I love getting out of debt!

We are already partway through paying off our debt and it hasn't even been that much work! This week we are going to be going from a Buick Rendezvous to a Pontiac Grand Am and this little switch will almost entirely wipe out our car debt! Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!


I love this paying off debt crap. Here's what I think will happen with our Dave Ramsey plan over the next few months:

1. Finish building our $1000 emergency fund.
2. Take the next 10 months or so to pay off all debt except my school loans. That just leaves a little bit of seemingly justified debt.
3. Take a short break from paying off our debt to save up a down-payment for a house.
4. Buy a house!!!!!!
5. Resume our plan of paying off our debt, getting rid of my school loans. Then our only debt will be for our mortgage.
6. Continue with the rest of the Baby Steps.

This our tentative plan. We will, of course, probably have some kinks to work out and some punches to roll with, but, if the Lord wills it, this is what we'll aim for.

Plans feel good and so does paying off debt.

Now, if only losing weight were this easy to get started.

When it rains, it pours!

In the context of the last post, this post would seem even more meaningful, so you might need to review.

Today was a day for Clint and me to be blessed. See blessings below. You know, God does tell us to count them!

1. I ran out of leave-in conditioner about a week ago. The stuff I use is $14. I know most of you wouldn't see leave-in conditioner as a "need" but it means I only have to brush my hair for 1 minute instead of like 15 very painful minutes. But we haven't had fourteen extra dollars lately. But we got a coupon for the exact stuff I use for FREE in the mail! Yay!

2. My average electric bill is like $80. Last month it was like $156 and I about shat myself. This month it said $228. Before Clint and I had a conniption fit we noticed two little letters next to the 228: CR. We have $228 in credit for electricity! I had put a big deposit down last year and they gave it back to me! That's like 2-3 months of electricity!
3. We went to Hy-Vee to buy a frozen pizza to cook for lunch tomorrow. There was a sale for 4 for $11. That's a pretty good deal so we got 4. When we went to ring up, they rang up as the regular price but Hy-Vee has a scan guarantee. That means when something rings up for the wrong price, you get it for free! So 4 free pizzas!

So yay!

P.S. I'm going to start keeping track of product prices at Hy-Vee. Free stuff for their mistake, here I come!

Money, Money, Money!

Baby steps:

1. Save $1000 for an emergency fund
2. Snowball debt
3. Save up for 3-6 months of bills
4. Can't remember - maybe pay off house?
5. Build wealth

These are Dave Ramsey's baby steps.

These are the steps Clint and I are going through.

These are the steps that currently feel interminable.

But we're doing it. We're downsizing from a two-bedroom apartment to a one-bedroom. We're going to try and sell my SUV and get a cheaper car. We are holding ourselves to a super strict budget.

It feels as if we'll never be able to eat out again.

So if you invite us to do something frivolous and we refuse, don't be offended. Maybe we can play cards instead.

It's Real!

Ugh, I'm exhausted! Today was the first day of school. I spent the entire day getting to know 18 second graders and teaching them about the way I do what I do. Every year this day exhausts me. Takes everything out of me. Blah! I will say that this class seemed like they are going to be easy to get along with. Wide range of readers, but easy to get along with.

Anyway, I digress. I've been married for nearly two months and today, it felt real. I was Mrs. York a million times over. I had to write it many times, I heard it said many, many times and I even had to correct my principal with it once.

Now I've been married for 50-some days and it has felt, while thoroughly amazing, like I'm just playing house. Today took away a little bit of that pretend feeling. It was nice. And you know what else was nice? Coming home to my wonderful, sweet husband. That's what else. My real-life husband.