Plans
We're on our way to financial freedom!!! Say "hallelujah" with me, Sisters!! We've got a plan and hopefully we'll be credit card debt free in about three years. I just can't explain to y'all how excited I am about this! I have ALWAYS had credit card debt. It started with my washer and dryer purchase in 1988, followed by a sofa, followed by a stereo....and it's never stopped!
I have become maniacal with it all now. I'm writing down everything we use our debit card for, watching the checking balance..you know, all the stuff I should have been doing from the get-go. Junkmel commented that this jubilation I'm feeling is probably because I'm facing my fear of money. I never thought of being scared of money since I love it so! :) But she's right. I just spent/charged as I pleased and shoved the consequences in the closet.
The good thing about this is not only am I growing up and becoming an adult about money, but I'm making BZ walk along beside me in all this and do a little growing, too. He's not real excited about budgeting; although he's thrilled to work up a chart for it all...gotta love an engineer, don't ya?? :) Don't get me wrong, he's all for getting out of debt, but I can tell he's being a little aloof about it all. I'll be delving into that with him later on. Right now I'm focusing on 2009!! :)
We were able to borrow about half of what we asked for/needed to truly get out of debt. Of course we knew our figure was out of reach since we've only been in this house about two and a half years. But we have a plan and I really feel like it's going to work without us going broke at the end of every month. What a plus THAT is!
BZ will be getting his bonus check probably at the end of next month. It's a lot less than the past two years, but still a nice little check. I've told him that we are definitely going to have to pay in taxes this year, hopefully without a penalty since I didn't make any quarterly payments this past year. My plan is to use some of that money for taxes...call me Peter, call them Paul. I know, but I'm working on it!!
BZ has three things he wants to buy. Beginning in November, I tell him about every weekend "you cannot buy anything for yourself until after Jan. 20", his b-day. It's happened before that he's talked about wanting something, I get it for Christmas/b-day, and he goes ahead and buys it for himself. Quite pissy. Now that time has passed, he wants "the stuff I didn't get for Christmas and my birthday." He can be such a little shit.
So the three things are binoculars, shock-proof. Somehow, someway he broke his old ones. Of course, dropping them doesn't help!! That's the reason for the shock-proof. Okay, yeah, I'm fine with that one. So there's about $100.
The second one is a hammock. He's wanted one ever since we moved here. I personally don't care for them at this weight. :) Not sure I'd care for one at any other weight, either. I'm a stomach sleeper and laying on my back just doesn't thrill me or relax me. That could be anywhere from 300 to 600 depending on whether he goes for a stand or not. And of course we'd have to get the cypress one.
The third purchase I've kind of tried to squelch. He loves Sherlock Holmes and one particular actor that portrayed him. I can't think of his name right now, but not that Basil guy. So anyway, he wants to get the remaining DVDs of that. I have no clue as to how much that would cost, how many he's lacking, but I'm sure it's cheaper than the hammock set-up. I did tell him that I thought that could probably wait. I'll have to point out to him that if we save some of his bonus, we can use that for the summer with the kids. I'll let y'all know if I succeed.
On the work front, I've finished one appeal and have a one-day trial to do now. I'm feeling real good about where I am appeal wise. My judge has been released from the doctor and he'll be getting back into the courtroom gradually. He's going in for probably half a day tomorrow to do sentencings and stuff. Guess that means he'll need a court reporter. :)
The court reporter's conference will be in Tunica this year since the hurricane destroyed the coast. Junkmel and I are planning on having our jewelry there for sale. I'm hoping to get busy in the bead room in February. I'm all about plans now!! :)
Have a good one, Girls!