Mind if I just babble excitedly?

[owiebrain]

Hubby and I haven't exactly been partnering well in the financial department the past few years. Things got really out of hand the past couple years and times have been really tough. I think we're finally starting to work together now, though. I've set up spreadsheets for teh budget and he's been getting much better at following it. Yay! The past couple of weeks, we've sat down and I've shown him a plan on how we can do a heck of a lot better. He's going for it! Yippee!

See all of those piddly little debts in my sig line? Those small things have really been killing us but now we are going to conquer them the smart way.

With a bit of Christmas $$ from relatives, we just paid off a $200 loan (Debt #10) that had $55/mo paymenys. I claimed $20/month of that to go into a new savings account and the remaining $35 will be added to Debt #6's regular payment--that will pay it off rather quickly.

Debt #11 will be paid off in about 3 weeks by pure determination (and some creative financing).

Our estimated tax refund will be used to pay off Debts #1, 4, 5, 12, and 13. #12 and 13 are lump sums, not monthly payments but 1, 4, and 5 are so that will knock $202 off of the monthly budget. Of that, I will claim $20/month extra to go into savings for a total of $25/week going to savings. ($10 originally planned for savings + $5 from debt #10 + debts #1, 4, and 5.) That leaves $182/month to put extra towards the other debts, #6, 7, and what remains of #9 first. That will then free up $93 plus the $182 for a total of $275/month to put towards debts #2, 3, and 8.

I need to map it all out and check exact balances on a couple of things to see the exact timeline of it all but, dang! This is just so stinkin' cool now that hubby's onboard!! Of course, we are in the middle of building a house so things will come up that we'll have to pay for and that will derail us a bit here and there but I'm confident that we can have all of the debts currently listed in my sig paid off by this time next year. Plus, we should have a nice little new savings for emergencies. Woot!

Just some silly rambling while I thought out loud. After tonight's successful little budget "meeting", I couldn't resist, though.

[Hardy1]

Well done. It's great when the pair of you 'click' on an idea isn't it? Sounds like you have this really well mapped out. I'm impressed!Well done


W

[Darlene]

Love that kind of excited babbling. You are snowballing that debt like a pro & so glad your hubby's onboard. Look out Debt, Diane & hubby are looking to reduce you to zilch.

[dwallyfam]

Diane babble away. It is good to see a couple work together.

Kellie

[AmyBoz]

I don't think it's silly at all! It's so much easier when you are both on board!!! Congrats!

[alabamagirl]

I like your enthusiasm!

[catzz64]

Thanks for "babbling"! It's motivation for newbies like me!!!

[Michele Annette]

Good job Diane! Glad your DH on board with you!

[homesteadmamma]

I love when both partners are on board. It makes it so much easier.

Your getting there and were all cheering you on.

[tbs727]

WTG!! It looks like you have a great plan.

[PrairieRose]

Keep up the good work and happy babbling. We all do that and it's great motivation. Congrats on getting your dh onboard.

[Mojjo]

Congrats!!!!

I think this is the year of teamwork and paying things off. DH and I have finally gotten on the same page too.

[Katybird]

WTG! You and your hubby are doing a great job with getting the debt taken care of. We are all really proud of you!

[Kimberlina]

[ACEHearts]

Sounds great.. I think you're getting further with your DH than I'm getting with mine! Keep up the great work!

Cindy