Climbing Out One Family’s Adventure in Becoming Debt-free

Some days getting out of debt is exciting! Some days it’s mundane. And some days it sucks.

Prepare for a rant.

I’m warning you right now that this post is going to hurt you as much as it hurts me. In fact, it is my goal to share my pain here.

Okay, to be honest, I think I just want to completely transfer my pain to you so that I can move on. …continue reading

Two years ago we planted night-blooming jasmine on a trellis in front of the house. It’s a beautiful plant that grows vigorously. Seriously vigorously!

I really need to trim it, but somehow it has been two months since I dragged the ladder out and took garden shears to the ragged plant. I never cease to amaze myself with my own ability to procrastinate. The irony is once I start the thing I was putting off, it invariably is done in half the time I thought it would take.

This week marks the sixth week, count ‘em 6, since I typed the words “Last Will and Testament” …continue reading

Green flowery things, cute little animals, crisp fresh air; I love all of these things. Really I do. So my question today comes down to one of economics and I am interested in your feedback.

Our city, like many across the country, offers a waste recycling program with separate bins for waste (aka Lets-just-bury-this-in-the-ground-and-cover-it-with-dirt-like-it-never-happened) and glass & plastic.

Over the weekend I packed the kids into the car with our latest experiment in frugality: doing our own recycling. …continue reading

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

Thirteen years from today we are going to need two college funds, but boy does that seem a million miles away.

Today is the first day of Kindergarten and I’m already shocked at how much it’s costing.

School clothes, mandated school supplies, daily snacks, and The Wife just told me this Friday’s welcome-back-to-school-campout is $20 + food and drinks …continue reading

On the way to any goal I think it’s natural to wonder whether or not one is doing all one can to get there. It is probably rare, however, to have the release of a piece of free software trigger real doubt about it.

This past week I have counselled three separate couples on their financial decisions, each in a different phase of acceptance/denial about their situation. Each time I found myself questioning my own actions. Am I doing everything I can to get out of debt as quickly as possible? …continue reading