No Debt Journey

Ever live in an apartment? Well, that is unfortunately where I am living at the moment and let me just say that noisy fellow tenants are the worst! I have these people down the hall from me who clearly have no respect for their neighbours when it comes to noise, which I can hear in the hallway as they go in and out of the hallway door constantly, talking very loudly, and I can hear them even when they are inside their apartment…and I don’t even share any walls with them! I feel sorry for the people who do. Yikes. Anyway, that is motivation enough for me to pay off my debt so I can eventually afford to buy a house.

Now that I’m done my “vent”, I will share with you what I’ve been up to in regards to my good ol’ debt. First, here’s where I’m at:

MasterCard #1 – $150.43 left owing (started at $723.56)

MasterCard #2 – no change

Bed Loan – no change

Mom – no change

Car Loan – $4777.09 left owing (started at $6188.07)

So, as you can see, I’ve gone down with MasterCard #1 and the car loan. The MasterCard will be paid off by next payday so that’s really exciting for me. It’ll be one debt gonzo! The bed loan will be next after that. The car loan payment automatically comes out of my account bi-weekly so that’ll keep going down too.

So, admittedly, I have kind of “fallen off the wagon” lately with my spending so I will be focusing on getting back on track with that. I’ve been buying things that I don’t need. There, now that that’s out of the way…

I have also signed up with an investing app. I saw it on a couple news broadcasts and in my local newspaper, so I did some research on it. You have it connected with your bank account, and any purchases you make with your debit card, it rounds up the cents to the next dollar and invests those. So, for example, if you bought something for $1.25, it would round up to the next dollar, taking that $0.75 and investing it for you. In this app, you can decide what and how much you want to save/invest in that year and what it’s for. So, mine is going to be an emergency fund of $2,000.

Another goal I’ve done lately is read one of three books I’ve done some research on in regards to becoming debt free. I have two more to go, and will be purchasing one of those today! I will follow up on a future post once I’ve read all three.

Eeek! I woke up this morning at 5:00am (not by choice), laid in bed for a bit trying to get back to sleep…with absolutely zero success. So, I finally picked up my phone and checked my emails. Well, there were two of them among the few that stood right out. One was saying “Congrats on your first sale” from Fiverr, and the other was the request for my proofreading services from someone on Fiverr! I just finished creating my profile on there at about 9:00pm last night, and already got my first gig! My side hustles are really starting to pay off, literally. Ok, I may be a tad excited here if you hadn’t noticed. I’m also nervous. Yikes!

As I mentioned previously, one of my other side hustles was selling used books online. These were books I had bought years ago at a thrift store. I had mentioned before that, after putting them online only a week ago, I had already sold two and one was being arranged for pick up a couple days ago, and it ended up getting sold as well. Now I have sold yet a fourth one which I will be shipping out today. I bought 2 more at a thrift store this past weekend, and listed them online, so fingers crossed! I also have some other books and items online too that haven’t sold yet.

So between a bit of success on my side hustles, and a lot of research and time spent on this blog, I am feeling good. It’s a great feeling to set goals for yourself and actually accomplish them. Neither of my side hustles is going to make me rich, but they will help with cash flow and paying things down, little by little. I am determined as all heck to get that first credit card paid off. Just over $400 to go!

In case you are wanting to look into some side hustles of your own, I came across this ginormous list of them over at studentloanhero.com (the side hustles are not just for students though). I wanted to share that with you so you could find one, or two, of your own. But if you do have any skills in the Fiverr categories, I would recommend that to start. You just have to create your account, which is basically selling yourself (bragging rights approved) and you’re good to go.

One of the ways we can cut costs is by what we eat. The debt isn’t going to go away if we are eating steak or fish (or all that expensive stuff) every day for our meals. So, I have come up with a list of meal ideas on a budget that will be easier on the wallet while still being delicious and simple to make. Can’t get better than that, right?

• Chili
  This is not only great for being inexpensive, but it’ll create leftovers which can either be eaten for dinner or lunch the next day.
• Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
  Ah, comfort food. This meal is not only that, but it is also quick, easy and very cheap to make. If you don’t like tomato soup, just substitute it for one you do like!
• Chicken Fajitas
  This is not only one of those meal ideas on a budget, but it’s also quick to make on those busy weeknights. Tasty too!
• Spaghetti & Meatballs
  One of my personal faves. I always make enough so that there are leftovers for lunch or dinner for the next day or two.
• Chicken Stir-Fry
  Yum! This one makes the list of meal ideas on a budget not only because it’s inexpensive to make, but it’s also healthy for you.
• Lasagna
  Love this one because there are always leftovers. They work great for eating the next day or freezing for a meal another day.
• Quesadillas
  These are great because the whole family usually loves them…even those picky eaters. And you can put whatever you like in them. Our favorites are chicken, cheese, olives, chopped chilies, green onions and tomatoes.
• Naan (or Pita) Bread Pizzas
  The kiddos like this budget-friendly option because they can choose their toppings. I buy the garlic naan bread, but you can get plain or whole wheat as well. We are actually having these tonight!
• Greek Chicken/Chicken Caesar Pitas
  This is one of those meal ideas on a budget that is great for a lunch or light dinner. You could even add a bowl of soup on the side with it!
• Tuna Melts
  We actually had these two nights ago. They are super easy and fast to make. All you do is mix a can (or two, depending how many you are feeding; we use one for three of us) of tuna with celery, condensed mushroom or chicken soup and onion. Spread on half a bun. Pop that in the oven for 5 minutes at 350F. Take out, sprinkle on some shredded cheddar cheese, put back in oven for another 3-5 minutes and you’re good to go!

There you have it! A list of scrumptious, easy peasy and quick (for the most part) meal ideas on a budget. You can pair many of these with a salad or veggies too!

Well, let’s face it, as with everything else, groceries aren’t getting any cheaper. So, I’ve done my research and come up with ways that will help me do my grocery shopping on a budget. I wanted to be able to help you all too, so I hope this information is useful for you!

• Carefully plan out meals and stick to your list, no matter what – We all try to do this but then we see goodies, etc. that we want and end up with a bunch of items we didn’t need.
• Don’t shop hungry – I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of this at one point or another! This doesn’t pair well with grocery shopping on a budget because we end up with items we don’t need, and many times, they aren’t exactly the healthiest foods on the planet…at least for me they’re not.
• Grocery store reward points – This is a no-brainer. If your grocery store offers anything type of reward points, whether it’s a points card or whatever, take advantage of it. It’s basically free money! I have used a points card at my grocery store for years and it has saved me a lot of money, especially when I really focus on the weekly specials on certain foods regarding the amount of points. They’re different each week.
• Coupons – Speaking of free money, coupons are essential with grocery shopping on a budget. What’s really great is when you pair a coupon with an item that’s already on sale in the store. I remember paying $0.50 for a name brand can of shaving cream before because of this. And any money you save, put it towards a debt. It’s a win-win! Here’s a list of five of the best coupon websites:
  1. coupons.com
  2. redplum.com
  3. grocerycouponnetwork.com
  4. smartsource.com
  5. couponmom.com

  *Side note: There are also brand name websites that offer coupons, such as Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, P&G Everyday, Kelloggs, Johnsonville, Farmland Foods and Campbell’s Kitchen to name a few.

• Comparison shop – We all get flyers. As annoying as they are, they can be used to our advantage when grocery shopping on a budget. Some stores also do price matching so flyers are useful for this as well. Remember too, the coupons you have can be used on sale items making them insanely cheap sometimes.
• Brand names – I admit, there are some items where I just have to buy the name brand. There’s just no comparison. But, there are many items where I will buy the comparable item that is not name brand because it is less expensive. It can save a good amount of money if done on most (if not all) items.
• In-store sale items/coupons – Many grocery stores have in-store sales on, meaning that they aren’t in the flyers. Many also have in-store coupons. I know mine has a wall of them right as you walk in, but some have coupons right near the item they’re advertising.

I hope these tips can help you as I know they are going to help me. I’ve already been applying some of them to my grocery shopping on a budget mission. Please share any ideas of your own!

Hola everyone! So since my last post, where I gabbed about my unexpected vehicle troubles, I’ve really buckled down on any kind of spending. Not that I wasn’t already doing that, but now I have to be even more diligent. I’ve also been working on some debt reduction goals for myself that I thought I’d share with you. Without further ado, here is what I’m currently working on and/or putting into motion soon:

1. Research and read 3 books on becoming debt free.
   There’s nothing like expanding your knowledge when you badly want something, right? So, I have committed myself to searching out 3 (hopefully great!) debt books, as part of my debt reduction goals. I’ll let ya all know in another post how these books panned out.
2. Work on other website(s) I own.
   So, I own two other websites. I’ve had one of them for several years, and the other one is only about 2 years old now. I kept using the same excuse that I was always just too busy to work on them. I was busy, but in reality, I could have made time. Admittedly, I think I was just scared. But now, I am on a serious mission. No more fears! So, my debt reduction goal with those websites now is to try to make a bit of extra money with them. So I am going to revive at least one of them for now…likely the one I’ve owned for years. It’s more established with more content, etc.
3. Sell more items online.
   I think I mentioned in a previous post that I had listed some of my old items online for sale. Well, some of those were books…two have already sold, and one is supposed to be picked up today (fingers crossed!). They actually sold a lot quicker than I thought. These books I had actually picked up at a thrift store about 5 years ago, and I am getting at least 4 times the amount I paid for each of them! So, I’m thinking that I will go thrift store shopping soon and pick up as many as I can. I have the Amazon app on my phone so I can scan a book by bar code and see if it’s selling on there and how much it’s selling for. I like this as one of my debt reduction goals because I love to shop!
4. Set up Fiverr account.
   I came across some success stories on Fiverr. It’s a website where you can offer your services for money. There are a lot of things people look for on there, from proofreaders to graphic designers to voice-over talent, etc, etc, etc. I have some experience in proofreading so I’m going to set up an account on there to do just that. I’ll keep you posted on if I get any work!
5. Work on this blog more often.
   Last, but not least, of my debt reduction goals is to work on this blog more often. I had a busy summer and didn’t get on here much but summer is coming to an end now (sadly, sniffle sniffle), the kids are back in school, and things have slowed down now. Believe it or not, working on this blog keeps me on track with fulfilling my tasks on chipping away at my debt.

So, I’ve had a slight set back. Yesterday, started off well. I had mentioned a post or two ago that I had put $200 towards my one credit card. Well, yesterday morning on my way to work, I had an extra $100 cash on top of that that I put into my bank account, and then transferred over to that same credit card. So, $300 total. It felt so good. I had ideas rolling through my head all morning on creating a budget plan for myself, looking up budgeting apps on the internet, etc, etc, etc. What a way to start the day! Then I got some bad news later that afternoon…

I had to take my vehicle in to the mechanic. It was making a funny noise. Long story short, I had to get my brakes and drive shaft fixed, so those two things alone were $581. Ugh. Then I found out, after they had already fixed those things, that there was something else. Something in my engine. Yep, expensive as heck. So, basically, I will now be vehicle shopping. It’s not worth it to pay the insane amount of money to fix this problem. My vehicle is no spring chicken (a.k.a. almost 9 years old). So, my earlier in the day thoughts on creating a budget plan are even more crucial now.

So, my next step. Creating a budget plan for myself. Here are three things I’m going to start focusing on to start with:

• Give myself a cash allowance each payday…and stick to it!
• Build up an “emergency fund” of $2000 (you know, for any of those unexpected things life throws at us)
• Track my expenses (account for every single cent I spend – this will allow me to see exactly where my money is going and to see where I can cut back)

So, that’s where I’m at right now. One step forward, two steps back as they say. But hey, that’s life. It can throw curve balls at you, hence the “emergency fund” saving. That money wouldn’t have bought me a new vehicle, or at least not a very good one, but it would’ve at least paid for the mechanic bill.

Creating a budget plan can be as easy as starting on small ideas such as these and incorporating them into your life on a daily basis. I would love to hear your ideas, so please feel free to throw them out there!

Good day everyone! I hope it is anyway. I hope that you are slowly, but surely, chipping away at your debt too. It’s a good feeling once you start…even the smallest changes help. My mind is constantly going into overdrive thinking and researching ideas for my getting out of debt plan.

At first I wasn’t sure that I could accomplish this, being a single mom on one income. It’s sure not easy. We all have our battles with debt though, don’t we? We all have our different stories and hurdles. It is doable though; it’s just a matter of changing up your lifestyle, either a bit, or a fair amount, depending on your situation and debt load.

Part of my getting out of debt plan is to make even the smallest changes. Here are 4 minor, but helpful, things I am doing to help with that:

1. I have put some of my old items around my home for sale online. One years old textbook I had sold within half an hour of me posting it! Nothing else has sold yet but it’s only been a couple days. Patience grasshopper.
2. I am now looking for a part time job that I can do from home on the side. I get notifications for new jobs from a jobsite that I joined. I used to do proofreading for a living, so that is mostly what I am looking for.
3. I have a points card for the grocery store I shop at. I also have the app for it on my cell phone. I get weekly updates on my app on what items in that store get me points. The points can eventually be used as money towards groceries. So I have started paying attention to this and incorporating those food items into what meals I will make that week.
4. One of my credit cards allows me to receive frequent flyer miles when I use it. I have begun to use this card on bigger purchases, such as groceries, gas, etc., for the sole purpose to rack up some frequent flyer points so that down the road, once my getting out of debt plan is done, I can reward myself with a trip! Note: I use this credit card for the purchases, but pay it off the second I get home.

There you have it! Do you have your own little changes that you are accomplishing? Please feel free to share them. I always like to hear new ideas on another person’s getting out of debt plan, as I’m sure others here would too. Hope to hear from you!

Whew…it’s been a crazy busy summer! But with the kiddos heading back to school this week, I will be back in action here again. Speaking of action, my next step to shredding my debt has been to look at my bank account online and see exactly what I’ve been spending my moula on. It was eye-opening actually.

Seeing exactly what I’ve been spending my money on, I have come up with a budget action plan. This plan will involve cutting back on things I don’t need as well as starting to pay off some of my smallest debt, which will be one of my credit cards.

Before I delve into this budget action plan of mine, let me catch you up to speed on what I’ve been up to. This summer, I took my kids on a 14-hour road trip to visit my best friend and her family, as well as two camping trips. I know what you’re thinking…not so great for the budget. But (yes, there’s a but), closer to the beginning of this year, I had planned these trips with some income tax money I received and had already promised my daughters we would go. I have never broken a promise to them, and never intentionally will. This planning happened before I decided to tackle my debt. Now that my confession is out of the way, let’s continue…

Ok, so I mentioned that I took a glance at my bank account to really look at how I was (“was” being the operative word here) spending my money. I had been spending an average of over $300.00 per month on things I definitely did not need! Things such as dining out/fast food, clothing and the liquor mart (I used to enjoy a glass of wine here and there). I was also going to the grocery store for a couple things at a time here and there, and likely buying more than I should have each time. In order for my budget action plan to work, this all had to change.

Changes I will be making:

• Asking myself when I see something in a store that I really want, “Do I need this? I’ve already been implementing this change in my life, and 9 times out of 10, the answer has been “No”, and I’ve left the item behind. And some of these items have been on sale too! That can be hard to walk away from!
• I will be grocery shopping only once a week. No more little stops, however, if I absolutely need to because I forgot something, then I will only be picking that item up and nothing else.
• I have $200 that will be going on my credit card with the least amount owing.
• No more dining out.

Many changes don’t have to be huge. Start small and work your way up as you get going. Form your own budget action plan and get started on putting it into action. From these small changes I’ve started making, I already have extra money in my bank account. It’s a good feeling seeing that I can do it, and knowing that I’m on the right track! Until next time…

So, here is the hardest part for me…telling the world (okay well at least whoever reads this, so “the world” is a bit of a stretch!) the actual numbers of my debt. It’s not something I ever like to discuss with anyone, period. But, as promised, I am going to “bare my soul” here for everyone to see. It’ll be therapeutic for me, and hopefully help someone else in the process. Without further ado, here are the numbers of my debt:

Mastercard #1 – $723.56

Mastercard#2 – $3693.92

Bed (bought because of back/neck issues & my old one was 17 years old!) – $1432.32

Car Loan – $6188.07

Mom – $6700.00

Grand Total – $18,737.87

So, there it is. Just under $20,000 of my debt to plug away at. My plan is to start with the least amounts owing and pay those off first. I’ve researched, and found this is the best way to go no matter what the interest rates are on everything you owe. Why, you ask? It makes a lot of sense actually. It’ll be quickest to pay off the least amount first, so once you have that paid off, you’ll be thinking to yourself “Wow, that feels good!”. Right? That will then motivate you to keep going and pay the next thing off, then the next, and so on. I believe they call this the “snowball effect”.

So, in saying all of that, I will be starting to tackle my debt on MasterCard #1 of $723.56.

To be continued…