22 Feb

One Year, Two Baby Steps, Three Missed Snowballs

Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out.

DOMAIN RENEWAL NOTIFICATION: Your domain Climbingout.net is going to expire!

Wow — already?!

I can hardly believe it has been a year since we started on the road to financial peace. First, a thank you to all of you who follow our journey and offer encouragement. To those of you doing it with us, HIGH FIVE!

So how are we doing? It’s been 12 months since we started this journey and this blog.

For 12 months we have …continue reading

19 Jan

Don’t Mind the Smoke, It’s Just the $2,000 in My Pocket Burning

Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out.

My emotional connection to money, loans, debt and the interplay with relationships has changed so drastically that I feel a certain discomfort with the situation

This whole get-out-of-debt nonsense has really screwed me up, you know that? I mean, really. When was the last time someone handed you $2,000 and you said, “no, thanks”?

Not long ago I mentioned some freelance work coming up. It’s a fun, challenging project, but one for which there has been little time lately.

It is for a dear friend and is not on a strict deadline. Nonetheless, I want to get it done sooner rather than later. I am shooting for the end of February. It should net around $3,000 toward our debt and I look forward to making that payment. …continue reading

12 Jan

I’m Excited about 2010 – The Joy of Positive Momentum

Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out.

I feel like we spent 2009 pushing back on a huge boulder that is now rolling in earnest.

If it were tangible, is this what momentum would feel like? In my soul 2010 already tastes like a great year.

It’s hard to put my finger on why, but after starting 2009 at the bottom and watching our lives turn around, 2010 seems to stretch ahead of us full of promise and I’m excited. …continue reading

4 Dec

Sticking to the Plan – Straying from the Budget Meant Seven Overdrafts Today

Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out.

There is always tomorrow. Another month. Another budget. Another chance to get it right.

Oh. My. God.

After ten months (TEN MONTHS!) of financial responsibility… no, financial PERFECTION, today I screwed the pooch.

Actually, I screwed the pooch more than a week ago when I ignored our budget and decided things were going even better than I thought they were… and gave away the farm. …continue reading

16 Nov

The Good and the Bad of Arbitrary Goals

Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out.

[W]e may have to accept a new time-line. Debt-free in May 2011 seems more likely than October 2010.

We’re not going to make it.

The wife and I have been running the numbers and talking it over for about a month and we realize that unless we take extreme measures or a financial windfall drops in our laps, we are not going to make our goal of Debt-freedom by our tenth anniversary next October.

Like accepting Darth Vader is Luke’s father, it’s demoralizing and takes the wind out of my sails, folks.

”A goal is a dream with a deadline.” said Napoleon Hill and I gotta be honest, unless The Wife and I can drum up another grand each month, we ain’t gonna make ours. …continue reading

29 Oct

I Give Up, October, You Win!

Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out.

Most importantly, this October The Wife and I came together to agree on all spending

Do you have one of those months each year? A month that simply outsmarts you? I do.

For some reason our lives gravitated to October as though it were the only month of the year. Financially October is my speed bump and I am growing to accept it.

There was a time in my youth when October was just the month that had Halloween. It was the month that began the holiday season. The month when the air got crisp and chilly. The best time of the year. …continue reading

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