Debt Update

When I started this blog, I was about $52,000 in debt. It's gone down some and I wanted to share with you my new numbers (I'm really opening this personal thing up even more to all of you):

Credit card: $3,264.20
Car loan: $7,985.65
LOC: $34,523.56

This makes for a grand total of $45,773.41. It's still a huge number. An extremely huge number. But it is going down. Slowly, but definitely surely.

I love that it's no longer in the $50,000 range. And once I hit the $30,000 range, that will be another huge milestone for me, so that's my next goal I'm looking forward to.

Thank you so so much for all of your kind words and support in this process. It really keeps me going and having all of you to report to has made a world of difference in truly achieving this goal.

On to the $30,000 number!

No House.

Sigh. I really thought I could do it. Figure out a way to have a mortgage and work on this debt at the same time. The housing market is such that NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY.

Now for everyone but Tara.

I saw a bunch of homes this Saturday as Andi and I went out and looked and scouted. Really fun homes, not-so-cute-but-oh-so-practical homes, and new construction homes. I must admit I liked those the best.

I thought maybe I could roll my line of credit into my mortage. My LOC is at 18.99% and mortages are between 5-6% right now. I thought if I paid extra on my mortgage at the much lower rate, it would be better than paying the higher rate.

Anyway, I was told I couldn't do that and I'm better off just working on the LOC myself.

Wah. I REALLY want a house. I'm not known for my patience. But Heavenly Father is teaching me it on a constant basis these days.

It's for the best, I know.

It WILL be done.

Some day.

SIGH.

Two More Kids...

I'm going to honor my nieces/nephews by posting a little something about them when it's their birthday.

Today it's all about Tyler and Raegan.

Tyler's 7th birthday was Friday. Raegan's 10th birthday is tomorrow. They are brother and sister and got to celebrate their birthdays with their family together (though they had separate parties with their friends). Their mom is embarrased about this cake, but it just goes to show it's homemade and those are always the yummiest, even if they're not the prettiest.

I don't get to see Tyler and Raegan all that often as they live in a different state than I do. But I sure do love them. Fiercely. And I miss their beautiful faces all the time.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAE RAE AND TC! I love you a whole lot!

My 19 Kids

As you all know, I have not had the pleasure of having a family of my own. I'm a 37-year old old maid and as much as I would love to have a husband and children, I have been oh so blessed with having 9 nephews and 10 nieces to be related to.

I love these kids. Fiercely.

Let me tell you about one of them right now (and I'm sure I'll share more stories about others in the future).

Porter is his name. He will be 12 years old tomorrow and he's as handsome as the day is long. Take a look:

This is a big birthday. He receives the Priesthood on Sunday. Being the only boy in his family (he has 6 sisters and no brothers), this is the first and only time the Derrick family gets to experience this.

He's a sweetie and I love him a whole lot.

This doesn't have anything to do with debt, but I just wanted to celebrate someone special.

Happy birthday Porter Bug!

Farewell...

After hearing the news last night, I kept thinking about the wonderful reunions he was having in heaven, especially with his sweet wife Marjorie.

I dearly love President Hinckley and will miss him and his absolute wisdom.

From his own words:

"This is a time to be strong.

"It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth and the importance of our mission.

"It is a time to do what is right regardless of the consequences that might follow.

"It is a time to be found keeping the commandments.

"It is a season to reach out with kindness and love to those in distress and to those who are wandering in darkness and pain.

"It is a time to be considerate and good, decent and courteous toward one another in all our relationships. In other words, to become more Christlike."

My First Fiscally Responsible Decision...

Many years ago, I worked in an office - a very fun, lighthearted office - where I was given the nickname Tarushka LaRueski. Thank goodness Tarushka did not stick, but LaRueski did.

Many years later, I decided to advertise my nickname on my license plate:

It was a fun thing to do and I got lots of inquiries about it, making it fun to tell the reason why, where it came from, the fun people I worked with, etc.

Well in October, when it came time to renew my car registration, I saw that it was, once again, an additional $25 to have a vanity plate. It was $25 the first year, and I figured since they had to make a special plate, well, okay. But $25 each year you have the plate? That's just goofy and didn't make any sense to me at all, especially since this time around I was all about getting out of debt and knowing where every single one of my dollars go to.

So I was deeply saddened to tell them no for the vanity plate (and the fact that I am not using my vanity plate, they had to make a NEW plate for me, but didn't charge me a cost to do it - HUH?) and go to a much more hum drum one that begins with a Z.

Like in snore...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

A light at a very long tunnel

This past weekend I met with a friend who is rather smart with his money. Extremely smart in fact. I was able to bend his ear for about 2 hours or so and really figure out how I'm going to be able to succeed in this getting out of debt business.

He created a spreadsheet for me listing all of my debts, the amounts I owe, the percentage rate, minimum payments, etc. and really helped me see the benefit of extra payments, which debt I should pay off first, etc. Every single thing was listed in this spreadsheet and REALLY helped me see a light at the end of a very looooooooooooooong tunnel. Still, it's a light and I will reach it eventually.

I have a rather long way to go, but a plan - a rock solid plan and I'm totally rejuvinated.

Thank you to everyone for the kind comments and words of encouragement. They help me probably more than anything and I appreciate the support and the tough love!

Tell me what you would like me to blog about. It's been a long time since I blogged and I want to be more consistent. The problem is I don't know what to write about.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

My New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year's everyone. I hope your 2008 is happy and successful and, well, just really good.

My new year's resolutions (which to be quite honest, I have NEVER done before) are these:

1. Pay off my credit card ($5,000)
2. Pay off my car ($8,300)
3. Pay down significantly my line of credit
4. Start to really look for a property to purchase (probably not until the very end of the year)
5. Lose weight

Had to put that last one in there 'cause I hear it's the law.

Putting these down really make me accountable to do them. I can REALLY use any and all encouragement, as I've been getting rather discouraged a lot lately 'cause it's just so much and I don't have enough to make it go away.

Anyway, here's to you and yours for a phenomenal 2008!

9, 10, 11, and 12

12 Drummers Drumming - a drum filled with random items with famous drummers hot glued to each item with a lovely note from the sender stating she was going to remain anonymous, but listed several things she has learned about me.
11 Pipers Piping - a New Year's hat filled with noisemakers (the piping tools).

10 Lords a Leaping - There were 10 plastic frogs that you push on their tails and they leap in the air with 10 different Lords pasted on their backs, i.e., Lord of the Rings, Lord & Taylor, Lord Voldemort, etc.

9 Ladies Dancing - 9 brownies with 9 laminated ladies sticking out of each brownie under a silver ornament meant to look like a disco ball. HILARIOUS.

Eight Maids A' Milking

Eight Milky Ways with a little girl pasted to them, along with a cow print pencil. Seriously funny...

Seven Swans A' Swimming...

Every day is my new favorite. This one consisted of a basket with seven of these acryllic swans filled with candy, all sitting on top of a blue CD (pictured) so it looked like they were on a lake. The kicker was the CD was Swan Lake. I can't believe the cleverness of it all! I have the BEST Secret Santa (or Secret MRS. Santa)!

Six Geese A'Laying...

Inside the 6-egg carton are 6 Cadbury chocolate eggs. Adorable...

12 Days of Christmas

Once again, this doesn't have anything to do with getting out of debt, but I wanted to share with you what's being done for me this year.

Someone is doing the 12 days of Christmas for me and I must say, they are giving me some of the most cleverist items I have ever seen.

This is the partridge in a pear tree (can of pears, with tree branches hot glued on the can, with a partridge ornament sitting on top).

Two Turtle (the candy) doves.

Three French Hens (plus they added a "french" Chick Fil-A gift card).

Four calling birds (four beautiful bird ornaments that are now on the Christmas tree in the living room).

And five golden rings (five glazed donuts). This is my favorite one so far for how clever it is!

Today is day 6, so I'll keep you posted on the adorable and brilliant gifts they continue to leave on my doorstep each evening.

A Debt Free Christmas

I'm convinced Dave Ramsey read my blog, because I got his newsletter in my email in-box this morning (I subscribe to it) and it was basically chastizing me for my last post. It's called "A Debt Free Christmas." Take a look:

http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/newsletters/company/121207.cfm?ectid=1107cnl_art1

Merry Christmas to you!

It's that season - we hear O Holy Night sung 52 different ways on the radio. We see Christmas lights on all the windows and now yards/trees/bushes of our neighbors. We give and receive presents. We send a family update to everyone on our address list, even though we may not have actually spoken to these people for 25 years. At this time of year, people as a general rule are either overly pleasant or really grumpy - not a whole lot of in-between.

This time around, I'm feeling rather BAH HUMBUG, as I have asked all those who usually give me gifts to not do so, as I am unable to give them presents this year. This is completely not my style and it kills me, especially when I see the perfect whatever for the perfect person, to not immediately snatch it up and wrap it and be giddy with happiness (and some relief) for finding that perfect item for that perfect person in my life.

Nope, attempting to get out debt really stinks because it means I have to focus on me, myself, and I during this giving season. Frankly, I'm not a fan of me, myself, and I, so to have to spend all this time/money on me, myself, and I puts me in the grumpy category this year.

I know I know I know - it's for the best and I'll be so much better off and all of that stuff, not to mention the home I hope to buy some day and doing this puts me closer to that goal. I'm just frustrated that it's all about me this year. Blech.

Me is SO overrated.

I love a free lunch...

I work at one of the greatest places on earth. My bosses (I have 3) are all aware of my goal of getting out of debt. In fact one of them inspired me to start this process to begin with. They have been extraordinarily supportive and are always offering thoughts and ideas and free lunches to me to help me get through this.

Yup - free lunches. I LOVE free lunches.

Today's free lunch was CPK. A new California Pizza Kitchen opened up at Val Vista and Baseline, which isn't too far from my office. My finance boss is working on closing out the month of November and I'm helping him out today. Because of this, he purchased lunch for the 3 of us doing this.

I think I can do CPK every day of the week. Nothing like that Thai chicken pizza to put me in a largely happy mood...

And when I don't have to pay for it?!? Fuhgetaboutit!

PS: You may have noticed that I'm always happy when I'm discussing food. All kinds of food really. I have to mention there are so many other things that bring me joy and happiness, but during this getting-out-of-debt process, the small things (like the tasty foods mentioned) are what do it for me.

It's probably why I'm so svelte and lean...

NY pictures

Even though these don't really have much to do with getting out of debt, I wanted to share a couple of pictures taken while on my trip back east:



This is my mom and I in front of Niagra Falls (it was about 40 degrees).

This is my dad and I in front of the Sacred Grove. It was about 25 degrees this day and oh so so so cold. Beautiful, special, but just really very cold.

Here I am standing on the Smith Farm. Where the Palmyra Temple stands (in the background) is still part of the original land the Smiths
owned.

She's baaaaaaaaaaack.........

Hey y'all (in my best Paula Deen impersonation) - I'm back from New York. Loved every minute of it, most especially getting to visit with my parents. It was a really great trip, and I have to be honest. I spent some money. $14.50 to be exact. For only the best chocolate cake known to mankind:

Apparently this delightful grocery store called Wegman's had a contest for the best chocolate cake recipe. The winner received compensation (I think) and Wegman's bought the rights to use that recipe and make it their own. Boy oh boy, going off of my debt diet (and other diets) for this thing was oh so worth it.

I can't believe I just said that.

But I really meant it (smile).

Oh, and by the way, only 4 weeks from today until Christmas. In case you weren't aware...

I'm going to New York...

...for the Thanksgiving holidays. My mom and dad are serving a mission in the Rochester, NY mission office. I haven't seen them for a year and I have the privilege of getting to spend this holiday with them and a good portion of the other missionaries at the Palmyra visitor center. HOW COOL IS THAT?!?

Anyway, for this reason, I will not be blogging during this time away.

Oh, good news. I bought this plane ticket in July WITH MY DEBIT CARD, not a credit card, so this is one of the few things in my life that is actually paid for. It seriously makes this trip that much better, as anything this major is rarely paid for with cash. Don't know why I had such a vision of clarity when I bought this ticket. Yea for me!

Anyway, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and yours.

Things are going well...

Many, many people continue to ask me how things are going and how I'm doing in my quest to get out of debt.

Things are going well, but oh. so. SLOW.

Since deciding to do this, it's all I can think about and trying to figure out ways to make it happen sooner. I know I've said this before, but I can't believe I let it get this bad, for one, and for two, I am begging for patience to get this taken care of. It's AMAZING how little time you need to get so far into debt, yet how LONG it takes to get out of it. It's an awful, awful VICIOUS cycle.

I guess the best success I've had so far is the fact I haven't used or even thought of using a credit card since I first started this. That in and of itself is truly a record. Seriously. Even when you go through the exercise of cutting up credit cards and washing your hands of them, in this day and age of electronic everything, most if not all of my numbers were stored on my favorite sites (Amazon.com anyone?) and I didn't need the physical card to still use it.

It was totally deceptive and I'm ashamed of myself for being so sneaky.

Needless to say, those account numbers HAVE been deleted off of my favorite sites and they have been physically removed from my wallet.

It's really a phenomenal feeling. And the scariness of not having them around as "backup" has really gone away. Maybe not totally 100%, but pretty darn close to being completely gone. Wow.

Seriously - wow.