Family and i are debt free! Wahoo!

**scooby8themall** · 02-07-2011, 03:40 PM

We also became debt free on 1/5/11 and I share your excitement it is a great feeling!!!

Way to go !!!!

**rebecca** · 02-07-2011, 04:07 PM

Congratulations! Probably feels like a ton of weight is off your shoulder.

**Ramona** · 02-07-2011, 05:46 PM

mrwiseowl,

Thank you for the tip, I've requested "America's Cheapest Family" from our library.

Did you know they have a new book? "Cut Your Grocery Bills In Half With America's Cheapest Family", published in 2010. I requested it, too.

Thanks again.

PS Congratulations on your debt free lifestyle.

**calimomx2** · 02-07-2011, 07:03 PM

That's fantastic!! Big Congrats!

**mrwiseowl** · 02-07-2011, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by Ramona

mrwiseowl,

Thank you for the tip, I've requested "America's Cheapest Family" from our library.

Did you know they have a new book? "Cut Your Grocery Bills In Half With America's Cheapest Family", published in 2010. I requested it, too.

Thanks again.

PS Congratulations on your debt free lifestyle.

I wouldn't mind cutting our grocery bills in half or do what those extreme coupon buyers do on tv! I'll have to look into their new book.

**mrwiseowl** · 02-07-2011, 07:50 PM

Here are a few examples of what we cut out of our spendings after the first year of our marriage:

Eating out vs eating in!

Subway x3/per week @ $14 per order = $180/month = $2,,167/year

Sushi x1.5/per week for about six months when my wife was pregnant @ $40 per order = $1,548/6 months

Taco bell x3/per week @ $12 per order = $155/month = $929

Grand total of $4,644 of eating out during our first year of our marriage. Mind you my wife was pregnant three months after our wedding and so most of the eating out was due to her cravings.

Soon after our son was born we cut eating out 90% of what we were use to. A few months later after that we cut our eating out to 2-3 times a month if that!

Next was entertainment at the local video store.

On average we would rent a movie or two probably 3 to 5 times a week. Some new and some old. So for arguments sake I'll say we spent on average $18 per week which averaged $77 per month which then averaged $929 for that year.

We also cut that out of our Bugdet last year. Since then we subscribed to Netflix $14 per month and $168 per year which ain't too bad at all.

Other items we took into consideration was our clothing, misc items we needed around the house vs what we wanted in our house, packing food when we go out, eating at our parents house to take advantage of free meals, drive less frequently or make all the necessary stops in one trip out the door, started a savings, shopped around for the best prices, shop at local thrift stores/garage sales/craigslist postings, ect ect... The list goes on but you get the picture.

It all boils down to RESPONSIBILITY!

Oh and might I add my credit score at the moment is in the high 700's and i'm hoping to see it jump past the 800's after the funds go through my credit cards!