12
Nov
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 3 Comments
We get a few notes from the Contact page from time-to-time and this week I thought I’d answer a really good one publicly.
We are both sure enjoying your postings on “Climbing Out”…………great stories, much humor, lots of humility and strong resolve…..bravo!
Just a loving observation…….near the end of the Wells Fargo missive you, for the 1st time I believe, shifted blame in a slightly vulgar vein by referring to these evil lenders….as ‘asses’………..that word and that tone stopped me in my total and complete support of your efforts and new ideals …continue reading
4
Nov
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 13 Comments
[T]oday I offer my list of things changed since that time of financial ruin…
It was one year ago last week that I was laid off and our financial tail-spin began in earnest. We came financially unraveled so quickly my memories of last November are more vague feelings of swimming in a fog than actual images.
One year ago I was tearing down Halloween, pretending to care about Christmas and sinking into a sense of hopelessness about money and finances.
We had no emergency fund, did not budget our income, had nearly $50,000 of unsecured debt, owed $30k more on our house than it was worth, had a small fortune in medical bills from The Wife’s fight with 400 pounds of falling building materials, and were in a leased 2008 Mazda CX-7. …continue reading
28
Oct
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 11 Comments
How can anyone think that this is good business?
Have you ever watched a person or a business do something self-destructive and just stood there in disbelief shaking your head?
Two letters came this week from Wells Fargo, the holder of our first and third largest debts. One contained the annual new credit card. Yay! A new card to destroy. Got to come up with a creative way to do that.
The second letter was the mind-boggling one. Apparently they have caught on and we aren’t fooling them anymore. …continue reading
5
Oct
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 7 Comments
It’s not going to get us out of debt quicker, but it will keep everyone in the family smiling and that’s the whole reason we’re doing this thing…
Money never seemed to be much of an issue growing up even though we didn’t have much of it. My mother was a single parent and we were on welfare for a while, but I never knew about it. I have no memories of going without or being poor.
What I do remember are the empowering things she taught me. One of her favorite sayings is “Do you know how to eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
The youngest memory I have that proved to be most life-changing is from the day I wanted a chocolate chip cookie …continue reading
19
Aug
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 10 Comments
I let myself get all excited about paying that debt off and moving on to the next one.
The Millennium Falcon for Christmas in 1982, visiting Scotland, being debt-free… From an early age I’ve always easily gotten my heart set on things. You’d think I’d learn to manage my own expectations better.
I am preparing our six-month update for this journey and am excited to see we are were paying off another debt with August’s snowball payment. …continue reading
6
Jul
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 4 Comments
It is a big thing to suddenly come into money and it is so easy to feel like one deserves to blow it on Stuff. Taking the longer view is not nearly as fun
“Hello?”
“Hey, man, my life just got a lot easier!”
“Oh yeah, what’s up?”
“My wife just got the first of three inheritance checks for fifty thousand dollars!”
“Oh no…”
My first reaction really was dismay when a dear friend called me with this news last week. I know his and his wife’s relationship with money and Stuff and I feared this could be the end of their marriage. …continue reading
