Is This Thing On?

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No excuses for how delayed I am to getting back to the ol blog. But suffice it to say: life with a baby and two full-time working parents and a political climate that has caused me more stress and anxiety than I ever thought possible and here we are. So here's what is going to happen around here now:

  • In real life, I curse like a fucking sailor. I have always edited this up for the blog because you know- I am a mom, a wife, a lawyer, a grown-up, a sort of Buddhist/Christian/Yogi/Spiritual person. But screw it. This is going to become unedited stream of consciousness style writing that will mimic what I actually sound like in real life, when I am not around tiny humans (and sometimes, even then). The F word is just powerful and as an educated woman, I just... well, I just can't let that wonderful word go. That's me: warts, swear words and all.
  • I am going to try to post as much as I can, but only when something truly interesting is happening in my life or my house. And yeah- I am going to brag about my kid cause that girl is freaking awesome and I am obsessed with her.
  • I am in a house that is much bigger and costing me much more in time and money to maintain than I ever thought. Given that reality, renovations have been slooooooooowwwwwwww going. I plan to do a lot more planning around here to get thoughts down instead of showing transformed spaces like we did with our First House.
  • I am going to give you lists of stuff that I find interesting: podcasts, books, music, TV, movies. It's all happening. And I am not really doing it for you I suppose. I like to keep track of things that I have found interesting or moving over the years. It's fun. Sue me. (please don't).
  • I recently fucked my hair up. Not terribly, but it is causing me some serious consternation. (Not necessarily an ongoing thing, but on my mind).
Here is looks fine- blonde-ish. In person, I just... I don't even know.

Here is looks fine- blonde-ish. In person, I just... I don't even know.

So that's me, checking back in. I am already working on my post to bring you by the end of this week- so look at me. Two posts in a week... things are happening people. THINGS. ARE. HAPPENING.

XO,

Treans

Budgeting and Debt Update: May 2014

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(*I am aware that this is personal. That people get squimish laying their money woes out for the world. For me, part of this process of having a healthier relationship with money, is being honest about where I am. To see my other posts on our money journey click here.) AND THEN THERE WERE THREE!

debt

This Best Buy card was at $2,536.13 when we started this FPU journey in September. The current balance is $0! ZIPPO! GONEZO! We have been working our butts off and really sticking to our spreadsheet.  I still can't believe we were able to do so much work on the house while still paying down this debt.

Without further delay, here is the full debt update and where we are at the start of May:

  • $1,000 ER fund
  • $240 Christmas Fund
  • $40 Home Repair Fund-- we used some of the fund for sheets and bedding last month as well as some gardening supplies, paint, and other housing goodness.
  • $40 Walter & Skip Fund
  • $80 car repair fund
  • AMEX PAID OFF! ($2,000 credit card).
  • BEST BUY CARD PAID OFF! ($2,500 credit card)
  • Next card is BOA with a balance of $1,966 (we were able to get a $150 payment on this guy this month as well)
  • Then it's Chase with $2,735 and then Southwest with (GULP) $4,728.
  • After those credit cards, we've got my small student loan (around $6,000).
  • All of this debt will be paid off in July/August 2015...

WE SOLD THE ROVER! We were able to make a few bucks on it to get me a bike to ride to the lightrail and back home during the work week.  We are doing pretty well as a one car family again and are going to try to wait at least a month until we buy a truck to assist with all things home, garden, and wedding. I can get pretty good rates through my work so we are going to run the numbers to see what works best for us. I know that Dave would say we should save up to pay cash for a truck, but that's not going to work for us long term. We will, however, add the truck to the debt snowball at the end of the list above and pay that sucker off as fast as possible.

  • We will be paying cash for the entire wedding and honeymoon (we are going to take a delayed honeymoon in February or March after the wedding so that we pay cash for it!). I opened a second checking account and our wedding budget goes straight into that account each paycheck.
  • LB and I's communication about money has gotten a little off track lately as the wedding gets closer and surprise costs are inevitable. But, we are getting going with our Saturday morning meetings again and are working at it.

Again, this is hard work y'all. Even now, seeing the progress we have made, I still get discouraged and overwhelmed. As soon as I start to beat myself up for the INSANE amounts of credit card debt I racked up, I just have to remember that what is done is done and no amount of being mean to myself is going to change that. I am making changes now and that is what matters. Please add us to your prayers (if you do that sort of thing)... we need all the good juju we can get!