We've come a long way baby!

**mommy4ever** · 08-12-2008, 05:44 PM

I've been doing alot of reading, I see my family in so many of these posts. Where we've been, where we are and where we hope to be.

I remember a time when we didn't know if we'd have food on the table! We lived for months on pasta and some ground beef. We've been there done that. I'ive seen us dig out of that whole and relax too much and fall back into it where we weren't sure what we should pay next.

Thankfully, we've never been without food in the house, or had our utilities paid off, and we've never had to borrow money from family, though it was given under the guise of gift cards at b'days and Christmas instead of gifts. Nothing like getting groceries for 3 months on giftcards..lol. Sure helps the budget. To tell the truth those are still my favoirte gifts because it increases my snowball payments.

We are now on a great downhill trend

Yes, downhill, our debt is going down down down!

There's been tears and frustrations. I had to have a MAJOR attitude change. And I think that was the thing that helped my family the most.

I looked at my job(i'm run a home daycare) as something I *had* to do because we had no choice. Dh didn't want me working out of home. And it was that, for years it was alot of hours with very little pay. I let people walk all over me, and was resentful. I worked 60hours a week, caring for 3 kids and earned about $600 a month, as the parent dictated the rate. It really really SUCKED. So I quit and did nothing for 4 months. And watch the debt grow bigger!!!

So back to childcare, but this time I was refreshed, and approached it with a new attitude. I approached it not as extra money, but as a business, I wrote out a contract, did a bunch of planning.

Initially I needed a base of $500 to make ends meet with a little breathing room, now this year, it's a little more, even though the debt shrunk just due to rising costs. this also meant my rate increased to reflect that. It's no longer to make ends meet, it's to GET AHEAD! WAY AHEAD

We went from not being able to fully pay things to having a nice snowball

Not just by my income, but cut backs, dh cut back on his beer consumptions, dollar store stops, vending machine, eating out..lol. Less trips to the auto wrecker. He also stopped switching jobs ever 3 months. I cut back on eating out, buying for the kids, shopping without a plan. We don't have a budget, but a spending plan. We know where our money is going. We had some big leaks, where money just eroded. We plan for summer shortfalls in the spring, we vacation differently than we did in the past.

We struggled for several years, we were resentful, but we didn't make any changes, no sacrifice to make it work. Now in the last couple years I did, and this spring dh came on board, it took almost THREE years for it to happen, but it did! The changes before were significant, but now with dh on board, it's HUGE!

We did a $400 snowball payment just today. Would have done more, but the ATM wasn't dispensing cash so I couldn't do the transfer.

But everyone who's struggling, take a hard look, make the hard decisions and go with it!! It's hard, it's never easy, but it is SO WORTH IT!

We've come a LONG LONG way! (stilla long way to go!)_

**JerryG** · 08-12-2008, 06:30 PM

Congrats!!

**Starlight9803** · 08-12-2008, 06:54 PM

congrats for how far you've come. You're right, the biggest part of the whole journey is getting the "attitude adjustment", things really start to fall into place after that.

**peanut** · 08-12-2008, 06:58 PM

Way to go! It's feels so gratifying to look back and see progress, doesn't it? Wishing you lots of success in your future frugal lifestyle!

Jean

**TheRootedNomad** · 08-12-2008, 07:41 PM

It does feel great when you see the progress you've made doesn't it? Great job!!!!

**itsahumanzoo** · 08-12-2008, 07:45 PM

Congratulations on how far you've made it! You are definitely an inspiration to those of us who are still trying to get somewhere!

**Monner 1** · 08-12-2008, 07:52 PM

I find that attitude is just about in everything in a person's life. If you have a good attitude then it makes life a little easier even if it is just mentally easier. Good luck on the rest of your journey.

Monner

**knotme** · 08-12-2008, 08:53 PM

I love reading the success stories. Keep it up....

**jade73** · 08-12-2008, 08:54 PM

Great Job you go girl do the happy dance

**Greebo** · 08-12-2008, 08:58 PM

This was a truly inspirational post. Thank you!

**mommy4ever** · 08-13-2008, 12:26 AM

Thanks

We still have a huge amount of work ahead of us, but with the right attitude.... I think we'll be ok.

I'll be honest, we do backslide some, so it doesn't always turn out like we want it, but we aren't going one step forward 2 steps back, it's more like 5 steps forward, and a little step back.

I just wanted to share how we are doing. I know some might feel we earn alot, I have yet to earn 20K in a year in my LIFE! This year I'll come close!(WOOHOO!), next year I hope to break that..lol. Such lofty goals. Dh earns an ok salary, but we earn under the average income for our area, which calculates a family income based of 2 adults 2 kids, we have 4 kids. So despite all of that, we do ok.

Correction, we're doing far better than ok!! I think our progress and momentum are FANTASTIC! I'm hoping not to do much for backsliding and get things socked away good this year. Lots of devotion, patience and fortitude. But I'm sure we can do this!!!

**cmdarlin** · 08-13-2008, 09:51 AM

I found your post wonderful and very inspiring! Keep up the good work!

Debbie

**BlessedMomof2** · 08-13-2008, 10:40 AM

Thanks for your inspirational post.

**frugalbabe** · 08-13-2008, 11:33 AM

You are an inspiration lady! Your happiness is just jumping off of the screen. We are getting there too and it is so incredible. Makes all of the sacrifices so worth it when you see the fruits of your labor!