tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085452453612456827.post9130270690259218391..comments2023-08-06T00:48:27.948-07:00Comments on BobbleHead Owl Suburban Homestead: Going Debt-FreeMisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12913056390047795079noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085452453612456827.post-69017853447690644042008-07-17T13:38:00.000-07:002008-07-17T13:38:00.000-07:00Thanks for all the advice, shirtees!We're actually...Thanks for all the advice, shirtees!<BR/><BR/>We're actually okay. We just needed to get our butts going on paying down this debt we'd accumulated. It's nothing drastic, but it is more than zero which means it's too much! Well, I guess the mortgage is pretty drastic. We bought our bungalow cheap though. <BR/><BR/>Already we spend next to nothing on "extras." We have no cell phones, I buy the few clothes we need at Goodwill, and I try to get everything else we need there as well or in some other second-hand manner. Mostly we just do without.<BR/><BR/>Now's the time to focus though. We've been content to just pay minimums, knowing it would take years to pay down everything. I'm no longer okay with that. All the money I get from selling stuff on eBay will be going to our small emergency fund for now (something we've been lacking for awhile).<BR/><BR/>Suze Orman cracks me up! Is it just me, or does she always seem to be telling someone to get a divorce? :DMisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12913056390047795079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085452453612456827.post-68467073483077166922008-07-17T11:57:00.000-07:002008-07-17T11:57:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Misthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12913056390047795079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085452453612456827.post-48242979512048881092008-07-17T10:53:00.000-07:002008-07-17T10:53:00.000-07:00Id recommend that whoever is better with finances ...Id recommend that whoever is better with finances take control of them. In my case, my wife is awesome with finances and we got out of debt pretty quick. It would have never happened if I was in control :) If neither of you are good with finances, you should get some professional help.<BR/><BR/>We still owe the mortgage on the house. That worries me, but someday it will get paid off. Someday!<BR/><BR/>If you have a bunch of credit cards and dont know how to get out of that mess, try using a credit management agency. (I did this before I got married).<BR/><BR/>http://www.careonecredit.com/<BR/><BR/>CareOne (formerly Genus) will help to lower all interest rates and help consolidate your debts and design an easy plan to get them paid off. Worked good for me. I had a couple cards that were around 19% interest rate and they got one down to 8% and the other one NO interest! It makes paying them off much quicker.<BR/><BR/>We also liked the Suzie Orman books. Some great info in there.<BR/><BR/>One of the biggest things to paying debt off quicker is to buy less. The less you buy, the less you need to work. We dont use cellphones often and have limited ourselves to the "pay as you go" phones. We pay $23 for 3 months of service, which is much better than $1200 a year in a contract. We really scrutinize the stuff we buy and if we REALLY need it or not. Could I buy a chainsaw for $400 or borrow my brothers? Or rent it for $30. Read a book instead of going to the movies. Go to a minor league baseball game instead of a major league one. Minor league games are fun too and cost a lot less. My preference is Major League soccer instead of baseball :) 90 minutes of non stop action, injuries, near misses, awesome goals, etc.jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09528926838891372189noreply@blogger.com