We've all heard the saying that some things are just not "one size fits all."
Lately, I have come to realize that debt is one of those things.
I have been wanting to blog about debt and debt repayment for a while, but I really had to get myself into the mindset that I am going to tackle our debt once and for all before I could do that.
But that doesn't mean that I can't give you a couple pieces of advice while I am in my own debt repayment journey, right? Yep, I just felt some eye rolls for that question; it's okay.
Here are a couple things that I have realized along our debt journey:
1) We don't all handle money the same way. There are multiple financial advisers and programs out there that advocate only using cash. If you are like me, cash is not a good thing. I know that these programs advocated splitting the cash up into envelopes and only using what is there, but I prefer a more fluid budget. Cash is just a terrible idea for me because when I have cash, I am more likely to run to the store to grab something because I have the money in my hand.
2) You can use a credit card and still not have debt. I know people are screaming at the computer right now. Sorry, guys; let me explain. If you are like me and don't like cash, you have an option with your credit card. Keep the money in your checking account and pay off your balance either as you spend or every so often (like every single week) so that you don't incur any interest charges. If you are asking why I don't just use my debit card, it's because of the fact that cards are compromised every single day (in fact, it happened to us a couple months ago). If debit card information is stolen, they have direct access to your banking accounts, but if credit card information is stolen, they charge on to the card and you and your credit card provider work together to get those charges taken off. It can be a lengthy process to get your money back so I feel way more secure knowing that money won't be coming right out of my checking account.
3) Facebook groups are drama unless you agree with every single person in there. I have joined and left so many budgeting groups in the past few months because I choose to live my life a little differently than some of the people. Usually because I don't use cash, but I have also been told I will never pay off my debt because I still take the time to do fun things with my family, buy more expensive food (hello, salmon!) every so often, and refuse to buy brands I wouldn't normally buy (okay...here's where you learn that I am a toilet paper snob.)
4) You don't need as much as you think. We have scaled back so much in order to get our debt under control. We used to buy new movies as soon as they came out. Now, we either rent them from the Redbox or wait a while until we can get a super good deal on them. And those of you with kids will agree that children need way less toys than we usually think they do. Who else has bought a super nice toy only for your child to be upset when you throw the box away? Yep, happens here too!
5) You can do anything you set your mind to. I have seen some amazing success stories from people who have paid off hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. Was it easy? No, but they were determined. And you don't have to have that much debt to have that level of determination. You just need a goal, a plan, and the desire to actually work through the plan.
Okay, so now that I've touched on those points a little, I want to tell you why I am writing this blog.
We have a little debt to pay off (not enough to make anyone worry; just enough to annoy me) and I need to hold myself a bit more accountable. I will admit that I have caused us to spend a bit of money we shouldn't have the past few months (hello bathroom remodel) and it's time for that to stop. I will be blogging every so often about ways that we have found to really break down this debt sooner.
Why am I passionate about sharing information about paying off debt? Because I know that debt is a very big issue and that so many people deal with it daily.
I'm not going to post specific numbers or anything throughout this journey (maybe at the end, but probably not) because I don't feel like that information needs to be public knowledge, but I will tell you that the tips that I share with you can apply to everyone. Debt is debt; no matter the size or kind.
I won't ever shove anything down your throat or force you to do anything. I am just going to pass on information that might be helpful to someone else while we are on this journey. And if you have something you would like to share about this debt journey, especially if you have been through it before, please do not hesitate to share! I am always up for learning new tips, tricks, or information.
I can't wait to post more information over the next month in an effort to help everyone out a bit!
-Danielle
Lately, I have come to realize that debt is one of those things.
I have been wanting to blog about debt and debt repayment for a while, but I really had to get myself into the mindset that I am going to tackle our debt once and for all before I could do that.
But that doesn't mean that I can't give you a couple pieces of advice while I am in my own debt repayment journey, right? Yep, I just felt some eye rolls for that question; it's okay.
Here are a couple things that I have realized along our debt journey:
1) We don't all handle money the same way. There are multiple financial advisers and programs out there that advocate only using cash. If you are like me, cash is not a good thing. I know that these programs advocated splitting the cash up into envelopes and only using what is there, but I prefer a more fluid budget. Cash is just a terrible idea for me because when I have cash, I am more likely to run to the store to grab something because I have the money in my hand.
2) You can use a credit card and still not have debt. I know people are screaming at the computer right now. Sorry, guys; let me explain. If you are like me and don't like cash, you have an option with your credit card. Keep the money in your checking account and pay off your balance either as you spend or every so often (like every single week) so that you don't incur any interest charges. If you are asking why I don't just use my debit card, it's because of the fact that cards are compromised every single day (in fact, it happened to us a couple months ago). If debit card information is stolen, they have direct access to your banking accounts, but if credit card information is stolen, they charge on to the card and you and your credit card provider work together to get those charges taken off. It can be a lengthy process to get your money back so I feel way more secure knowing that money won't be coming right out of my checking account.
3) Facebook groups are drama unless you agree with every single person in there. I have joined and left so many budgeting groups in the past few months because I choose to live my life a little differently than some of the people. Usually because I don't use cash, but I have also been told I will never pay off my debt because I still take the time to do fun things with my family, buy more expensive food (hello, salmon!) every so often, and refuse to buy brands I wouldn't normally buy (okay...here's where you learn that I am a toilet paper snob.)
4) You don't need as much as you think. We have scaled back so much in order to get our debt under control. We used to buy new movies as soon as they came out. Now, we either rent them from the Redbox or wait a while until we can get a super good deal on them. And those of you with kids will agree that children need way less toys than we usually think they do. Who else has bought a super nice toy only for your child to be upset when you throw the box away? Yep, happens here too!
5) You can do anything you set your mind to. I have seen some amazing success stories from people who have paid off hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. Was it easy? No, but they were determined. And you don't have to have that much debt to have that level of determination. You just need a goal, a plan, and the desire to actually work through the plan.
Okay, so now that I've touched on those points a little, I want to tell you why I am writing this blog.
We have a little debt to pay off (not enough to make anyone worry; just enough to annoy me) and I need to hold myself a bit more accountable. I will admit that I have caused us to spend a bit of money we shouldn't have the past few months (hello bathroom remodel) and it's time for that to stop. I will be blogging every so often about ways that we have found to really break down this debt sooner.
Why am I passionate about sharing information about paying off debt? Because I know that debt is a very big issue and that so many people deal with it daily.
I'm not going to post specific numbers or anything throughout this journey (maybe at the end, but probably not) because I don't feel like that information needs to be public knowledge, but I will tell you that the tips that I share with you can apply to everyone. Debt is debt; no matter the size or kind.
I won't ever shove anything down your throat or force you to do anything. I am just going to pass on information that might be helpful to someone else while we are on this journey. And if you have something you would like to share about this debt journey, especially if you have been through it before, please do not hesitate to share! I am always up for learning new tips, tricks, or information.
I can't wait to post more information over the next month in an effort to help everyone out a bit!
-Danielle
Comments
Post a Comment