Friday, February 27, 2009

Good Morning! Well, yesterday I PAID OFF MY ANN TAYLOR CARD!! ($301.55) yeahhhh!! I paid it off with some of the paycheck I received back from substitute teaching. The "old me" would have sent in a minimum or just above the minimum payment. However, I am DETERMINED to reach my goal by my goal date! However, I do have a confession....I paid $30 cash towards my Kohl's bill, but CHARGED $95.38 on two pairs of shoes!! I was so disappointed in myself for not walking away. However, one pair was black, the other white....low soled, and I had been previously looking for these and never did find just a "casual" white or black pair that weren't running shoes or some kind of athletic shoe. I guess I could have just ended this note with the "paid off Ann Taylor credit card" part, but that wouldn't be fair to myself or those of you who are following my JOURNEY towards "DEBT FREE." This is about the journey....good and bad....two steps forward, one step back as they say. No, I am not proud of it, but I am hoping to get better at "walking away" from buying stuff as time goes on. Yet, though I want to be DEBT FREE, I know I will never stop buying all together. However, I want to keep it under control and not have credit card balances. SO, yes, the Kohl's charge was a disappointment to myself; I am glad to have the white and black pair of sneakers; I am VERY EXCITED that one credit card it paid off. Hopefully that excitement can keep me going to WALK AWAY from any extra charges the next time I go to make a payment on my Kohl's or Victoria Secret Cards. I will defininetly keep you all posted. Also, because I don't want to embarrass myself on my blog, maybe that "accountability" factor will be enough to keep me on the right path! Just updated my budget for today, so I am heading for the grocery store so that I am not rushing out when the kids get off the bus. I want all groceries bought, put away and the house picked up, so we can start our weekend in a calm, peaceful manner!

DEUTERONOMY 17:1 "DO NOT SACRIFICE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD AN OX OR A SHEEP THAT HAS ANY DEFECT OR FLAW IN IT, FOR THAT WOULD BE DETESTABLE TO HIM."
Footnote taken from Life Application Study Bible: "The fact that this command was included probably indicates that some Israelites were sacrificing imperfect or deformed animals to God. Then, as now, it is difficult and expensive to offer God our best (THE FIRST PART OF WHAT WE EARN). It is always tempting to shortchange God because we think we won't get caught. BUT OUR GIVING SHOWS OUR REAL PRIORITIES. When we give God the leftovers, it is obvious that He is not at the center of our lives. GIVE GOD THE HONOR OF HAVING FIRST CLAIM ON YOUR MONEY, TIME, AND TALENTS."


THE LOVE DARE....DAY 4 (Taken from THE LOVE DARE by Stephen and Alex Kendrick
PSALM 139:17-18 "HOW PRECIOUS ALSO ARE YOUR THOUGHTS TO ME....HOW VAST IS THE SUM OF THEM! IF I SHOULD COUNT THEM, THEY WOULD OUTNUMBER THE SAND."

*Contact your spouse sometime during the business of the day. Have no agenda other than asking how he or she is doing and if there is anything you could do for them." (Now, my hubby does not like to be interrupted by phone calls during his business day, so I sent him an online funny card.....)


HOME BLESSING:
Wipe down front windows of home and windows in kitchen.



God Bless! Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Good Morning! Since I was rushed yesterday, I just finished taking 15' (instead of 5') to update my budget. HAVE YOU ALL LOOKED AT YOUR BUDGETS TODAY....DO IT NOW!! So far, even though we are still OVER for February, it is MUCH BETTER than JANUARY and I seem to be reigning it in. I am aiming to do even better in March! It is amazing that at the end of each day, even if I PHYSICALLY have spent NO MONEY that with our automatic bill pay, there is ALWAYS a some kind of total, even if it is just $1 under each day of my budget. Sometimes I feel like we are spending money by just breathing! Oh well, that is why it is SO IMPORTANT to BUDGET....whether you are making $25,000 a year, $250,000 a year or $2,000,000.00 a year! We can ALL BE BETTER STEWARDS with our financial blessings no matter where we fall on the pay scale! And remember, from dust we were brought into this world, and to dust we will leave. WE WILL TAKE NOTHING WITH US. WE ARE ALL EQUAL ON OUR LAST DAY! SOOO, how did your character reflect your life here on earth??

ECCLESIASTES 2:11, 17 "THEN I LOOKED ON ALL THE WORKS THAT MY HANDS HAD DONE AND ON THE LABOR IN WHICH I HAD TOILED;.....AND INDEED ALL WAS VANITY AND GRASPING FOR THE WIND. THERE WAS NO PROFIT UNDER THE SUN....THEREFORE, I HATED LIFE BECAUSE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE UNDER THE SUN WAS DISTRESSING TO ME, FOR ALL IS VANITY AND GRASPING FOR THE WIND."

FOOTNOTE Taken from LIFE PRINCIPLES BIBLE: "Long before the phrase was invented, Solomon climbed the world's ladder of success, only to find it leaning against the wrong wall. ONLY WHEN WE WALK THROUGH LIFE WITH GOD DO WE FIND ULTIMATE MEANING. How many throughout history have conquered vast territories, built great works, written brilliant prose, earned immense riches, won worldwide fame....ONLY TO END UP HATING LIFE? WITHOUT GOD, LIFE CAN'T HELP BUT DISSAPOINT!"


WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT GAGGING ON FINANCIAL INDEBTEDNESS
(Also taken from Life Principles Bible)

"THE BIBLE LEAVES NO DOUBT ABOUT GOD'S OPINION REGARDING DEBT. The following two verses speak CLEARLY on this subject, a painful one for millions:

ROMANS 13:8 "OWE NO ONE ANYTHING EXCEPT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR HE WHO LOVES ANOTHER HAS FULFILLED THE LAW."

PROVERBS 22:7 "THE RICH RULES OVER THE POOR, AND THE BORROWER IS SERVANT TO THE LENDER"

"As a nation, the United States has ignored these truths. One in five families in this country sits on the brink of bankruptcy. MILLIONS of people are no more than 60 days away from becoming homeless or in dire financial need. We have bought into a buy-now and pay-later philosophy that has been sold to us for decades by advertisers who tempt us to believe we must have their product in order to feel good about ourselves and to project an image of worth."

"WE HAVE SWALLOWED A LIE, AND WE ARE GAGGING ON IT!"

"A debt, like a mortgage on a house to live in makes sense, but GOD DOES NOT WANT HIS PEOPLE TO BE IN UNNECESSARY FINANCIAL DEBT. The ONLY thing we are to owe others is our LOVE, which we are to give FREELY and in tangible forms. THE PRICE FOR INDEBTEDNESS CAN BE HIGH INDEED."

"Listen to the heart's cry of a widow who said to the prophet Elisha, 'Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.'" (2 Kings 4:1)

"The deceased husband of this woman, a prophet associated with Elisha, APPARENTLY HAD LEFT HIS FAMILY IN DEBT.The woman appeared to have only one way to repay what her husband owed: Sell her children into slavery."

"We may protest, 'HOW HORRIBLE! HOW COULD A PARENT SELL HER CHILDREN TO WORK OFF A DEBT?' AND YET, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE DOING IN STRAPPING OUR CHILDREN WITH A HUGE NATIONAL DEBT. In just a few decades we have gone from being the world's largest creditor nation to debtor status ----and OUR CHILDREN WILL BE FORECED TO PAY FOR OUR FOOLISHNESS!"

"WE ARE TO BE GIVERS - NOT BORROWERS!"

GOD BLESS!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY


**Home Blessing Today: Clean out a closet on the main floor of your home! Bake cookies for kids when they get off the bus!


I CAN BE DEBT FREE



AUGUST 2012 OR SOONER!


THEN WE MOVE ON TO THE "OTHER STUFF" LIKE BASEMENT, MORTGAGE, BOAT.....

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Good Afternoon! I taught high school today, so it's been crazy. Running out the door to carpool kids to all kinds of sports fields and probably won't be back on computer tonight. REMEMBER....ALL THAT YOU HAVE, IS ALL THAT YOU NEED!! DO NOT SPEND ANY UNNECESSARY MONEY TODAY!! Do you have leftovers that you could eat for dinner? Have a BLESSED DAY! I will be back to type in the morning. My budget will now take me 15 minutes or longer tomorrow morning since I didn't tend to it today.................

GOD BLESS!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

So, today my neighbor asked me why I keep on with this everyday, when no one seems to be following or reading.....Well, you know why I keep perservering? Because this is for ME...MY JOURNEY...this is between ME AND GOD! If no one else wants to join me, that is OK, although all are welcome. However, with many or alone, I WILL TAKE THIS JOURNEY because I am committed to the promise that I made myself and to God...to honor Him and be a better steward of all that He has blessed me with. I don't want to be selfish or self-centered. I know that He wishes for me to enjoy life, but I have to learn SELF-CONTROL when it comes to our finances! I want to be able to hold my head high. I want my Lord to say to me one day, "Job well done, my good and faithful servant!" Not to mention, how much better off my family is, knowing that I am practicing biblical, sound financial guidelines! Besides, I don't want to be a hypocrite...teaching my kids one thing and doing another. SOOOOOOOO, I will continue on this journey, until that day (which I hope is August, 2012, OR SOONER), when I can say for real that I AM DEBT FREE FROM ALL CREDIT CARD DEBT!"

PSALM 31:6 "I HATE THOSE WHO CLING TO WORTHLESS IDOLS; I TRUST IN THE LORD."
Footnote taken from Life Application Study Bible: "Why did David suddenly bring up the subject of idol worship? He wanted to contrast his total devotion to God with the diluted worship offered by many Israelites. Pagan religious rituals were never completely banished from Israel and Judah, despite the efforts of David and a few other kings. Obviously, a person who clung to idols could not commit his spirit into God's hands. WHEN WE PUT TODAY'S IDOLS (WEALTH, MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, SUCCESS) FIRST IN OUR LIVES, WE CANNOT EXPECT GOD'S SPIRIT TO GUID US. GOD IS OUR HIGHEST AUTHORITY ADN REQUIRES OUR FIRST ALLEGIANCE."



LOVE DARE - DAY 3 - Taken from THE LOVE DARE by Stephen and Alex Kendrick

"LOVE IS NOT SELFISH"...."BE DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER IN BROTHERLY LOVE; GIVE PREFERENCE TO ONE ANOTHER IN HONOR." ROMANS 12:10


"Whatever you put your time, energy, and money into will become more important to you. It's hard to care for something you are not investing in. Along with restraining from negative comments, BUY YOUR SPOUSE SOMETHING THAT SAYS, 'I WAS THINKING OF YOU TODAY.'

This doesn't have to be an expensive item. I bough my hubby a set of socks from Walmart (because our sock bin truly is horrible, and he is always complaining about how we need to pair them up or throw them out!) I also wrapped a ribbon around a big bag of twizzlers - his favorite candy! Little, but a sweet gesture..........get the point??

Did you update your budgets today? It should have only taken you 5 ' if you did this yesterday. It is a priceless tool for helping you to become DEBT FREE!

TODAY I WILL NOT SPEND ANY MONEY. ...ALL THAT I HAVE IS ALL THAT I NEED....

God Bless!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY

Monday, February 23, 2009

Good Morning! I AM DEBT FREE....I CAN BE DEBT FREE...POSITIVE THINKING!! AUGUST, 2012 IS NOT THAT FAR OFF COMPARED TO A LIFETIME OF BONDAGE IF I DIDN'T STOP THE LEAKS AND CHANGE MY SPENDING HABITS NOW!!

Proverbs 23: 4,5 "DO NOT WEAR YOURSELF OUT TO GET RICH; HAVE THE WISDOM TO SHOW RESTRAINT. CAST BUT A GLANCE AT RICHES, AND THEY ARE GONE, FOR THEY WILL SURELY SPROUT WINGS AND FLY OFF TO THE SKY LIKE AN EAGLE."

Footnote taken from Life Application Study Bible: "We have all heard of people who have won millions of dollars and then LOST IT ALL! Even the average person can spend an inheritance - or a paycheck - with lightening speed and have little to show for it. DON'T SPEND YOUR TIME CHASING FLEETING EARTHLY TREASURES. INSTEAD, STORE UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN, FOR SUCH TREASURES WILL NEVER BE LOST!"

I read a Proverb a day, corresponding to whatever day it is in the month. Since today is 2/23, I just so happened to read this morning's Proverb and it was PERFECT to blog here. Thank you, Jesus!

I just finished closing out January's Budget.....it is so embarrassing and shameful to admit that we were thousands off! There are a couple of reasons for that: #1 - we paid American Express TWICE, once at the very beginning of the month, and once at the end. Oh well, the balance needs to get paid off anyway, so even though we had to transfer from savings, at least it went to a good cause! Another is that we just didn't really LOOK at the budget in January. It doesn't make any sense to make a budget and then just throw it in a drawer somewhere. That is why - on February 13, 2009 - I decided to BECOME DEBT FREE AND BLOG ABOUT MY JOURNEY!I am so glad I did that. The biggest part of becoming DEBT FREE is DECIDING to do it....As they say at Nike............JUST DO IT! We can decide to keep digging ourselves into a hole, or we can DECIDE to change. It is OUR decision! No one else can do it for us...not a therapy group, not a doctor, not medication.....WE JUST HAVE TO DECIDE THAT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! And I KNOW WE CAN DO THIS! AT LEAST I AM DOING THIS......I INVITE ANYONE TO COME ALONG AND DO THIS WITH ME...............DEBT FREE!!!!!!!!!!!

I am happy to say, that since I have been looking at my budget daily each morning, February, though we are still coming in over budget, is looking A LOT better than January did! I wonder if I can come in even for March?? It's a goal!!


THE LOVE DARE: DAY 2 (Each day of the Love Dare may not be consecutive days, but we all get busy, so it is probably better that we have a few days in between each activity anyway!haha)

EPHESIANS 4:32 "BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, TENDER-HEARTED, FORGIVING EACH OTHER, JUST AS GOD IN CHRIST ALSO HAS FORGIVEN YOU."

**Taken from The Love Dare Book "In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, DO AT LEAST ONE UNEXPECTED GESTURE AS AN ACT OF KINDNESS"**


MENU FOR THIS WEEK:

MON: Chicken Coq Au Vin, caesar salad, hot rolls

TUE: Beef Burgundy over wide egg noodles, peaches, french bread

WED: Leftover night

THUR: Potato Cheddar Soup

FRI: Tacos

SAT: Snow Crab Clusters (Publix Sale); corn-on-the-cob; coleslaw

SUN: Good Ole American hot dogs on the grill (have the chili and saurkraut ready)!




HOME BLESSING:
Vacuum your basement

Sunday, February 22, 2009

GOOD MORNING! I AM DEBT FREE...(shhh...not really yet, just thinking positively. If we dont BELIEVE that we can ever be debt free, then it won't happen!)....

Getting ready to wake the family up for church, but wanted to quickly write in here before it got crazy. I hope no one is having trouble leaving comments. I am new to this and don't know if I set everything up correctly. I have also been trying to get a "reader count" on this site to see exactly how many are clicking on and reading, but I don't think I set that up right either! If anyone as any help for me.....my email is phil4132009@hotmail.com, if you have having trouble commenting on this site. Thank you so much!

My prayer for today before closing:


MORE THAN A HOUSE
Taken from House Blessings by June Cotner

"IT'S A PLACE TO RAISE YOUR FAMILY,
AND A PLACE TO LAUGH WITH FRIENDS.
IT'S A PLACE TO PUT YOUR FEET UP,
AND REST AT THE WORK DAY'S END.
WITH SPACE TO STORE YOUR TREASURES,
AND SPACE TO MAKE YOUR OWN,
IT'S A PLACE TO PLAY,
IT'S A PLACE TO LOVE,
IT'S THE PLACE THAT Y OU CALL HOME."

GOD BLESS!
DEBT FREE JOURNEY

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Good Morning! Don't usually have time to write too much during the weekends with hubby and all kids home. We have a full day packed with sports (imagine that)...so just wanted to say "HI!" - Keep you goal in mind - WHATEVER YOU DO.........DO NOT CHARGE TODAY! If you have to make a purchase....PAY CASH!! PAY CASH, PAY CASH, PAY CASH..........DO NOT CHARGE ANYTHING! You have shelter, food, clothing....all that you have is all that you need! Have a GREAT SATURDAY!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY

Friday, February 20, 2009

I FIGURED OUT MY PAYOFF DATE.........READY.........


AUGUST, 2012!!!!!!!!!!!


YEAH!!!!! And who knows, maybe I will come in ahead of schedule! But it feels GREAT to have a date with my goal!!

AUGUST, 2012



AUGUST, 2012
Good Morning!

I AM DEBT FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!! (OK, whisper....not really yet, but affirmations and a positive attitude are KEY, so why not say this before and after every posting. I think I will start that today!)

Did you all tend to your budgets for 5 minutes this morning?? DO IT NOW! A friend told me about the DAILY BUDGET BOOK...It is the HOME/OFFICE budget book by ADAMS (which is comparable to DOME) that has spaces for EACH DAY OF THE MONTH! I know there are a lot of computer programs out there too, but call me "old school" but it is much easier for me - and I think my brain processes it better, when I have to ACTUALLY WRITE DOWN numbers EVERY SINGLE DAY and keep track of categories. The book has a list of categories for each month listed down the left hand side. I change these categories to fit my family's needs. For instance, line item category #25 is "dry cleaning". Since we do not do that, I scratched that and put "HOME". This is where I list any items I buy for the house, including paper goods, cleaning stuff, etc. (My grocery category is STRICTLY for groceries, not everything I bought at the grocery store. So yes, I am anal and when I get home I pick apart my receipt and divide it into the appropriate categories). Now, if this is too much for you, and this would make you NOT BUDGET, then don't do it this way. Just increase your "grocery" category to include everything you buy at the grocery store. I just do it this way, because that way if money gets tight, I know I really don't need another gallon of laundry detergent, etc.

HAPPY BUDGETING!

DANIEL 1:8 "BUT DANIEL RESOLVED NOT TO DEFILE HIMSELF WITH THE ROYAL FOOD AND WINE, AND HE ASKED THE CHIEF OFFICIAL FOR PERMISSION NOT TO DEFILE HIMSELF THIS WAY..."
Footnote taken from Life Application Study Bible: "RESOLVE is a strong word that means TO BE DEVOTED TO PRINCIPLE AND TO BE COMMITTED TO A COURSE OF ACTION. When Daniel resolved not to defile himself, he was being true to a lifelong determination to do what was right and not to give in to the pressures around him. WE TOO, ARE OFTEN ASSAULTED BY PRESSURE TO COMPROMISE OUR STANDARDS AND LIVE MORE LIKE THE WORLD AROUND US. Merely wanting or preferring God's will and way IS NOT ENOUGH TO STAND AGAINST THE ONSLAUGHT OF TEMPTATION. Like Daniel, we must RESOLVE to obey God.....AND PAY OFF OUR DEBTS!" "It is easier to resist temptation if you have thought through your convictions (I will pay off my debt no matter how hard it is, for the sake of myself and my family) well before the temptation (to spend money) arises. Daniel and his friends made their decision to be faithful to the laws of God BEFORE they were faced with the king's delicacies, so they did not hesitate to stick with their convictions. WE WILL GET INTO TROUBLE IF WE HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY DECIDED WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE (on our spending). BEFORE SUCH SITUATIONS ARISE, DECIDE ON YOUR COMMITMENTS (to your budget and to become DEBT FREE). Then, when temptation comes, you will be ready to say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"


THE LOVE DARE: Fireproof was an EXCELLENT movie and I think EVERY married couple should watch it! Let's do this!

THE LOVE DARE BOOK STATES:
"RECEIVE THIS AS A WARNING. THIS FORTY DAY JOURNEY CANNOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. IT IS A CHALLENGING AND OFTEN DIFFICULT PROCESS, BUT AN INCREDIBLY FULFILLING ONE. TO TAKE THIS DARE REQUIRES A RESOLUTE MIND AND A STEADFAST DETERMINATION. IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE SAMPLED OR BRIEFLY TESTED, AND THOSE WHO QUIT EARLY WILL FORFEIT THE GREATEST BENEFITS. IT YOU WILL COMMIT TO A DAY AT A TIME FOR FORTY DAYS, THE RESULTS COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND YOUR MARRIAGE. CONSIDER IT A DARE, FROM OTHERS WHO HAVE DONE IT BEFORE YOU." Taken from The Love Dare Book by Stephen and Alex Kendrick. This is an "express version" of the Love Dare. For more depth reading about each day, please pick up your own copy of THE LOVE DARE!

WOW! Debt free and a wonderful marriage!! LIFE IS GREAT! Let's do it!

DAY 1: LOVE IS PATIENT.....(Ephesians 4:2 "BE COMPLETELY HUMBLE AND GENTLE; BE PATIENT, BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE.").... Stephen and Alex Kendrick write, "The first part of the DARE is fairly simple. Although love is communicated in a number of ways, OUR WORDS OFTEN REFLECT THE CONDITION OF OUR HEART. FOR THE NEXT DAY, RESOLVE TO DEMONSTRATE PATIENCE AND TO SAY NOTHING NEGATIVE TO YOUR SPOUSE AT ALL. IF THE TEMPTATION ARISES, CHOOSE NOT TO SAY ANYTHING. IT'S BETTER TO HOLD YOUR TONGUE THAN TO SAY SOMETHING YOU'LL REGRET."

Ok, this should be easy. But for any who get in a spit for spat with your spouse, REGARDLESS OF YOUR FEELINGS...this is not about "feelings" but about commitment to God, do this DARE.. at least for these 40 days!! My hubby and I have a great marriage....or at least I like to think so, however, all relationship, no matter how great or ungreat, have their moments. However, this DARE is GREAT for ANYONE! It will bring you closer than ever before no matter where you are on the Greatness/No so great marriage scale. GOD IS PERFECT IN EVERYTHING HE DOES.............JUST TRY THIS!!

FINANCIAL UPDATE: I paid $800 toward my Bank of America card today! YEAH! The balance is now $34,425.93. Still whopping amounts, but coming down! I hope I am closing the "LEAKS" in my budget! Habits are changing and I feel GREAT!

Our son's glasses a few days ago cost us $212(!)....oh well, he needed them and life will do this along the way. Did we think there wouldn't be any life circumstances thrown at us during this journey? It's OK....keep trucking along!!

So so far this month, I have paid $1,000 toward credit card bills.....sick to think of what we could do with that money now! GOSH! Oh well, I am facing up to mistakes made in the past. It won't be easy to do this, it will be VERY HARD to stay patient, focused and keep going. I know that right now I am excited about blogging and budgeting daily. I know there will be road bumps ahead, but with Christ at my side, I am praying that I stay on track. I KNOW I can do this and hopefully help others stay out of the trouble I got myself in, and/or help someone climb out like I am doing.

HOUSE BLESSING: Master Bathroom shiny clean! Toilet/Tub/Sink/Floor/Fresh Towels
Get going! Even if you do this during commercials of your favorite TV show! MOVE!

DINNER TONIGHT: Meatball hoagies (Leftover from meatballs and spaghetti last night).

GOD BLESS!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY

Thursday, February 19, 2009

GOOD MORNING! I have decided to START...instead of end...with a Scripture verse because that's how important I feel God's Word is in helping me to climb out of this mountain of debt. I truly believe His Word is Right and True (Psalm 33:4), and I want to pass this along to others. And, since there are 31 Proverbs, each day of the month I read that corresponding Proverb. It just so happens that today, on the 19th, the first verse was PERFECT!! I think God is trying to tell me something!haha Some say, well, that means you read these over and over again. That is right. Because EACH time you read it, you will get a deeper understanding of a particular verse. You can never get too much of God's Word. Another great site to go for Daily Bible readings is www.heartlight.org. I love their "DIFFERENT TOPIC EACH DAY" version. It is definitely NOT boring! Also, you do not need to sit down with a boring black bible....Get yourself a version that fits your needs: i.e. The Couples Bible, The Grandparents Bible, The Women's Devotional Bible. The verses will be the same, but the "interjections and stories" about the verses will be geared to your individual needs. It is so amazing and exciting once you start!

PROVERBS 19:1 "BETTER A POOR MAN WHOSE WALK IS BLAMELESS, THAN A FOOL WHOSE LIPS ARE PERVERSE."
FOOTNOTE TAKEN FROM LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE: (My favorite because it explains every verse in today's language and applies it to everyday life as it is today).
"A blameless life is far more valuable than wealth, but most people don't act as if they believe this. AFRAID OF NOT GETTING EVERYTHING THEY WANT, they will pay any price to increase their wealth - cheating on all their taxes, stealing from stores or employers, withholding tithes, refusing to give. But when we know and love God we realize that a lower standard of living - or even poverty - IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR PERSONAL INTEGRITY! Do your actions show that you sacrifice your integrity to increase your wealth? What changes do you need to make in order to get your priorities straight?"


FINANCIAL UPDATE:
Well, in totalling out our categories for the month of February, we are already over $864.41! Not good....not good at all. HOWEVER, am I going to let this get me down...NO!!!!!! At least I am AWARE of the situation and can try to curb out spending to not keep going over and over. I know we are obviously going to come in over at this point (unless some unexpected windfall comes our way),however, the big thing is AWARENESS and taking the necessary action to change. The thing is, the overage was not on "going shopping for the fun of it." It was glasses needed for our son, groceries...still (working on this one. We made the Stupid Easy Potato/Sausage Crock Pot from $5 Meals last night and it was GREAT!! The whole family loved it and it was CHEAP!)Well, I have a confession to make...in totalling up our "gifts" category, it looks like we went WAY OVER on Valentine's Gifts, even though I thought we were being budgetable. That's why it is SO IMPORTANT to look at your budget DAILY! Instead of being depressed, I am actually excited about knowing EXACTLY where our money is going or has been going. KNOWLEDGGE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS as long as you MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES TO FIX THE MISTAKES. I am interested to see how much better we did than January, come the END of February. Budgeting in the beginning is like taming a wild mare. You will be "out of bounds" for a little while, but as you "tame" the beast, you will reign in the overage until - before you know it - there will be NO OVERAGE, and not only will you be living WITHIN your means, but you will start to live BENEATH your means - PEACEFUL, CONTENT, HAPPY AND WITH NO WORRIES. Oh, and I forgot to mention, with BLESSINGS UPON BLESSINGS FROM THE LORD ABOVE!

Paid $200 (min. required was $147) on my Discover Card today. The balance before my payment was $7396.38. After my payment, and the $63.68 Finance Charge (YUCH...This is EXACTLY why I am determined to pay this credit card debt off once and for all, and the reason I started this blog!), the new balance should be around $7260. Baby steps.....I get so discouraged sometimes seeing that balance and trying to remember why I was so stupid in the first place. But sulking and whining are not going to erase in one day what it took me years to do. So, I know I am a different person now than I was even a year ago. I AM GOING TO BE DEBT FREE....because that is who I am...that is my character. I am a good person who made stupid, stupid mistakes and definitely did not have my eye on God's Word. It is different...I am different....

As long as each night I can ask myself "Did I act with honor and integrity today concerning my finances and daily interactions with family and friends?" and have my answer be "YES"...then I am doing just fine and am truly blessed!

God Bless!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY

Home Blessing for Today: Make all beds, dishes out of sink...keep it shining as fly lady (at flylady.net) would tell us, and do one load of laundry.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Whoops.....forgot to add my SNIPPET OF CLEANING BLESSING to today's post: VACUUM MAIN FLOOR OF HOME.........That's it. If you want to do more, get going! If not, just follow these daily baby steps, you will feel GREAT about yourself, and your home will be clean and manageable. Think of it as BLESSING YOUR HOME with every "chore" that you do. I don't call them chores, I call them "blessings"!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good Morning! Well, it's a new rainy, yuchy day. A great day to attack the "sock" bin that is overflowing! Maybe I can convince my 11 year old that I will give him a penny for every sock pair he puts together. He could probably make a fortune for as many socks as are in that pile. I don't know how two socks can go into the laundry and only one of them ever makes it out!! Oh well..........

Yesterday was a good financial day, considering all of my teens are home and out of school for the week! I didn't hand out any money! We posted a chore chart and told them they could earn some money at the end of the week if they did their respective chores. We are not going to just "hand them money" as this will never teach them anything, and we are not going to be those parents (well, I guess never say never), but unless it is an emergency, we are not going to be funding their young adult years. They need to learn the value of a dollar and work hard to save, budget and also to have fun. Of course, we are not "stick-in-the-muds" either. I mean, they ARE kids with school, sports and part-time jobs, so we do help them out with fun money from time to time. I guess moderation is the key word here. They do not have to go to Starbucks or out to lunch on a daily basis! What a novel idea to actually eat dinner at home BEFORE the basketball game!

Today I am not going to spend any money. All we have is all we need. We have food, clothing and shelter. We are good!

Have a great day! I am going to go update my budget because as I said previously, when I let it go a few days, it takes so much time to find receipts, etc. On a daily basis, it only takes five minutes and it keeps me FOCUSED!! Because I AM GETTING OUT OF THIS DEBT....AND I can't wait until my post reads...........ALL CREDIT CARD DEBT IS PAID OFF!!

LUKE 16:10,11 "WHOEVER CAN BE TRUSTED WITH VERY LITTLE, CAN ALSO BE TRUSTED WITH MUCH, AND WHOEVER IS DISHONEST WITH VERY LITTLE WILL ALSO BE DISHONEST WITH MUCH. SO IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TRUSTWORTHY IN HANDLING WORLDLY WEALTH, WHO WILL TRUST YOU WITH TRUE RICHES?"

Footnote taken from Life Application Study Bible: "Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. God calls us to be honest even in small details we could easily rationalize away. Heaven's riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. But if we are not trustworthy with our money here (no matter how much or little we have) we will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God's kingdom. DON'T LET YOUR INTEGRITY SLIP IN SMALL MATTERS, AND IT WILL NOT FAIL YOU IN CRUCIAL DECISIONS EITHER."

GOD BLESS!

DEBT FREE JOURNEY

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

GOOD MORNING! Grabbing a cup of coffee and some of you have emailed me asking for my weekly menu for the 6 of us.........so here goes:

MON 2/16/09 Rotisserie Chicken (The chickens at Publix are $1.09/lb this week. I seasoned mine with Season-All;Lemon Pepper and Garlic Salt. After about 1 hour of cooking, I took a knife and pierced several parts of chicken.. Then I poured white wine over it and let cook about 45 minutes longer. YUM!! Served with mashed potatoes and corn.

TUE: 2/17/09 Manwich, tater tots and peach slices

WED: 2/18/09 Sausage and Potato Bake from $5 Meals

THUR: 2/19/09 Spaghetti and Meatballs, caesar salad, garlic bread

FRI 2/20/09 Meatball Hoagies, chips, pickle, chocolate chip cookie

SAT 2/21/09 Salmon fillets (We baste ours with Miracle Whip, season with paprika and place
on grill, grilled vegies (in double foil, layer potato slices, onion slices, zuchini and squash slices. Pour a little olive oil over vegies and season with Season All, Lemon Pepper and Garlic Salt. Close up aluminum and make like a "packet". Place on grill until vegies are soft), rice pilaf

SUN 2/22/09 Burgers and dogs on the grill. (Serve with chili and saurkraut for hot dogs); fries

ENJOY! Also today, let's all swish the toilets in our home! Little snippets of cleaning can keep your whole home clean without taking oodles of time! My favorite inspirational website for housecleaning is flylady.net. Another good one is organizedhome.com

God Bless!

DEBTFREEJOURNEY


PROVERBS 21:20 "IN THE HOUSE OF THE WISE ARE STORES OF CHOICE FOOD AND OIL, BUT A FOOLISH MAN DEVOURS ALL HE HAS..."

FOOTNOTE taken from Life Application Study Bible: " This proverb is about saving for the future. Easy credit has many people living on the edge of bankruptcy. The desire to keep up and accumulate more pushes them to spend every penny they earn, and they stretch their credit to the limit. But anyone who spends all he has is spending more than he can afford. A wise person puts money aside for when he or she may have less. GOD APPROVES OF FORESIGHT AND RESTRAINT. God's people need to examine their life-styles to see whether their spending is God-pleasing or merely self-pleasing...."

Monday, February 16, 2009

Well, I am happy to say that our budget is UP TO DATE!! I am not happy to say that I went WAY OVER in January, and by the looks of the "grocery" category -- of which I am already over by $143.23 (on a $500 budget) and it is only 2/16--we are really going to have to buckle down on the spending! I truly do love budgets because it keeps you focused and KNOWING where your money is going. Even if you don't "Balance", which is what we are all trying to do...at least you KNOW (and KNOWLEDGE is where you can start to turn things around!) where your money went and/or is going. I need to get back to the "pantry principle" where I am stocking my pantry with "on sale" items and preparing meals from what is in the pantry. Shopping weekly for our weekly menu is WAY TOO EXPENSIVE for the 6 of us!! Plus, you really need to keep up with your budget DAILY!! Because I have let it go for about a week, I had to spend unneccessary time sorting for receipts. If you do this daily, which I try to do when I don't get sidetracked ! (HAHA), it only takes 5 minutes per day. Because I got sidetracked with kids' sports, Valentines Day, getting ready for winter break, I didn't look at the budget like I should have on a DAILY basis, hence the overage in the groceries. I will try to make up for it in other categories and see how it goes. I am hoping that by blogging each day and really focusing on our finances, I can do a much better job on our family's budget and make headway on our journey to ZERO DEBT!! We are going to work on credit card balances first, then move on to other things such as boat, basement and mortgage payoffs! Yes, we have four kids to put through college, vehicles to purchase, and life's unexpected scenerios, but if we kept going like we were going, we would get nowhere. At least now, I am paying attention and trying to DIRECT where our money is going. I think this will be a very rewarding experience for my family. I would love to hear from any of you who are taking this journey with me!

God Bless!
DEBTFREEJOURNEY

PSALM 37:21 "THE WICKED BORROW AND DO NOT REPAY, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS GIVE GENEROUSLY..."
Footnote taken from Life Application Study Bible "You can tell a lot about a person's character by the way he or she handles money. The wicked person steals under the guise of borrowing. The righteous person gives generously to the needy. The wicked person, therefore, focuses on himself, while the righteous person looks to the welfare of others."

Let's not be greedy or selfish, but work on to balance our budgets so that we may live the DEBT FREE lives God wants us to live, and we are better able to live in HIS peace and further HIS kingdom with the blessings he places upon us. AND, HE WILL bless you as you honor and obey His Word. (I am really trying Lord! Thank you for hanging in there with me!!)

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Update budget for the week

Good Morning, All! Last night I had a WONDERFUL dinner out with hubby! Romantic, time alone with him.....make sure that all of you that are able to get some time alone with hubby......DO IT! Even if you have to forego a sporting practice. My husband coaches baseball and he forewent the practice so we could spend time together. It is so important to work on and nurture your relationships! It won't just happen. Sports, busy schedules, work, etc. will ALWAYS get in the way. Make sure you are taking even just a small amount of time to let your spouse know how important they are to you!

Anyway, a wonderful tidbit for future holidays came from Tricia at Blogging Away Debt. Read her blog to find out how she and her hubby celebrated Valentine's Day. It is PRICELESS! (After reading her blog, now I know why I am coming in "over" my budget each month).!

That is why I decided to try blogging. This is so knew to me, but I am amazed at the support, ideas and motivation I am gaining through this!

The kids have off this week due to Winter Break, so as soon as I get a free minute, I need to update February's budget and finish closing out January's budget. I'll keep y'all posted on our progress! (I hope I can say "progress"!?!!)

Have a BLESSED day!



DEBTJOURNEY

Saturday, February 14, 2009

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!
Well, I am happy to report that ERRAND DAY was very successful. I only bought what was on my list. I did break down and spend $1 on a Dunkin Donut (Chocolate Covered Bavarian Cream)...YUM! Oh well, not much damage done!

As for Valentine Gifts...hope y'all aren't spending too much money! With the four kids, we do get them a little something, not too much, but more than I got when I was a kid! For the girls we bought each a $20 Starbucks gift certificate and bath bubbles from Victoria's Secret. For our oldest son (15) we bought a point card for XBOX LIVE and a big bag of Starburst, and four our youngest son we got him a PHITEN necklace (big thing now for the boys playing sports I guess!?) and also a big bag of Starburst. My wonderful hubby actually emailed me last week asking if I would be his date for tonight!! Yes, all, even after all these years, it is important to keep the romance alive. You don't have to do anything big, but truly......make sure you are celebrating the little moments!!

God Bless!

Jeremiah 29:11 "FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU," DECLARES THE LORD, "PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE."

I do want to mention that DAILY BIBLE READING is so important! With the Lord's help I WILL...AS WILL ALL OF YOU JOINING ME ON THIS JOURNEY...BECOME DEBT FREE!! WE WILL DO THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL...........TOGETHER!

Friday, February 13, 2009

ERRANDS WITHOUT SPENDING MONEY

OK, my first outing - knowing I have a blog to keep up with...the test is: Can I run the errands I need to run WITHOUT spending any extra money. For instance, I am going to return some items at the Sports Authority. Can I just return and exchange these particular items WITHOUT buying the extra cute workout outfit, tennis headband, or sports stuff that I would normally throw in the cart..........I'll keep you posted!

My Journey Begins!

WOW...I am so nervous and excited! I have never done this before, so I thought I would try it.

I just discovered "blogging" a few days ago as I wanted to motivation on my own journey to FINALLY facing my debt head on and paying this OFF!! I have read many PF blogs out there which are GREAT, and thought I would start my own, mainly to keep me focused. I hope I can help even just one other person by beginning this "online debt free journey." It won't be easy, it will be VERY HARD, but I am going to do this and invite anyone who would like to join me, to come along for the experience of a lifetime. Because as Phil 4:13 states, "THROUGH CHRIST, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE." God Bless!