Lurching towards freedom

[cheapdoggy]

Well effective last Jan 1st we started setting up a budget. We got tired of just chasing our tails and really accomplishing NOTHING!!! My Quicken 2007 stinks as far as that is concerned. I don't need to track how much I paid in property taxes in my budget it should be classed under housing and it would pull sales tax out of my grocery category..no need for that. So I started a YNAB budget and hope to totally implement it Mar 1. Meanwhile we've gotten a $1k emergency fund that's accessable (but not too accessable if you know what I mean).We've also consolidated most CC debt onto a low rate card and have paid off all the little cards and closed them.strictly for the momentum thing with the small victories
It's is real hard to break habits that I've had for years...buying lunch out (Mcdonalds every day is over $100 a month),renting movies from Blockbuster,getting that pizza delivered and basically buying JUNK we really don't need
There are a lot of great ideas here and I'm hoping for more..

[scfr]

Welcome - It sounds like you are off to a great start!

[LuxLiving]

Oh Cheapdoggy, you are doing wonderful!! Love to hear more of your story. So, keep posting here and asking questions and don't forget to check out the Journals/Blogs! Looking forward to your participation.

~~L.L.Frugalis

[jodi]

Looking forward to hearing about your progress!

[cheapdoggy]

I've also put books and music that I don't care for on half.com. I've also gone back to selling stuff on ebay.That accomplishes two things....
1. a couple of bucks coming in probably just when I need it
2. The decluttering is very therapeutic

[cheapdoggy]

This morning I closed a couple of old accounts that had zero balances on them...Pier 1, Home Depot etc....I tried to lower my rate with the Homer card when I had a $1300 (19.99% rate) balance.They explained that they don't do that,While I was calling I was looking at a transfer offer from one of my other cards. I ran the numbers and figured I'd save about $100 for the year and go to a lower rate (even with the transfer fee) so I pulled the trigger.

[cheapdoggy]

BTW I sold a couple of books and a couple of HO slot cars on Ebay and Half.com...I brought in $300 this month

[LuxLiving]

Great going cheapdoggy!

[Ima saver]

That is great. You need to join our $20 challenge and see how much money you can add to your savings.

[jIM_Ohio]

Originally Posted by cheapdoggy

Well effective last Jan 1st we started setting up a budget. We got tired of just chasing our tails and really accomplishing NOTHING!!! My Quicken 2007 stinks as far as that is concerned. I don't need to track how much I paid in property taxes in my budget it should be classed under housing and it would pull sales tax out of my grocery category..no need for that. So I started a YNAB budget and hope to totally implement it Mar 1. Meanwhile we've gotten a $1k emergency fund that's accessable (but not too accessable if you know what I mean).We've also consolidated most CC debt onto a low rate card and have paid off all the little cards and closed them.strictly for the momentum thing with the small victories
It's is real hard to break habits that I've had for years...buying lunch out (Mcdonalds every day is over $100 a month),renting movies from Blockbuster,getting that pizza delivered and basically buying JUNK we really don't need
There are a lot of great ideas here and I'm hoping for more..

I have tried quicken and the only value I see is it harvests info from both 401ks, both Roths, and both rollover IRAs into one "easy to digest" allocation.

It was not "payign bill friendly". We do better with auto withdraws. If was not "cost basis friendly", it wanted me to enter individual purchase transactions from 6 years ago (did not let me import them).

That is why my wife calls me an excel genius. I now have a spreadsheet (or two or three) for EVERYTHING.

[cheapdoggy]

Well we were going to go to Miami the first week of April when the kid's were off for spring break. We priced hotels and were amazed at what they cost (make hay while the sun shines comes to mind). $300-$400 per night is a big wake up call. So then we decided to go to Orlando (maybe Universal Studios) $175-$200 per night. We would only stay two nights the rest we stay at families' homes. Then we figured that between driving from New York for 4 days total (with a three year old BTW ) and spending over two grand we really don't have to spare it just wasn't worth it. So now we'll take a long weekend and go meet other family at Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky OH. A lot cheaper of a vacation. I'm tired of spending more money than I actually have to impress other people and my wife is finally getting the message as to what debt is doing to our lives.

[cheapdoggy]

BTW has anyone been to the Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky? It's an indoor waterpark that is pricey but doesn't look to bad for what you are paying...