What's the one thing that you've done in your financial life

**debbiepete** · 03-10-2003, 11:19 AM

For me it was getting rid of credit cards bills and living within our means. No more 500.00 clothes shopping sprees. My 7.00 on clearance jeans and my 2.00 clearance tops are just fine. My car is new but we got it at 0% finance so what we are paying for it the car itself.

**rebecca** · 11-21-2004, 06:03 AM

Totally agree with Jersey Girl. That is why I always think before I buy. Renee

**sunshine** · 11-21-2004, 09:41 AM

Realizing that we were robbing our retirement years, by overspending now.

Tracking our spending - what a shocker to realize just how much we were spending on junk food and stuff we didn't NEED.

Sorting out exactly what is a NEED, from what are WANTS.

Reading "Miserly Moms", "Financial Peace", "TWG" and finding out I wasn't alone in my quest for financial independence, and that we didn't have to be deprived to attain it.

**Darlene** · 11-21-2004, 10:28 AM

~Forgoing big wedding, honeymoon & fancy vacations to buy a home
~Never carrying a balance on our credit cards
~Putting any extra money we had towards the principal on our mortgage so we could pay less interest and own it outright sooner. It worked.

**rebecca** · 11-21-2004, 11:26 AM

Darlene I am there with you to. Can't wait to get this freaking car paid off then all the extra money is going to go on this mortgage. I hate anything hanging over my head!

Renee

**Early Bird** · 11-22-2004, 12:35 AM

Deciding to fund retirement plans as heavily as we can afford:

* Our contributions to DH's work plans are paid in pre-tax dollars. (i.e. If we put $100 into the plan, that $100 is subtracted from his gross -- and the lower amount is what gets taxed).

* Our retirement accounts won't count against us when it's time for dkids to need financial aid for college.

* In a REAL emergency, we could get that money. But we'd have to pay taxes and a penalty. So, we don't ever touch it.

**kimmee** · 11-22-2004, 12:54 AM

I have been living on a cash only basis since I left Bob - the only thing that I have newly signed up for credit wise is the house - which is reasonable - I have thoroughly enjoyed "cashing" out on everything the kids and I have done for the last four years - no huge weights and pressures - just meeting the dailies and we either had it or we didn't but nothing has been in jeopardy...

**HandyMom** · 11-22-2004, 02:09 PM

The biggest impact on my financial system right now is seperating want from need and accepting that some things I used to think I had to have I could do without altogether.

Believe it or not, I have a close friend who did not have a phone at all for many years (I'd guesstimate at least 7 years!). I consider phone service a necessity. She used a pay phone at work to keep in touch with everyone. They also could call her at work if they needed to by calling the payphone.

This friend was saving her money to make a down payment on a home of her own and not having phone service was just one thing she did that enabled her to achieve her goal. There were many more things she did, too.

I am very proud of her, btw. She's been a great inspiration to me.

**Shell** · 11-23-2004, 07:39 AM

Putting money away every month. I started when I was 18 putting money away monthly into an RRSP (IRA) and now I am in my 30's I save money every month into my emergency fund.

**Michelle** · 11-23-2004, 09:34 AM

We bought a house for far less money than we were told we could afford. I never would have been able to become a SAHM if we had bought like we were told to.

**rebecca** · 01-15-2005, 04:18 AM

Finding the book, "Total Money Makeover", by Dave Ramsey last February. Don't follow everything he's says but I did get my daughter's braces paid off, my tooth repair paid for, have my EF, and paying off my car. Than after I pay off my car I'm going to get a 4 to 6 EF. Started a 401(k) that started this month and having money taken out of my check and put in another credit union where I seldom go. Harder to get at. Try to see how many days I can go without spending any money. Not going out to eat, but cooking by scratch. Went from a 30 year loan to a 15 year loan a couple of years ago. Tell the girls no if its not a necessity. If they think it's a necessity they can save their money and buy it themselves. Stock up on personal items if there's a really good deal. Growing some flowers by seed instead of buying the flowers. Last year at Meijers they threw out a whole bunch of hanging plants and my mom and I grabbed them. Bought a couple of pair of pants for the girls so I wasn't washing 4 to 5 times a week. Now only wash twice a week.

**gkp1031** · 01-15-2005, 04:45 PM

I'm finally learning to stay out of the malls unless I really need something. I'm also putting as much $ as I can on our credit cards to pay them off soon. I need to ask myself if I need or want something before I buy it.