Now that I have a job my goals

**Shellshome** · 10-22-2006, 02:27 PM

are to be able to put some money back for EF I want to do between $150-$200 a month.

I want to pay all bills current such as electric, gas, phone/cable/ internet (these are all in one bill) and also pay off the homedepot bill from my dryer. We have some remodeling projects we want to do which is great but some of them will have to wait until we get the EF up and also bills paid in full and on time from there on in.

I am really excited about starting my job tommorow and it will be an extra $1100-$1200 a month which will help a lot. I plan to take each of the bills and pay on off each time I get paid. I am strating with the electric which is $338 and will pay that off with my 2nd check of Novemeber (it will be a full 2 week check my 1st one will only be for 1 week) and with my 1st check I want to pay on Homedepot, gas and also cable/phone and internet. I think as long as I stay on focus with this we will be able to have them paid off by the end of the year. Which is great and my goal to do.

I don't really know how we got into this mess but it is time to stop wasting money and juggling things around. I think that it took us to this point to realize that we have to have 2 incomes coming in to fix this so that is my goal. I think it will be great to start the new year on track and caught up. We have made these goals and plan to stick with it if that means we can't eat out then we can't eat out, if that means we have to go without something then so be it. We are also doing Christmas in moderation this year we are done with the nieces and nephew and his dad and we know what we are getting everyone else so that helps a lot and we have time to get 1 or 2 things every pay which will help. I told dh that I wanted new glasses for Christmas and a few bath and body items and he told me a few little things he wants. We don't plan to spend much becuase we really don't need anything.

So I just wanted to share with everyone our goals.

These are the bills and what we owe on them and I want them paid off by Dec 31 if not sooner. We each get 3 checks in December so that will help also in getting things paid off.

Electric $338 (plan to pay this off with the 2nd check in novemeber)
Gas $330 (plan to pay $110 of this with my 1st check and then pay off the 1st part of december)
Cable/Electric and phone $225 (plan to pay this off with 2nd check in Nov also)
Homedepot $407 (for my dryer) (plan to pay at least $100 2nd check of Nov)
I am current on water bill it comes right out of our savings account

We really don't have a lot of over due but I want to get it paid off so we can start the new year fresh and debt free except for our monthly bills and house payment (which is current that is the one bill I make sure if current each month and home depot also)

So over all do you think my goals are atainable? (I think I spelled that wrong but hope you know what I mean) I want to have realistic goals. Until these bills are paid I will proably only have about $50 extra to put into the EF but after they are paid I will add more money to that. So do you think I am crazy with these goals or are they ok.

I have learned a lot from this site and we are doing so so much better in everything else but I want to be debt free by the 1st of the year to start a new year right and on time and schedule. Any suggestions will be great. Thanks for your help!! I know that some people are worse off then us but I just want to be free and clear of old debts by the end of the year. I hope no one thinks that I don't think others have it bad and I am complaining I just wanted some insight.

**Mojjo** · 10-22-2006, 02:30 PM

I think it's attainable...so long as you have money for the holidays already earmarked. Also, you'll need an emergency free 8 weeks.

I would write the bills/get bank checks/get money orders as soon as I got paid before I could find something better to do with the money too.

**Shellshome** · 10-22-2006, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by Mojjo

I think it's attainable...so long as you have money for the holidays already earmarked. Also, you'll need an emergency free 8 weeks.

I would write the bills/get bank checks/get money orders as soon as I got paid before I could find something better to do with the money too.

Thanks I did sit down and write out all the bills for the month, total due to bring said bills current and I can pay off 2 of those bills in November and $50 for homedepot and still have $212 left for the month. I know that my bills are basically the same every month except for water (usually between $2-$5 difference) and my electric bills but everything else is right on. So when I sit down and figure it all out I have a nice but small amount left over. This is also paying $600 to get my car fixed (which is on the high side but I would rather be on the high side then not enough)

Now December I can pay off the other bills, monthly bills and money to finish christmas and get my glasses and adding the $212 from December and the extra pay for the month we will both get I will have a nice egg to start the new year off with almost $2400 nice. But that is a big part in having each a extra pay in that month.

But now that I have sat down and got my bills figured out for the next 2 months I know we can do it. I want to have a fresh start in the new year and keeping growing from that.

Keep suggestions coming thou I don't want to fall off the wagon and it will be a lot of work but we can do it. I know something that helps is I shop with coupons and am a very thrifty shopper.

I have learned a lot from everyone here and want to say thanks!!

**Telephus44** · 10-22-2006, 03:55 PM

It certainly sounds do-able to me - especially since you only have two months until everything is caught up. That's a reasonable amount of time to go bare-bones before the "Oh, poor me, I can't afford to do anything" mindset comes in (at least for me it always does, if I try and go really bare bones for a long time).

**emily_hope** · 10-22-2006, 07:37 PM

I think your plan sounds good. I think you can do it. You'll be caught up in two months.

**autumnlynn** · 10-22-2006, 07:40 PM

Congrats on your job and also on the plan you have made. It sounds doable to me, too. Won't it be great to have everything caught up in only two months!!