Women in Red Racers - West Region

[sealy]

Sealy Race #2

DEBT	CURRENT	PAST	STARTING	TOTAL PAID OFF	%PAID	ROSES
HOUSE	$314,769.40	$317,315.18	$321,652.00	$6,882.60	2.1%

sealy: 6/30/13 $314,769.40 (12/04/12 $321,652) difference $6,882.60

I will be updating my other race soon.

[onestepcloser]

OneStepCloser here with a venting...nothing more.

Well as much as I love my job, I have decided to pick up a second one since the first isn't providing enough hours (we have very few clients at this point). So I figure it this way, I keep the first job Monday thru Friday, and work another on the weekends. And find some time in between for myself and get things ready for my up coming school - thankfully that will be online and at home. I admit, I never saw myself working two jobs to survive and help Dad. I pray for those who have kids and do this, as I know I would be bonkers more then I am now if I had to.

Well thanks for listening......
Will update my race as soon as I get money to start making payments.

[bankergurl]

$100K List updated as of 11/10/13!
Two leapfrogs, Minnesotagirl7(3) and newview from the Midwest!
Congrats to DizzyIntellectual from the Midwest for paying off over $15K!
Congrats to newview from the Midwest for paying off over $25K!
Congrats to Minnesotagirl7(3) for paying off over $25K and getting under $110K!
www.notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/11187/100k-club?page=5#scrollTo=1772046

[laramik]

Update

Under the $14,000 mark!  Wahoo!

Name of Debt	Current Date	Current Debt $	Starting Date	Starting Debt	Total Paid	% Paid off
HELoC	11/13/2013	$13,851.33	6/1/2007	$36,163.66	$22,312.33	61.70%
Rainier Pacific Visa		$0.00		$9,038.05	$9,038.05	100.00%
Disney Visa		$0.00		$4,694.99	$4,694.99	100.00%
Signature Visa		$0.00		$4,097.77	$4,097.77	100.00%
Nordstrom		$0.00		$1,057.14	$1,057.14	100.00%
Total		$13,851.33		$55,051.61	$41,200.28	74.84%

LaramiK: 11/13/2013 $13,851.33 (6/23/2007 $55,051.61 N220)

[snapdragon]

UPDATE: snapdragon 11/15/13 $21,275.05 (8/6/12 $28,849.00 WU 64,73,74,75,76)

I will be under $ 21K by the end of the year. Hopefully next year will also be as good and I can some more taken care of.


I am going for a easy holiday if I can manage it. Very few presents and more "get together time" for the people in my life instead. 

[snapdragon]

Ambellamy - Welcome back! 

Laramik - Your under 14K! great job!

Sealy - We should hear about the sculpture being paid off soon! Good work for being under 315K!

Mega - Amazing how getting under 300K changes your totals every month! It is almost magic how the numbers are disappearing.

Dsunshine - you are so close to being at $15,500. Small victories work!

Shane - Under 13K is great! And your savings is looking healthy too!

One Step - Good to see you back! If you need to vent go ahead, that is what we are here for! Besides encouragement. 

cktc - Great job on the amex! First zero's are the best!

Rosebud and Norway -- Congrats to you both for winning your races!!! 

Captains - Kudos for keeping up with everything!  I could not do it. 

[sealy]

Snap I was only concentrating on getting below 300K I almost forgot to celebrate
that accomplishment.  Thanks.

[bankergurl]

$50K - $100K List has been updated as of 11/17/13! $3,555.58 paid off in the last 2 weeks!!
Welcome to antevasin and Ronyanna, both from the Northeast!
Two leapfrogs this week, ners from the Midwest and Trojen3 from the South!
Congrats to Trojen3 from the South for paying off over $40K and over 40%!
Congrats to antevasin from the Northeast for paying off over $120K!
www.notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/11190/wirr-50-100k-club?page=4&scrollTo=1779338

[ambellamy]

Update:

My hubby and I will be working on maxing out a Roth IRA for him (we haven't started saving yet for 2013 for him), but hopefully after we knock that out by the March Deadline, and save up one for him for 2014 we will start sending extra to our mortgage again. For now its just the monthly payment, but since we switched to a 20 year mortgage, its more equity than before!

Were hoping to be able to save $1200 a month (basically his take home pay after deductions and tithing)... so hopefully it won't take too long. If we are a little short by the deadline, we will pull from our EF since its 6 months of expenses and then put it back the next month or two.



ambellamy W 11/27/2013 $111,179.66 ($127,176.40)

Happy holidays to everyone!

[bankergurl]

$100K Club updated as of 11/27/13! $9,759.96 paid off in the last 2 weeks!
Welcome to tulip from the South!
Congrats to DebtFreeRedux from the South for paying off over $90K!
www.notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/11187/100k-club?page=5&scrollTo=1789983

[sealy]

I hope you all are having a great time
with your families.

[bankergurl]

$50K - $100K List updated as of 12/1/13! $7,022.97 paid off in the last 2 weeks! This is amazing, especially considering the added holiday expenses!!
Two leapfrogs, CrazyLady14 and Banker Gurl, both from the Midwest!
Congrats to Red Racer Ris from the South for paying off over $40K and over 30%!
Congrats to Crazylady14 from the Midwest for paying off over $90K!
Congrats to Wudnit from the Northeast for getting under $75K and for paying off an OUTSTANDING $100K of debt!
www.notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/11190/wirr-50-100k-club?page=4&scrollTo=1791945

[megaptera]

Update:

megaptera: 12/2/13 $296,464.00 (7/30/12 $309,224.00)

Merry Christmas everyone!

[nooccar]

Update:

nooccar (2): 12/4/2013 $49,188.71 (11/4/2010 $73475.09 WU197)

Somehow my update for November wouldn't post, so this is for the past two months.

[shanendoah]

sorry I haven't been around here much. life is a bit in the way.

Congrats rosebud30 on your win!!

[sealy]

I have no words for how bad that red total is.  The only thing I can do is try to do better about not using that card.
on a positive note my sculpture is almost paid off.  I have been working on saving for my EF and House fund.  I
want to have $10,000 saved by the end of this year.  After that I will work on my CCs.

Sealy Race #1

DEBT	CURRENT	PAST	STARTING	TOTAL PAID	% PAID OFF	ROSES	EMOTIONS
CAR	$5,746.40	$6,547.39	$8,194.60	$2,448.20	30%	GETTING THERE
CC #1	$11,589.31	$9,028.12	$4,944.90	(6,644.41)	0%	OUT OF CONTROL
CC #2	$5,083.41	$5,464.32	$5,520.78	$437.37	8%	CLOSER THAN BEFORE
CC #3	$0	$82.53	$132.53	$132.53	100%
SL	$0	$50	$250	$250	100%
SCULPTURE	$1,000	$1,700	$5,000	$4,000	80%	ALMOST THERE
TOTAL	$23,419.12	$22,872.36	$24,042.81	$623.69	3%	MY OWN FAULT

sealy: 12/07/13 $23,419.12 (2/1/13 $24,042.81 W68) difference $623.69

---

---

Sealy Race #2

sealy: 12/07/13 $313,999 (12/04/12 $321,652) difference $7,653

DEBT	CURRENT	PAST	STARTING	TOTAL PAID	%PAID	ROSES
HOUSE	$313,999.00	$314,769.40	$321,652.00	$7,653	2.4%	COMING SOON

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Dec 7, 2013 8:33:41 GMT -5 sealy said:

I have no words for how bad that red total is.  The only thing I can do is try to do better about not using that card.

Is there anything we can do to help figure anything out? 

[sealy]

Thank you Rocky I'm not sure.  I just need to wake up.
It's not in my purse anymore so I should be fine now.


Thanks again,

s

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

I hope it goes well, sealy!  Just keep in mind that sometimes credit card overuse is a symptom of something else, rather than the root cause of issues. 

[sealy]

Dec 10, 2013 9:28:25 GMT -5 Rocky Mtn Saver said:

I hope it goes well, sealy!  Just keep in mind that sometimes credit card overuse is a symptom of something else, rather than the root cause of issues. 

Rocky I'd like to discuss this further.  CYE

[shanendoah]

shanendoah: 12/11/2013 $12,324.49 (12/30/2009 $76,536.33 WU7, WU31, WPT512)

LOC	Current Balance	Starting Balance	Originally Borrowed	Total Paid	% Paid off
Chase CC	$-	$2,171.85	-	$2,171.85	100.00%
BofA CC	$-	$432.55	-	$432.55	100.00%
LaZBoy CC	$-	$882.58	-	$882.58	100.00%
Care Credit	$-	$3,196.57	-	$3,196.57	100.00%
Car	$-	$4,771.88	-	$4,771.88	100.00%
Basement Solutions	$-	$4,775.30	$4,775.30	$4,775.30	100.00%
GSL	$-	$42,150.85	$39,000	$42,150.85	100.00%
USL	$12,324.49	$18,154.75	$16,000	$5,830.26	32.11%
Total	$12,324.49	$76,536.33	-	$64,211.84	83.90%

Savings: 12/11/2013 $27,462.40 (10/14/2013 $28,017.01)


We are turtle-ing along with the debt, and that's by design.
Our savings went down a little bit, but considering we paid the attorney fees for the adoption (over $1,000), had a $2,500 car repair, and have most of our Christmas shopping done, I'm calling us golden.

I feel bad for not being around much this year. I feel even worse because neither of the other captains have been around, either. That means we haven't posted a West Thread update or shoutouts in a long time. I think I may have some time I can work on that this Friday.
I just want folks to know that even though this is not the most active of the WIR boards, I am reading. I am cheering you on. Everyone is making progress, even if that progress is just the ability to stick with it in the face of adversity.
I continue to be so proud to "know" everyone here.

[sealy]

Do any of you have budget ideas I could use?
How do you make a budget? How do you stick
to it? What do you do with extra checks? My
main question is how do I start? 

Thanks Rocky for helping me see things I hadn't
thought about.  

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

As for 'extra checks', do you mean a second job or a 3-paycheck month?  Either way, it would depend on how badly you need it in your budget.  You could use the 'extra checks' not for regular budget items, but instead for sinking funds for non-monthly expenses.  For example, put it away for car or house insurance every 6-12 months.  Or put it away as your home repair sinking fund or your medical expense sinking fund.  Kids' school expenses sinking fund?  Anything that keeps coming up but isn't a 'real bill' every month. 

I'm a firm believer in using cash when most of us start on a journey toward getting rid of debt.  Cash is easily quantifiable, easy to work with, usually hard to give up, and can be easily moved between jars.  It doesn't require logging on to anything nor a calculator.  It doesn't come with a penalty for overdrawing.  And removing the 'swiping' transaction usually makes the spending of money more real and more immediate for people. 

At the beginning of each month I get one paycheck, and I pay all my monthly bills (even the ones that aren't due yet) now to get them done and out of the way.  What I have left is my discretionary money.  I write down all  expenses that I know will occur later that month.  $x for food, $x for gas, $x for the girls' night out next week, $x for pet food in a couple weeks, $x donation, etc etc etc.  I divide cash into literal envelopes for each purpose.  Some envelopes I carry with me and some I leave at home in the freezer.  What is left after those 'preplanned' expenses is my spending cash

I also divide my spending cash into 4 weekly envelopes.  When my spending money is gone for the week, it's gone.  If I know something is coming up later in the week, I have even been known to write that word on a sticky-note and stick it to my cash for that item.  For example, I will be going out for dinner and a movie on Saturday, so I may write a sticky-note that says "Movie" on a $20 bill and leave it in my envelope.  I know what that bill is earmarked for and what I will be having to give up if I use it.

As you can tell, I'm a visual and tactile person.  I need literal reminders and strict organization in order to keep my money working. 

However, I am allowed to move money between envelopes if I need to.  But I have to do so realizing that it's a trade-off and I will not have money for that other item.  But using cash, for me, keeps it all within the pre-set limits no matter what. 

That's what works for me.  The hardest part about creating a budget is often figuring out what you're actually spending on things.  Fortunately, examining your credit card and bank statements for the last 6-12 months can often give us a pretty good place to start. 

And remember that a budget is not a static thing.  I should be fluid, adjusting and tweaking as needed.  Don't be afraid to change what's not working as you go! 

[shanendoah]

sealy - okay, I am totally going to "cheat" here and refer you to my blog posts on "Getting Started".
Before you can create a budget- one that it's actually possible for you to stick to, you need to know where you're spending your money. So tracking your spending, to the penny, is step one.

As for "extra checks", I'm guessing you mean three paycheck months. I used to use those for extra debt pay down, a Christmas/gift fund, and a "so something nice for me" fund (massage, pedicure, something). Some people count them in their regular budget- they figure out how much they have a month based on 26 paychecks a year and budget from there. That can be hard because while it still feels like an extra paycheck, it's already accounted for and will be spent in the months ahead as part of your regular budget, so it just needs to go into your account and sit.

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Dec 12, 2013 11:06:57 GMT -5 shanendoah said:

sealy - okay, I am totally going to "cheat" here and refer you to my blog posts on "Getting Started".
Before you can create a budget- one that it's actually possible for you to stick to, you need to know where you're spending your money. So tracking your spending, to the penny, is step one.

As for "extra checks", I'm guessing you mean three paycheck months. I used to use those for extra debt pay down, a Christmas/gift fund, and a "so something nice for me" fund (massage, pedicure, something). Some people count them in their regular budget- they figure out how much they have a month based on 26 paychecks a year and budget from there. That can be hard because while it still feels like an extra paycheck, it's already accounted for and will be spent in the months ahead as part of your regular budget, so it just needs to go into your account and sit.

I think that for now, based on her numbers, sealy needs those extra paychecks in her budget.  I probably recommend using them for sinking funds to fund irregular but necessary expenses like repairs, maintenance, insurance, medical, kids stuff, etc.  Y'know, budget bombs. 

But, agreed, first you have to know what your costs of living really are.  Not a rosy view of them based on what we'd like to think we're spending.  Tracking and looking hard at your expenses is the only way to do that. 

[sealy]

1. Extra checks - I was blessed with the opportunity to pick up more hours that gives me a check in the middle of the month.
   
   

2.  I also receive my regular check at the end of the month. So far I've been trying to save as much of my middle month check.
    In addition to that I have been saving money from my monthly check.  I will have to look at my statement to actually see
    how I did it.

3. I will be looking at my statements to see what I'm spending.  I mainly use my bank card and don't carry cash so my spending
    hopefully will be easy to figure out.

I'll be back soon.  Thank y'all very much.  I used the envelope method in the past but stopped.  I plan to try it again.  My goal
is to start the new year with a budget in place.

[sealy]

CC #1 spending habits for the past 4 years total spent $13,872 I didn't know that.  I've been paying on it so my balance is less than that.

Supermarkets    $3,475
Gasoline            $2,530 
Merchandise       $2,133 fabric, walmart, coat factory, amazon, target, etc
Services            $1,640 att, insurance, honey farm, etc
Restaurants        $1,555 
Travel/Entrtmnt   $1,199  Delta, price line theatres, etc
Gvrnmt Srvcs       $679    taxes and passport 
Automotive          $358    tires, oil changes
Medicl Srvcs         $130   xrays, copay
Departmnt strs      $98    Kohls, macy's
Home Imprvmnt     $75    floyd's, home depot

It all began in Jan 2011 and Sept 2011 to March 2013 I did not use my card.
Started up again beginning tax time $1,515 spent in the same areas over 9 days.

Tomorrow I will look at my bank card.  My CC#2 can't go over $5,600 so it 
has hovered in the same area for over a year I would guess.

[Minnesotagirl7]

Sealy- Just popping over from the Midwest to say: You can do it! I have complete confidence in you that you'll tackle this debt and kick its a$$.     We are all here for you, so learn from our experiences and mistakes.  

[sealy]

Thank you Minnesota.  I will keep kicking.

Going to go shopping for Christmas but 
will use my bank card and gift cards.

Not taking any credit cards.

[bankergurl]

Hey ladies, I was out of town last weekend, so a week behind on posting. Here are the updates from the last 3 weeks.
$100K List updated as of 12/15/13!!
Total paid off in the last 3 weeks, $7,412.53!! I know we all have extra expenses with the holidays, so that is an amazing payoff!
One Leapfrog, Minnesotagirl7(3) from the Midwest!
Congrats to Minnesotagirl7(3) from the Midwest for paying off over $30K and over 20%!!
www.notmsnmoney.proboards.com/thread/11187/100k-club?page=5&scrollTo=1805589