$13214.10
New D-day October 1, 2012.
I did a balance transfer, and put my high rate Discover balance to a 0% Citi transfer offer with a 5% fee, for 18 months.
It should help me pay it off faster, but Mint doesn't like it.
I also had a very expensive start of the school year, spending more than I wanted, and as my income took a dip due to less work, I put a most of it on a credit card, so with that and the balance transfer fee, not a good debt pay off month.
I am focusing on my cc debt, and I know it's a marathon not a race, but my car loan feels like it's going down by leaps and bounds, although my student loan debt seems to be dragging along.
Just got to keep swimming.
Menu plan for the week:
Sunday: Leftover take out pizza from lunch (ex pays for this as I take the twins back early)
Monday: English Muffin Pizzas
Tuesday: Crockpot Chicken, potatoes, onions, etc (trying to get rid of some root vegetables).
Wednesday: Cheesey Chicken Casserole (eating from the freezer)
Thursday: Spaghetti meatballs red sauce.
Friday: most likely just me, something easy like salad.
Saturday: Digiorno pizza from the freezer, salad.
Looks not so healthy, but on the side is always veggies, salad, etc.
And I have a lot of stuff that will soon go bad if I don't use it up.
With the weather getting colder, I will be filling in with snacks such as blueberry muffins, baked apples, and there are so many inexpensive bread recipes that I really want to try.
And I may even get really ambitious and start taking pictures ;)
Showing posts with label debt fatigue. Show all posts
Showing posts with label debt fatigue. Show all posts
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Money Musings
It's a marathon, not a race.
My mantra this month.
The one lesson I've learned in paying down credit card debt is that it is so much more than just paying the balance.
I throw money at it, and then interest kicks in, then it makes my payment halved, then I throw more at it, and it seems that the balance is getting smaller at less than a snail's pace.
Contrast this to how fast my money grows in savings (adding small amounts on auto-pilot equals a happy squeal when I do check the balance) and it makes me alternately mad at getting myself in debt, mixed with renewed determination to finally get it all paid off.
Add this to the uncertainty of payment from a formerly great source of revenue that has been slowly dying due to bad business decisions on the part of the owner, and the need to be debt free so that I am at no one's mercy (credit card lenders, student loan creditors, banks) is heavy on my mind.
On the upside, just got off the phone with the IRS, and will be getting a small check and a nice credit for overpayment.
Yes!
I know that I am making progress, if only because I'm not adding debt, and my credit card debt isn't my only debt, as I am making progress on my mortgage, student loans, car loan, etc.
And there's no way around it, four teenagers in a HCOL area equals big expenses.
Just keep swimming.
Credit Card: $15,535.
My mantra this month.
The one lesson I've learned in paying down credit card debt is that it is so much more than just paying the balance.
I throw money at it, and then interest kicks in, then it makes my payment halved, then I throw more at it, and it seems that the balance is getting smaller at less than a snail's pace.
Contrast this to how fast my money grows in savings (adding small amounts on auto-pilot equals a happy squeal when I do check the balance) and it makes me alternately mad at getting myself in debt, mixed with renewed determination to finally get it all paid off.
Add this to the uncertainty of payment from a formerly great source of revenue that has been slowly dying due to bad business decisions on the part of the owner, and the need to be debt free so that I am at no one's mercy (credit card lenders, student loan creditors, banks) is heavy on my mind.
On the upside, just got off the phone with the IRS, and will be getting a small check and a nice credit for overpayment.
Yes!
I know that I am making progress, if only because I'm not adding debt, and my credit card debt isn't my only debt, as I am making progress on my mortgage, student loans, car loan, etc.
And there's no way around it, four teenagers in a HCOL area equals big expenses.
Just keep swimming.
Credit Card: $15,535.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Menu Planning Monday
Some meals from last week got moved to this week.
The joy of snow days and hectic schedules.
Monday: Angel Hair Pasta, Red Sauce, Meatballs, sub rolls, salad (used up the last in the fridge).
Tuesday: Chicken Fried Rice Stir Fry.
Wednesday: Pork Chops, Salad, Au Gratin Potatoes
Thursday:Baked Ziti (this is Rainman dependent, if he requests it we have it, if not, we shall see, because I have ricotta cheese I really need to use up).
Friday: Soup/Salad (most likely just me).
Saturday: BLTs
Sunday: Fend for yourself
I have all of the ingredients in the pantry, except for salad, which I'll pick up later in the week.
I took the advice of Penny at The Saved Quarter, and called Visa.
They dropped my interest rate 4 points, which isn't great, but it's almost paid off, and it's better than nothing :)
Especially when work is deader than dead.
Credit Card Debt: $14,339
Great Blog: Eat At Home Cooks
The joy of snow days and hectic schedules.
Monday: Angel Hair Pasta, Red Sauce, Meatballs, sub rolls, salad (used up the last in the fridge).
Tuesday: Chicken Fried Rice Stir Fry.
Wednesday: Pork Chops, Salad, Au Gratin Potatoes
Thursday:Baked Ziti (this is Rainman dependent, if he requests it we have it, if not, we shall see, because I have ricotta cheese I really need to use up).
Friday: Soup/Salad (most likely just me).
Saturday: BLTs
Sunday: Fend for yourself
I have all of the ingredients in the pantry, except for salad, which I'll pick up later in the week.
I took the advice of Penny at The Saved Quarter, and called Visa.
They dropped my interest rate 4 points, which isn't great, but it's almost paid off, and it's better than nothing :)
Especially when work is deader than dead.
Credit Card Debt: $14,339
Great Blog: Eat At Home Cooks
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Money Progress
It's still January, and I need a carrot to go with the stick of paying off credit card debt.
$4190. is the balance I have left on my Visa, and once that is paid off, I plan on transferring my remaining Discover debt to Visa, and get 0% interest until it's gone.
What I am still up in the air about is whether to get this debt monkey off my back as fast as possible, to the detriment of my retirement savings this year, or taking a month or so off and finish off my Roth IRA for 2010.
Back to the $4190.
To stave off debt fatigue, as soon as I pay off my Visa, I am going to allow myself a reward in the form of TurboFire Deluxe.
Going over my prior year's tax payments, I some how managed to pay Federal tax that was supposed to go to State, and getting the payment amount credited to the right place is apparently impossible.
Going to try one more time Tuesday or Wednesday, and if no one can help then going to say screw it and just pay State tax outright and then use the Federal payment overage to what I may owe this go round.
Paid Sallie Mae.
$100 E*Trade Roth IRA
Still need to pay my car loan, most likely tomorrow.
Credit Card Debt: $14,642.
Great Blog: Violent Acres
$4190. is the balance I have left on my Visa, and once that is paid off, I plan on transferring my remaining Discover debt to Visa, and get 0% interest until it's gone.
What I am still up in the air about is whether to get this debt monkey off my back as fast as possible, to the detriment of my retirement savings this year, or taking a month or so off and finish off my Roth IRA for 2010.
Back to the $4190.
To stave off debt fatigue, as soon as I pay off my Visa, I am going to allow myself a reward in the form of TurboFire Deluxe.
Going over my prior year's tax payments, I some how managed to pay Federal tax that was supposed to go to State, and getting the payment amount credited to the right place is apparently impossible.
Going to try one more time Tuesday or Wednesday, and if no one can help then going to say screw it and just pay State tax outright and then use the Federal payment overage to what I may owe this go round.
Paid Sallie Mae.
$100 E*Trade Roth IRA
Still need to pay my car loan, most likely tomorrow.
Credit Card Debt: $14,642.
Great Blog: Violent Acres
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