the plan

Our plan to be debt free...

In March of 2008 Andy and I took a Financial Peace University class through our church. Taking that class still stands as one of the best things we've done in our marriage. Dave Ramsey is the mastermind behind the class and the entire thinking of the program. He is a financial guru and through out our quest to be debt free he has been the voice in the back of our heads encouraging us along the way. I'm such a fan of Dave I feel as if he should be paying me. I tell everyone and anyone about our debt journey. Since taking the class I've set multiple family members up on a budget and I recently had two more people ask for our help to get them set up on a budget. I never thought I would be such a nerd about it all. I'm a fan of budgeting. I love seeing large chunks of our monthly payments go down. I know one day I'll love to see our wealth build. Budgeting is my crack, and I'm an addict.

When Andy and I were engaged we both worked and still lived with our parents. We decided it would be smart to save as much as we could before we got married. We started to tap into the saving side of ourselves. Little did we know then what we were truly capable of. We saved $11,000 in those 9 months before our wedding. In September of 2006, we purchased our 1st home. We didn't get married until January of 2007, so we used those 4 months to remodel our house and get it tweaked out before we actually moved in. That's when the projects began.

Did you guys know it's really freaking expensive to re-model a house? We knew it would be expensive but didn't realize how quickly it would add up. Before we knew it our savings was totally gone and our American Express and our Menards card was taking care of the rest. I don't remember how much we put on those two cards trying to finish up the remodeling...my guess is probably just shy of $10,000. Way to start off your marriage right? We both were working full time and we weren't stupid enough to keep spending [thank goodness], so we started to pay off our debt on our own...with out a real plan. We would send big chunks of money off to pay down the credit card and slowly the debt started to go away...until Fall of 07'. Our furnace died. Add another $5,600 to the total. We also got in a not-so-funny car situation and ended up having three car payment at once. Before you knew it we were enrolled in that class and started to learn how to managed our money...instead of our money managing us.

Remember when I talked about my relationship with Target? It's a love hate thing. I avoid going to Target at any and all costs because of little something I like to call, Temptation. It deserves to be capitalized. Target has a way of making you buy things you don't need. Many people now days struggle with this concept. I know I definitely have...What do I want vs. What do I need? It's hard to learn and even harder to follow through with.

Andy and I have been on a strict budget since March of 08. Our goal is to be debt free [with the exception of our house] by spring time next year. If we stick to the plan and follow through we will have paid of $31, 375 dollars in debt in two years. Debt free at the ages of 24 and 26 sounds pretty good to me. In that $30, 000 we will have paid off a Jeep, a Ford, a Honda and a furnace. So far we've knocked them all out but my Honda. In order to meet our goal of debt free by next spring we need to put an extra $833 dollar onto the principal of our car payment. That is a lot of extra money each month. Especially with living on a fire fighters income.

In order to bring that money in we've had to live with less, and work extra jobs. Andy works at the station but is also being paid to become a paramedic by the city. All the money he makes by going to school goes towards our budget. He also owns Andy's Lawn Care, a lawn mowing company. All that money goes towards our budget. He also gives plasma. All that money? Budget. I cook a few meals each week for my parents...all that money? Budget. I help make jewelry for Suellen Miller Designs. All that money? Budget. Andy asked for money for his birthday...all that money? Budget. Every single extra penny we bring each month goes to the budget. We're pretty black and white about it.

It definitely hasn't been an easy journey. There have been many times over the last year I just wanted to go to the store...see something I wanted...and buy it. Just because. I truly have had to rely on the Lord and ask for strength to keep doing the right thing. We're only half way through this journey and you'd think it would be easier to not be tempted. In some ways it is, but in others it's been really hard for us. Me especially.

Some of our best friends just got married in Florida. Rob married Kristy in March and Aaron married Tracy just a few weeks ago. You don't know who badly I wanted to open up a credit card, say screw it and go to Florida for the weekend. Around that same time all my aunts and uncles went to Florida for spring break with my cousins. Every day of that entire week I had to pray about it because I was so bitter and jealous. We work hard. We never see each other because Andy is doing everything in his power to bring in enough money so we can get this over with as soon as possible. I'm often lonely playing the single mom role. We deserve a break. We deserve a vacation. It's hard to do the right thing when you see everyone else having fun.

Around that time I ran across some sort of ancient proverb...I'm not exactly sure where I heard it but it helped me get back on focus...it's this, Adults devise a plan and see it through. Children do what feels good. Do I really want to just do what feels good? Or do I want to be responsible with the money God's given Andy and I? It's a choice everyday. I definitely have had my fair share of tears over it. Being responsible isn't always fun but I hope this time next year we can finally exhale knowing that we're debt free in our mid twenties. What an accomplishment that will be. I'm proud of us already because I know we'll get there. We're close. We can taste it.

Andy and I talk about going on a vacation all the time. After reviewing our budget the other day Andy leaned over to me and said, Just imagine...One day we'll be sitting on the beach...listening to the waves...basking in the sun...with no worries in the world. I agreed with him and made him swear that he was talking about a warm tropical setting and not just Lake Michigan. If he takes me to the dunes for our "we're debt free" get away there will be some major butt kicking to do.

I know times are hard for people right now and what a better time to be faithful with your money. Bite the bullet and get aggresive with it. You can do it. And remember...The most enjoyable experiences in life are free. At least that's what my Dove chocolate wrapper told me yesterday.