I have to admit... I am proud!

**FrugalMomof3** · 01-13-2007, 03:37 PM

Ok this time last year DH and I had over $12,000 in CC debt which to me is alot since he is the only one working and we struggled making minimum payments each and every month just to pay the CC's and we did it, we paid off $12,000 by Refinancing the home and income tax refund.

This year I am proud to say that althought I have no CC debt, DH has only used up $2,800 which is a BIG difference from $12,000 this time last year and although I wish he would just cut up those nasty CC's I can say I am proud.
Our income tax refund will cover that and DH will be debt free once again but I really wish I could knock some sense into him and for 1 year be able to save the income tax refund instead of paying back those yucky CC's.

Has anyone seen a difference in their spending/debt from last year till now? Has it went up? Has it went down?

**Megareader** · 01-13-2007, 03:56 PM

We just got a consolidation loan in October. So far we have paid it down $1400. This year we are committed to continuing making huge payments on that and will have a big chunk of it paid off by next Christmas.

Congratulations to you and your dh on keeping your debt down!

**marie_squared** · 01-13-2007, 04:02 PM

thats awesome!! incredible accomplishment, now thats getting all your ducks lined up in a row and just taking care of it.

nice job!

im getting an estimated 600 tax refund and its going straight towards paying off debt. making "big" plans with the money only ever brings temp satisfaction that too quickly wears off and then im right back where i started. too much stuff in an apt that is too small.

thanks for posting!

**jamie79** · 01-13-2007, 04:32 PM

good for you

**emily_hope** · 01-13-2007, 04:51 PM

You are doing a great job, FrugalMomof3, keeping your debt down. Your DH did a pretty good job as well. I am like you though, I wish my DH would leave his CCs alone.

We did pay off all our CC debt we had this past year. DH uses his CCs but so far, he pays them off every month and we don't carry any debt over. I have really cuved my spending. I really want to get to where we are operating on a cash only basis. My DD17 is a Senior this year and there have been lots of expenses and.....the prom is coming up. Hopefully I can keep from blowing the budget.

**Buckeye5** · 01-13-2007, 05:00 PM

Congratulations, I think you have done wonderful. The think that I envy about you, is having just one vehicle. That would save us tons of $$$, maybe someday after the kids are grown. Anyway, great job.

**Mom23boys** · 01-13-2007, 06:24 PM

I think you should be very proud of what you have accomplished! You have done an awesome job of keeping your debt knocked out.

We are in much better shape now than we were then! We have no CC debt. We also have a savings account which is something we tried to keep, but never could. I am proud that we have an EF in place because we just never know when Murphy will pay a visit to our house. For example, just yesterday I had to pay a $186 vet bill (it was an emergency), but we had the money. I am proud of the way we are living now compared to the way we were living last year at this time. We didn't get things rolling for us until early summer. Then we kicked it into high gear.

**dcompton** · 01-13-2007, 06:47 PM

I paid off a lot of debt last year, including the car; it was lovely to see them being knocked off one by one. I'm down to one CC.

From Oct 2005 through 2006 was an expensive time for me, because I indulged in some fun stuff. I got a couple of cats, which meant a double (high) non-refundable pet deposit, vet bills for neutering and "stuff," etc. I spent a good bit on the apartment and a hobby, and in the fall, when I had to find the cats a new home (surgery and chemo, thought they would be just too much since one of them demanded tons of attention), and then gave myself the consolation prize of fish, inexpensive in the end, but very expensive to set up new aquariums. But, somehow, I came out of it owing only a 0% balance transfer that I should be able to comfortably pay off this year. And no guilt or regrets for any of that!

I also managed to put extra in retirement, and started two savings accounts, not big yet, but great to have. One will be used to eventually pay off the last CC debt -- I decided to live with the balance hanging out there and let the money be earning interest for me.

I have the potential for some substantial medical expenses this year, but that is the only big thing on the horizon, and may not happen. So I hope to make this a MUCH cheaper year. The cats are gone (I'm temporarily keeping a couple for a friend, but she is paying all the expenses), I have all I need for my hobbies, and I'm to the point of just ordinary maintenance with the aquariums. So here's hoping for a great year and a growing EF!

**SammeyG** · 01-13-2007, 07:32 PM

Wow great job in paying that much debt off. I am hoping and wishing that I can the same thing for dh and I next year.

**FrugalMomof3** · 01-13-2007, 07:45 PM

Everyone is doing so wonderful and yes it does feel great, I kept my end of the bargain and to me right now that's what matters. DH and I ARE a couple but i vowed to not use MY CC's anymore and I didnt, DH didnt vow BUT he did keep it to a minimum so I am very proud of him for that.

Yes we only have 1 car and paid off so if DH takes the car to work and I need something that's what my feet are for, thank goodness the supermarket is close by

**suzysaver** · 01-13-2007, 07:51 PM

Great Job ! Almost a year since we went to cc counseling..we went from around 17,000.00 in cc debt ...and after this months payment we will be down to 12,000.00. I have no idea how and were I squeezed that 5,000 from, but it really hasn't been all that painful. I guess the one thing I save money on the most is groceries and just realizing we really don't need a lot of junk and stuff to be happy. Times have definately changed and I'm so much less stressed. We have no credit cards to use, and hope to not ever use them again.

**miss_thrifty** · 01-13-2007, 08:01 PM

excellent job!!! WtG!!! id be proud too. just in the last month i took one of the cc's so he couldnt use it. too easy!!! So it will be paid off and only i have the say when. he can get the itchies sometimes and since i payed all the rest off. No more fighting.

tadadad alll fixed lol

**Stormy** · 01-13-2007, 08:07 PM

Tracy ... how cool!

**sk8mom** · 01-14-2007, 01:38 AM

That is great

and you should be proud of yourself and your husband. I know this won't be the year to pay off cc bills for me due to the fact that I'm still in school and won't be able to get a full-time job until afer graduation in October. But once I'm working full-time and collecting a paycheck it will feel like I hit the lottery. Even if I only make $1000 a month, I will be able to knock out our bills fairly quickly - can't wait, but in the meantime my goal is to not use our credit cards.

**pammy** · 01-14-2007, 08:50 AM

Am really hoping your dh sees 'the light' this year, Tracy!

You did great keeping out of the cc merry-go-round this year, way to go!!

We see a big difference over last year. We were 45k in debt, it's down to 16k. We've also upped the emergency fund to 6k. I also started back to work part-time. So with those bigger payments gone (big car payment, big toy payment, etc.) and the income going up we're able to throw about 3k to debt every month. Those snowballs we were throwing have now became an avalanche!!