6
Aug
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 3 Comments
“The discussions and lessons we got in return were worth a lot more…”
The kids and I had such a ball the other day that I want to share it with you. Specifically with those of you who, like me, have never taken part in that great American past-time: garage sale-ing.
Like it or not, the kids are along for this ride.
The kids have been living the get-out-of-debt dream with us for almost a year and a half now. They have adapted beautifully to our family’s new financial values.
They earn their own money each week and we coach them through saving, spending and giving. Very rarely is there any drama or whining about buying something. If you don’t have the money, you can’t buy it. If mom and dad don’t have the money, they don’t buy it either. …continue reading
16
Jul
Posted by The Wife in Climbing Out. 4 Comments
Being on a budget and working with cash has made things easier for me at the register.
Daughter A is finally agreeing to wear some other clothes besides the “zoo shirt” she’s been living in and fleecey pants. It could be the 100F+ temperatures we’ve been having, but whatever! It’s so nice to see her legs.
A Surprise Shopping Trip
So, the other day I got a $10 off coupon from Kohl’s, a local big-box department store. I decided that I would pitch in a couple of bucks and take the girls shopping and get a couple items of clothing as a treat. Something Summer-y. We spent over half an hour trying on different clothes: pajamas, dresses, shorts… I only pulled things from the clearance rack to stay in the budget I had set for myself. We finally narrowed it down to four items that would only ask about $6 from my pocket.
As we stood at the register …continue reading
12
Jun
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 4 Comments
Every time I want to text someone with that crap phone I am reminded of our goals
Okay, there’s really nothing fun about buckling down and getting out of debt. Or is there?
No, there can’t be; it’s a barren, joyless trek through sacrifice with nothing but denial and self-discipline.
Ha! Haven’t you guys seen Mary Poppins? Spoonful of sugar, baby. Our family has had loads of fun while working this debt snowball. In fact it’s forced us to find free & low-cost things to do together that we wouldn’t have sought out back when we were brain-damaged. …continue reading
14
Jan
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 22 Comments
Several months ago we hit that frustratingly expensive time in a man’s hygenic cycle: it was time to buy razor blades. Ugh.
I’ve been using Gillette Fusion blades since they came out and the Mach 3s before that. Why? Because they sent me a free handle, unsolicited, when they first produced the dang things.
I think they came with one or two cartridges too. However, at $25 per refill package they had become a painful slice of the weekly budget. I was done. …continue reading
30
Dec
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 9 Comments
It is ironic that I was the one bolstered by my kids’ easy acceptance…
While I truly hope you all had as lovely a Christmas as I did, I cannot imagine that’s possible. My condolences.
It has been a stunningly wonderful holiday season. And not only was it all done with cash, we even paid down another thousand dollars of our debt.
At The Wife’s insistence we had a Christmas sinking fund and spent it on the kids; $100 each. That may not seem like much, but it was enough and generous grandparents from both sides of the aisle made for lots of love and plenty of presents to unwrap. …continue reading
13
Aug
Posted by the Dad in Climbing Out. 6 Comments
[L]iving on a budget, on purpose, with spending limits and control over your impulses is not only mature, it saves you money
One of my favorite teachers in college was a creative genius. He taught us to shift our thinking, to “get out of the box” and be original. But he wasn’t the most pragmatic person when it came to the nuts and bolts of life.
This was a man who traded his car in and bought a new one because the headlight went out. I am not kidding.
Over the years The Wife and I have become a fairly competent man and woman. We do not balk at things like garbage disposals, international airport travel, or Los Angeles freeways. Table saws, sergers, and home electrical systems are old hat. …continue reading
