I'm about to cry . . .

[Jenna]

Darla, congratulations on paying back $60,000 in debt!

That must have taken a lot of discipline and sacrifice! Good for you, girl! Great advise too!

Jenna

[Darla253]

It was very hard. Especially with only one income but I think I learned where I spent most of my money at. I looked through my bathroom cabinets and was amazed at the different kinds of shampoos and hair sprays and all that kind of stuff I had and I didn't buy any more until I was on my last bottle of each. I quit using the dry cleaners, only wore what I could wash and iron, started iroing my husbands jeans myself and using the starch that you mix up and they looked like they came from the cleaners. I've not invested in a steam press to make that easier and to save time. I found a doctor that charges less for office visits, found a cheaper telephone company to go with, etc. I became the tightwad that I never thought I could be. I did splurge on certain things, had my lips done and still managed to by myself something each month even though I didn't need it. I thought going through withdraws would be too hard. Ha. I even sold stuff on ebay and now that did cost me a little. I think I'm actually out about $100 in posting fees for things that didn't sell but still, cleaned out some junk anyway. I quit driving to town to get one item and only went to the grocery store once a week and if I ran out of something I just made do with something else. Now my SS is in college so we have half of all that to pay, his truck payment, my truck payment, husband truck payment and then we have a spare car for when needed but I just do my budget monthly and do my best to stick to it and I think the most important part is to deduct a little extra for emergencies. It can be done. I was amazed. I think right now I owe less than $5000 on credit cards and that's because I used them at Christmas but my new project is to get them paid off within six months (crossing my fingers).

[BLTN_Mom]

This is my budget:

rent: $535
phone: $6.69
cell: $50
electric (even pay): $40
natural gas (even pay): $42
gasoline: $160
dog food: $35
cable: $37.50
storage: $65
insurance:$52
Laundry (money, soap, etc - no hook up apartment laundry): $30
paper goods and misc. items: $50


other bills:

pay back loan to Dad: $3600
St Francis Hospital (ER visit): $1100
credit card: none; don't have any - no established credit
Allen's debt: $280

I do my own auto repair.
I contact credit councilors and they always ask about how much credit card debt we have. I tell them none and they don't want to talk to me any more . . .
Grandparents gave me a car and pay the insurance and Pooky is driving my uncle's extra car - as long as we pay the upkeep . . .
I need to get a free mamogram since I'm 41 and Mom died at 61 in 2000 with Metastatic Breast Cancer and my grandma, her mom, had surgery in 2001 to have a breast removed . . . also a (Great) Aunt and cousin to Mom also died of brast cancer so I'm at risk . . .
You can only sell stuff on E-bay if someone wants it . . .

[Darla253]

Girl I wish I had your bills. Wanna trade? LOL.

[BLTN_Mom]

Had a couple of set backs. Had to go to the doctor and get two prescriptions to the tune of $98 and I have to get the war wagon (aka Dad's Olds Delta 88 station wagon - next size comes on rails . . .) to the transmission shop because it won't go into ANY gear :mad: So most bills are on hold. Did pay the immediate ones however so still afloat . . .

[BLTN_Mom]

Using two people I've had business contact with the transmission replacement on the War Wagon cost $538 and now I have to tune it and find out why I can't go over 35 MPH and it blows black smoke as I push on the gas . . . *sigh* It also has an antifreeze leak in the radiator core . . . My Ciera is leaking antifreeze and the Caprice hubby is driving needs a new starter drive . . .
Got a number to go get a free or reduced fee mammogram (four relatives had breast cancer) so I can have that done before I go see my OB/GYN . . .
I don't have the money to get my tires anymore . . .
I did get my Access Oklahoma Card for $145 a month (as long as he doesn't go over $1645 a month) . . . that helps a lot . . . I got tired of the 25 cent boxes of mac and cheese!
Dad is demanding I clean out the garage . . . just because I have things I put in there when I moved two years ago . . .

[BLTN_Mom]

Just when I thought I had everything under control . . .
I get a notice storage is a month behind so I pay it then I try to get insurance paid yet they sent me a refund on all but my life insurance. At least I get to get a cancer policy that covers everyone but I don't have the money to get it in force yet then we would have to wait a year before we would have full benefits. My appointment for the OB/GYN has come and gone but I didn't have the money to do it so I had to cancel and that meant I couldn't get my certificate for my free mamogram. Right now I have less than a dollar in change and I owe $200+ to the natural gas company, $189 to the electric, $115 to storage, $90 on my life insurance, $115 on a loan, $60 to the pawn shop (I pawned my ring again), and I don't even have any money set back for rent which will be $535. Pooky gets paid next Friday (4/23) and usually after he keeps his gas money I get about $400. I've tried selling some of my antiques and glassware but nobody wants it! Dad paid my cell phone bill ($124) and isn't able to spare more because he has some loans out to my adopted sis's kids and they haven't paid him back yet so that shorts him . . . Grandma paid my car insurance ($388.11 for six months) so that way is out . . . I'm just running out of ideas . . . At least the only outstanding medical bills is a $250 disputed EN&T bill and the $1100 to St Francis hospital for my visit to the ER last November . . .
Allen has tried more places for a job but still no luck! I mean this job isn't bad, but he hasn't had a pay raise EVER since he started with them in September 2002 . . . since he goes straight to their bank the bounced pay checks have stopped . . .
Now I wonder what happens next? *monkey scratching his head*