If you’re needing some motivation on your own journey, this interview is sure to deliver.
Alicia and Ralston Vaz have cut their debt by $255,000 in five years!
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Commit. Plan. Take action.
If you’re needing some motivation on your own journey, this interview is sure to deliver.
Alicia and Ralston Vaz have cut their debt by $255,000 in five years!
[Read more…]
If you are single and want to be smart with your money, you face different challenges and advantages than married people.
Last week I wrote a post about two things you should do before starting your debt free journey. Because I am married and this blog is called “Our Debt Free Family,” I focus my writing primarily toward married couples and young families.
But I have received some requests to write to the single person’s perspective.
Last week we started getting ready for your debt free journey. We discussed the importance of getting your spouse on board (if you have one) and promising yourself that you are done with debt.
Now we are ready to jump in to assessing your current financial picture. You need to know where you are starting from in order to begin your journey.
Today, I have something a little different to share with you.
Instead of sharing more about my family’s debt free journey, I have a special guest who has agreed to share his debt free story.
Ron Noble tells how he and his wife Thu paid off $167,500.00 in seven years! They are a true debt free family because they have paid off all of their debt including their house!
Continue reading to find out how they did it and what they have been able to do since becoming debt free.
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You’re ready for a change.
You have committed to getting out of debt, but you don’t know where to start, right?
You’re tired of living paycheck to paycheck and seeing your hard-earned money go toward interest to the bank or credit card company.
You bring home a decent income, but before you can actually enjoy what you’ve worked so hard for, you have to pay all of the bills. And what’s left over for you? Not much.
Well, I am here to help!
Part 3 of a 3-Part Series
My husband and I decided to pay off all of our debt, including our mortgage, as quickly as possible.
We understood it was a huge endeavor and estimated that it would take us about eight years to do, but we knew the feelings of freedom and achievement once we met our goal would be well worth the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work in the end.
As the saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
We still have a long way to go before we are completely debt free, but in this three-part series, I am taking you through exactly what we did to pay off over $65,000 from August 2013 through June 2014.
Click here for Part 1 and Part 2 if you missed them.
Part 2 of a 3-Part Series
At the end of July 2013, my husband Mike and I decided to pay off all of our debt, including our mortgage, as quickly as possible.
We understood it was a huge endeavor and estimated that it would take us about eight years to do, but we knew the feelings of freedom and achievement once we met our goal would be well worth the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work in the end.
As the saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
We still have a long way to go before we are completely debt free, but in this three-part series, I am taking you through exactly what we did to pay off over $65,000 from August 2013 through June 2014.
If you missed Part 1, you can check it out by clicking here.
My husband and I decided to pay off all of our debt, including our mortgage, as quickly as possible.
We understood it was a huge endeavor and estimated that it would take us about eight years to do, but we knew the feelings of freedom and achievement once we met our goal would be well worth the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work in the end.
As the saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
Valentine’s Day is here once again. Many Americans plan to drop some serious money on the holiday. If you and your partner are money conscious or working towards being debt-free like we are, there are some gifts that can show your love and support. Here are five gifts I love for debt-free or money conscious couples.
I’m a certified plant lady – I accrued more than 20 while I was pregnant. One of my favorites is the money tree. The money tree represents wealth and is thought to bring you luck in your finances and/or profession. In some cases, it is believed that the money tree brings about a great sense of well-being and even luxury. Ours hangs out in between our desks in the office. It has brought us a fair amount of luck. Plants like the money tree can be a great gift because they will continue to sprout new growth throughout the year. Not to mention, having plants has been proven to benefit people’s moods and increase happiness. So, it makes a great gift.
There are a lot of paid fintech tools on the market. See if the person you are buying for is currently using the free version of any paid app and pay for a few months or even a year. Typically, paid versions of the app unlock new financial tools and additional help. If they use the app on a regular basis, the change can truly make a difference in their finances to have the paid tools available.
If the person you’re shopping for isn’t necessarily tech-savvy or prefers to write things down, a financial planner or journal may be a good gift option. Personally, I write everything from our budget to financial goals down in a planner. So, each year, I spring for a nice one and use it for the next 365 days. Journaling is also something that can help people on a debt-free journey and, honestly, journaling can be therapeutic. Buying a nice planner or journal can be the perfect gift for someone on a journey of their own.
This one is a little more expensive than the other gifts listed above, but it is a great gift for money conscious couples. You and your partner can go in on the purchase of the online program together and take the courses. Over the span of the Financial Peace University program, you will both learn more about finance and get on the same page about your money. Giving this kind of gift can draw you two closer together and improve parts of your relationship. It’s another gift that keeps on giving.
If money is your love language, make your own cash rose. For this, you decide how much you want to spend. Get the cash together (using small bills is a good idea). Then, watch this YouTube video instruction on making your own cash rose. Your honey will surely appreciate the gesture.
Readers, what do you think of these gift ideas? Do you have any to add?
It never fails. Things seems to be going great and then you are hit with something that costs an arm and a leg. For me, last month, the unexpected costs were related to dental emergencies. If you don’t already know, dental insurance is a racket. So, when it comes to covering the cost of an emergency, it usually falls on you. How do you cover it if you don’t have the cash upfront?
Believe it or not, just because it seems urgent to you doesn’t mean your situation is a dental emergency. There is a set of criteria the dentist uses in order to decide whether or not your problem is an emergency or not. Some common dental emergencies include:
At the end of the day, your dentist will be able to tell you whether or not the situation is an emergency. They will usually be able to get you in within 24 hours for issues that need immediate attention. That being said, dental work is crazy expensive. How do people pay for this stuff?
When it comes to covering the cost of dental emergencies, the numbers can be steep. For instance, I don’t have dental insurance. Because of this, I have to pay out of pocket for dental services. I pay $234 for “in-house insurance” with my dentist. This covers two cleanings a year, all x-rays, and discounts off any other services. However, it didn’t cover my deep cleaning gum therapy last Friday. The discounted bill that I paid out of pocket was $785. They drew up a plan for me to have all four wisdom teeth extracted as well (another $1,700 at some point down the road). Thankfully, I was able to get this paid, but if you are looking for ways to cover these astronomical prices, take note of these options.
As a last resort option, you can always borrow money or get a small loan for dental emergencies. After all, anything that impacts your health is important enough to invest in.