We've been attending a financial planning class for four weeks now. It's thirteen weeks long and very comprehensive. Jody and I feel like someone has opened our eyes and handed us the key to our future. I think it started as a seed when I made friends with Knelly and she told me they were buying a house and furnishing it for $500 because that was the cash they had on hand in their budget and they were leaving the furnishings in their old house and renting it. I thought it was crazy and if I were married to her husband I'd kill him for putting an expectation like that on me. Then I examined why I though that way. Then Jody's job in Minnesota petered out. Then... I started thinking that way. Then Jody started to think that way. Boy are we glad we lightened our load before we moved! Now we live in a teeny little house and I've again copied Knelly and started buying and selling furniture. It's so fun! My goal is to make $400 a month and our financial future is looking up. It is so liberating to focus on making money instead of spending it. It's so exciting to think about our future and our childrens future with a plan and determination. It's downright liberating to not be constricted with wondering if we have enough money for something. We know. We have a budget and that's it. I never realized how much guilt I was walking around under until we created this budget. Every dollar I spent, I felt guilty for. Now I have a plan, and I'm supposed to spend that dollar on that, so it's good! Finally, we feel like we're starting to understand money in a way that nobody ever explained it, and it gives us a feeling of confidence.
Shining budget moments:
We almost got shortchanged $10 and our envelope system with the log made it apparent. Jody went back into the gas station and got our $10. It felt so GOOD!
We had considered taking a car loan on within the next year because we really wanted to buy Jody's dad's truck. Now we are actually examining our motives and thinking a little more strategically about vehicles.
Today I have a buyer coming to look at a couch. If he buys it, I'll make a profit of $190.
We have destroyed all of our credit cards.
We are running like gazelles to escape debt and we are loving it.
On Friday, Jody took Eden skiing for the first time. It was so fun to watch! She's going to be a great skiier.
We also went to the park. It was 76 degrees on Saturday so why not?
Jody had planned a ski trip with some buddies on Sunday but the weather prevented it. I think he was really disappointed but he was good about it and spent the day with us, doing laundry and puzzles. He'll be taking a ski trip with the people at work on Friday.
The girls are so entertaining. They're out on the trampoline right now and I'm watching them through the window as I type. There's a crust of snow on it and they have their little brooms out there, sweeping away. I wouldn't dream of telling them that it would be melted within a couple of hours even if they didn't sweep it.
I'm still praying for Huckabee's miracle and the girls pray that Unky Dunky won't get shotted in Iraq every night.
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