.’

Hmm. I may be a little too vocal about my hatred for credit cards. I’m starting to get a reputation.

She told me she had called one of the credit card companies to inform them about her sister’s death and the jerk on the phone said, ‘Are you planning to pay your sister’s remaining balance?’

‘N-n-n-o’ she stuttered, shocked.

‘Someone needs to pay this debt. Can you or your parents make payments? Does she have any other siblings who can pay this debt? Are you willing to sign on this account?’ he demanded.

She couldn’t even answer. She was crying so she hung up and has not called back.

What kind of SLEEZE demands payment from the sibling of a person who recently passed away?!?!?

Leave it to credit card companies to take advantage of the emotional roller coaster of death to force payment.

What is your worst credit card company story?

I was listening to Dave Ramsey’s show while he interviewed Zac Bissonnette, author of Debt Free U. To be fair, I haven’t read Zac’s book (I’ve been short on time), but based on the amazing amount of information he shared in a short interview with Dave, I am IMPRESSED.

Zac stands by state colleges instead of private colleges and supports the financial decisions of students who attend community college for their freshman and sophomore years as a way to save loads of cash.

I graduated from a private college and I loved it… but sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I hadn’t paid $26K a year. My degree would be the same… but I wouldn’t be carrying student loans.

Thanks to some awesome scholarship opportunities and grants, I graduated with ‘only’ $15K in debt. My friends did not fair nearly as well. Most have more than $100K in student loans.

If you have a child in high school, buy his book and read his articles at: http://www.dailyfinance.com/writers/zac-bissonnette/

You’ll need the help.

You can thank me later.