I have retooled things a bit as I turn my sights toward 2012.
In 2011, we got rid of our TV. It was an old RCA console monstrosity that was ancient when we obtained it second-hand in 1999. To part with it was not a heartbreak for me, especially since we can watch TV on hulu.com and espn.com, and nbcsports.com... the possibilities are mind-blowing for the modern family. But we have eliminated our television, and that helps our budget, and makes us a little weird.
Thanks to a dare from a high-school friend, I have also decided to cut fast food -- any restaurant with a drive-through -- from my (and my children's) diets for one year. Again ... a little weird, but it could help my food budget, cholesterol level, and improve the health of my family.
My husband and I have a goal to pay off our remaining debt (not counting our home) of $30,000. It's a home equity line we took out a while back to pay for a used car, a new porch and new ceilings in the downstairs of our 1926 home. Repairs needed to be made, but we just didn't have the cash on hand. Since we've started applying principles we learned in Financial Peace University, we have paid off around $24,000 in consumer debt, and are beginning to pay down this line of credit.
We are getting ambitious this year. We think we can pay this off in 2012.
It will require significant sacrifice on the part of everyone in our family, but we're excited to finally be free from this chain tying us down.
My blog posts may be a little strange this year ... counter-cultural, confessional, and a little crazy. I promise I won't try to convert you, and I'll try not to make you feel sorry for me (although at times, I'm sure I will be a little pathetic). I hope you'll follow along with me on this journey, and cheer me on when I need a little encouragement.
7 comments:
That's awesome! I look forward to getting to know you in blogworld as well as FB!
You can do it, Jamie! :-)
Good for you! Different but becoming more the norm in the tighter circles I run in!!
Great goals and you guys can totally do it! Woohoo!! We went nuts a few years back and are debt-free but our house...how different to be able to leave to serve with (almost) no debt tying us down!! I love it you guys! Share it all and inspire others to do the same!!
Jamie, this is very exciting! I am sure that you guys can do it. Chris and I paid off the last of his graduate school debt this year (before he even graduates!) and it did take sacrifice! But, it is worth it, like you say. Go big!
Great goals Jamie! My husband and I went through FPU and are now debt free except our house. Now we're working on fully funding the 3-6 month emergency fund. Going all cash has been a huge, HUGE help to us. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress this year. ~connie kristiansen.
I'm looking forward to following your journey on your blog...I'd like for us to do this too, but my husband doesn't seem to be ready and truly, I don't know how we could bring in any more $$..which we would definitely need to do.
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