Women in Red Racers - South Region

[jdnstl]

ffhope, redruby, nasagreen, pammy – great updates!!

swordguy – WOW! You’re doing great with your budget this year. I wish I could get a 50-30-20 budget going in our household. Unfortunately I too am on the ZERO budget DR recommends for people in deep debt & especially since the financial upset of DH being unemployed & now under-employed. Sorry to hear about your wife’s hip surgery.

Ready4achange – welcome back! I’m slow on shoutouts & tend to miss things as I scan.

Forwardwego, nasagreen, elderkind, redracerris – thanks for the vote of confidence.

Thank goodness it's free, i couldn't afford to pay for the value of what i've gained here.

Forwardwego - HAHA! ;D That is so true my friend!

suzWTBF – I’ve ventured a little but most of them don’t fit my needs at the moment. My focus is racing this debt so I’m here on the South WIRR & I’m focusing on saving money through the GC thread. I find it hard to keep up with too many threads so I focus on what is important at the moment.

Speech – good job on the discounted auto work! Mechanics cost a fortune so any savings is a big deal.

Nasa – sorry to hear about the bathroom issues at the old house. Is it still on the market? Have there been any shows, inquiries, anything? BTW, thanks for keeping with the list! When you have to go on maternity leave will it only be pammy to help you? Should you enroll some help now?

Elderkind – yoohoo! How is everything in your neck of the woods? So glad you have a shower & the son (or was it grandson) is doing things right for you.

Ridmydebt – that online garage sale thing looks interesting. Does it work the same as e-bay without the fees?

I checked on our progress for the $3.5 Million paid goal, but since we added new people, we are back up to $41,000 until we meet that goal. So I hesitated putting that in the update.

Nasa – I think most everyone’s ups will start going down now. Murphy likes to hit hard all at once & he did a bang up job this time. But holidays are over, it’s a new year, a fresh start and we all are ready to buckle down & get going again on making those numbers drop.

[jdnstl]

hey elderkind - i beat you to junior member status!

[suzwantstobefree]

I am really bummed today. My company bought a table at a GALA and I was invited to attend. It is a dress up event and I had a nice dress picked out and was excited about getting my hair and nails and such done. My boyfriend was really excited about going with me too. There were 4 couples going and he was finally going to meet some of the people I work with. (Which I talk about all the time).

Today I was told that they wanted someone else to go. I really bust my butt for work and this was really something I wanted to do. I don't get the chance to go to a fancy night out (especially for free) and I was thrilled for the chance to dress up. I haven't told the boyfriend yet (it is on Feb 5th) and I really don't want to. I left work and by the time I got to my car I was crying. I know it isn't the end of the world and there are plenty of people that have it a LOT worse then me, but I am just so disappointed (and so bummed about having to let my bf down, too).

[Deleted]

Jan 19, 2011 17:58:44 GMT -5 jdnstl said:

hey elderkind - i beat you to junior member status!

I'm not elderkind, but I'm still impressed. I think it will take me a while to get that kind of status (not to mention Suz with her fancy pants 4 stars). I'm too scared that the Your Money folks will bite my head off if I post anywhere but in the happy, friendly south.

I stand corrected - fancy pants Suz has 5 stars.

[suzwantstobefree]

. I'm too scared that the Your Money folks will bite my head off if I post anywhere but in the happy, friendly south.

I love it here too. We are the best thread

[speechchick71]

fancy pants Suz has 5 stars.

I could be like the people on EE and post one line, wait for a reply, reply again with a word, wait for a reply....rinse, repeat....but I like to think I have a life. Actually, I DON'T have a life, I just like to play Angry Birds too much.

If any of you want to increase your post number to get more stars, there are some word games on EE that you can post to. I sound like a geek now.

[suzwantstobefree]

I posted a lot when I was home sick - I was off a total of 5 days the week of Christmas and then 3 days off the week of New Years. I didn't have much to do and hardly left the house. Thus, I posted a lot. Most of it was stupid stuff on EE and the word games.

Don't hate me because I have 5 stars. These are for you - cuz I like you all!!!!

[suzwantstobefree]

PS These are for you all too.

Are you still wondering how I got 5 stars???

[speechchick71]

Suz: I think

[speechchick71]

(cont) I got it now.

[speechchick71]

(cont) THanks for letting us in on

[speechchick71]

(cont) the secret!

[suzwantstobefree]

he - he

[suzwantstobefree]

you will

[suzwantstobefree]

be a

[suzwantstobefree]

four star

[suzwantstobefree]

poster before long too. (ie: you have no life - just like me)

[speechchick71]

I should meet you for a drink sometime when I'm in the Orlando area. I have a friend I'd like to see sometime soon, he's in Kissimmee.

BTW, did you ever buy a fruit tree?

[suzwantstobefree]

I am right around the corner in St. Cloud. Yes I did buy a fruit tree - a white sapote. It didn't take the freeze really well, but it might just make it (I have hope anyway).

[nasagreen]

jdnstl - I'm planning on continuing on the boards even with the baby. I don't think it will be too difficult since I have lots of help. We have me, Pammy, ReduceMyDebt, and pay-no-interest doing updates. So if we had one more, we'd be on a four week rotation and we are on a 3 week rotation now. The schedule actually has been pretty smooth (love you co-captains!). But I think we probably will look for another co-captain when coffeegirl is ready to train again. Why, you wanna join us??? Yes, the house is on the market. Well, we took it off so we don't have visitors to witness the upstairs disaster. Found out studs are bad in the walls so it will be more time/money. We have at least 1 or 2 showings every week and I love our realtor. Just no offers yet. We have lowered the price so we break even after the realtor's fee. I will drop it 5k every time we get down to breaking even again and see if we can ever get an offer. If an offer came in low, I'd probably just ask the bank to convert to a loan for the difference and just take the loss so it would be more cash flow every month. That doesn't worry me really cause it would be nice for this to be over. Yes, I agree we will start to go down as well I went up, I know

craftysarah - keep in mind that you can post on any of the WIRR threads without getting into the yourmoney trolls. I refuse to read those boards because they get so weird/nasty most of the time.

suz/speechchick - oh I drive through there all the time. we should pick a date and go meet in Orlando!

Anyone else interested in meeting up in Orlando sometime before April??? If so, just PM me and tell me what date and location you'd like. We could get it all together YAY!

[suzwantstobefree]

Jan 20, 2011 9:43:53 GMT -5 nasagreen said:

jdnstl - suz/speechchick - oh I drive through there all the time. we should pick a date and go meet in Orlando!

Anyone else interested in meeting up in Orlando sometime before April??? If so, just PM me and tell me what date and location you'd like. We could get it all together YAY!

I would love to meet up with you and Speech and anyone else who would like to join us

Good luck with the house. I know it is really tough but you will get it done. Are you going to buy another one when this sells?

[cleanslate09]

My latest update. It isn't great, but a step in the right direction.

CleanSlate09: 01/20/2011 $33420.96 (1/13/09 $32,236, S552)
Total Paid to Date: $(1184.60) (Gain 3.5%)
Total Paid in 2011: $366.42 (1.1%) (I need to add this line for my own benefit so I don't feel so discouraged!)

Emergency Fund: $0

Loan	12/31/2010	1/18/2011	Paid Off
CC#1	$7,051	$6,951	$100
CC#2	$2,050	$2,010	$40
CC#3	$693	$682	$11
CC#4	$0	$0	$0
CC#5	$615	$609	$6
CC#6	$4,785	$4,736	$49
CC#7	$390	$373	$17
LOC#1	$0	$0	$0
CC#8	$6,257	$6,257	$0
CC#9	$2,389	$2,339	$50
CC#10	$5,440	$5,347	$93
CC#11	$2,168	$2,168	$0
LOC#2	$0	$0	$0
Ma & Pa	$1,950	$1,950	$0
CC#12	$0	$0	$0
CC#13	$0	$0	$0
Totals	$33,788	$33,421	$367

[nasagreen]

suz - we are going to rent from my parents, i'm hoping to stick with that for at least 1 year but hopefully 2 or 3...we could save a lot of money, really help ourselves out of this massive debt load, and then save for retirement/college/downpayment on a new house. it all depends on the housing market though, if the prices stay this depressed then that will help us to stay renters, but if it starts climbing, it will tempt me to bite the bullet and buy low low low!

[suzwantstobefree]

Nasa - it is really hard to know whether or not you should buy isn't it? If this is the low point, then I would hate to miss out on it, but if it isn't I might kick myself for having more real estate. Sounds like you have a good plan anyway.

[jdnstl]

cleanslate - great update!

suz & nasa - i rent. i've never had a mortgage. i don't know that i ever will. a long time ago people didn't buy a house without a 20% dp, and they certainly didn't buy more house than they could afford. they also bought cars for cash. what i keep telling myself is that instant gratification hasn't gotten me anywhere but down in a hole - a debt hole. the next car will be used and paid for with cash. i will only buy a house if & when i have 20% for a DP and i will only look at houses that will give me a mortgage that is 30% or less of my total budget. since i have less than 15 more years to accumulate a 20% DP it probably won't happen. plus in 15 years DS will be close to heading to college and i'll have a whole new set of priorities, mainly saving like a madwoman for retirement.

[ridmydebt]

the online garage sale is more like craigs list

[ridmydebt]

its that time of the year again to be getting ready for the consignment sales. this time I signed up for a different area that is next month. I will then do another 1 in April and probably 2 sales in the fall. all and all I will do 4 consignment sales this year. I hope I do really well. I usually do really well but still bring some of my stuff back. For those of you that are unsure of what I am talking about, its the JBF consignment sale. It is for baby up to young teen clothes, toys, and any kid items. It really is a great way to get rid of stuff we don't use anymore and make some money off it.

[suzwantstobefree]

Jan 20, 2011 14:28:17 GMT -5 jdnstl said:

cleanslate - great update!

suz & nasa - i rent. i've never had a mortgage. i don't know that i ever will. a long time ago people didn't buy a house without a 20% dp, and they certainly didn't buy more house than they could afford. they also bought cars for cash. what i keep telling myself is that instant gratification hasn't gotten me anywhere but down in a hole - a debt hole. the next car will be used and paid for with cash. i will only buy a house if & when i have 20% for a DP and i will only look at houses that will give me a mortgage that is 30% or less of my total budget. since i have less than 15 more years to accumulate a 20% DP it probably won't happen. plus in 15 years DS will be close to heading to college and i'll have a whole new set of priorities, mainly saving like a madwoman for retirement.

I own a home and I am working diligently to pay off the mortgage. However, I must say that homeownership is not the investment it used to be. Even if I had no mortgage, I would still have to pay about $300 for the insurance and property taxes. I will also have to maintain my home and make all the necessary repairs. In my rental home (which is only 6 years old) I have had to make numerous repairs. -- close to $1400 for sod and landscaping, hot water heater, seals for the dishwasher, ice maker in the refrig, dryer, etc. I often wonder if it is really worth it to own a home and there are many times I think it would be much better just to rent and let someone else deal with the headaches. My only hope is that I can keep it from becoming too much of a money pit before the market rebounds.

[suzwantstobefree]

Loan	Starting	Current	Paid Off
Home Mortgage (4.25%)	$163,465.93	$161,949.97	$1,516
Rental Home Mortgage (3.5%)	$215,185.45	$214,726.68	$459
Rental Home HELOC (2.5%)	$112,049.94	$111,987.89	$62
Furniture Loan 0% (Expires 3/13)	$2,390.83	$2,255.83	$135
Total	$493,092.15	$490,920.37	$2,172

Well -- I did it!!! I paid off over $2K this month. I also increased my emergency fund by over $1,100. I really am proud of myself this month. I am not sure if I can pull it off again next month, but I really am going to try

Update: SUZWANTSTOBEFREE 1/20/11 $490,920.37 (1/1/10 $515,627.40 SU11) Florida
TOTAL DECREASE SINCE STARTING $24,707.03 4.8%

[Deleted]

I always feel like February is a good month for paydowns - if you are paid monthly/bi-monthly, the 3 less days to spend money always seems to help.

January is rough - 31 whole days right after Christmas?