wedding/honey moon/house down payment

[LivingAlmostLarge]

TV is pretty cheap entertainment. The point is you don't need to pay the ridiculous prices the cable companies charge. Services like Sling get you the same stuff for way less.

I wonder isn't sling almost the same as cable? Is cable really that much? I Pay $80/month for internet only. Only one provider and got a 1 gb. I thought they offered me cable for like $100/month, which is only $20 more. I said no since I don't watch tv, but if I liked tv that seemed like a steal considering I'm being robbed for $80 for internet!!!

[disneysteve]

I wonder isn't sling almost the same as cable? Is cable really that much? I Pay $80/month for internet only. Only one provider and got a 1 gb. I thought they offered me cable for like $100/month, which is only $20 more. I said no since I don't watch tv, but if I liked tv that seemed like a steal considering I'm being robbed for $80 for internet!!!

I guess it varies by location. When we cut cable, we were paying well over $200/mo for TV and internet. It started out cheaper because they give you some special promo but when that expires the price gets jacked up. Sometimes you can call and get some other promo but it's never as good and every time it runs out, the same thing happens.

We switched to internet only for $95/mo plus Sling for $30/mo (which has since gone up to $35). It lowered our monthly bill by $105.

[Magic Johnson]

I saw my aunt this weekend, the one who offered me the vacation through her timeshare.

First, she didn’t offer me ownership of the timeshare. For around $120, I can be her timeshare guest.

Second, my aunt is a very persuasive person. She’s done very well in life because she is persuasive.

My aunt said that given my current situation of being broke (I told her I was broke, I gave no details on how broke I am) my best option would be Hilton Head. It’s in the US, and we could drive there. There’s a full kitchen, so we could cook all of our meals while we’re at the hotel, if we choose to.

I know I still can’t afford the trip, but I felt an obligation to update with new info.

[disneysteve]

I saw my aunt this weekend, the one who offered me the vacation through her timeshare.

First, she didn’t offer me ownership of the timeshare. For around $120, I can be her timeshare guest.

Second, my aunt is a very persuasive person. She’s done very well in life because she is persuasive.

My aunt said that given my current situation of being broke (I told her I was broke, I gave no details on how broke I am) my best option would be Hilton Head. It’s in the US, and we could drive there. There’s a full kitchen, so we could cook all of our meals while we’re at the hotel, if we choose to.

I know I still can’t afford the trip, but I felt an obligation to update with new info.

At least she wasn't trying to dump the timeshare on you so that's good. It's still a big no, but also a big thank you to her for offering. Under better circumstances, $120 for a week at the place would be a great deal.

[Magic Johnson]

I cut cable today, just now. DisneySteve told me to do that in February. I'm a slow learner, but I do learn. Internet only is $29.99/mo. I haven't made any decisions about streaming services.

[disneysteve]

I cut cable today, just now. DisneySteve told me to do that in February. I'm a slow learner, but I do learn. Internet only is $29.99/mo. I haven't made any decisions about streaming services.

That’s great. How much is that saving you?

[Magic Johnson]

$50 per month. That money will go toward building my EF to $1,000. Then it will go toward speeding up payoff of my IRS debt.

[bjl584]

I saw my aunt this weekend, the one who offered me the vacation through her timeshare.

First, she didn’t offer me ownership of the timeshare. For around $120, I can be her timeshare guest.

Second, my aunt is a very persuasive person. She’s done very well in life because she is persuasive.

My aunt said that given my current situation of being broke (I told her I was broke, I gave no details on how broke I am) my best option would be Hilton Head. It’s in the US, and we could drive there. There’s a full kitchen, so we could cook all of our meals while we’re at the hotel, if we choose to.

I know I still can’t afford the trip, but I felt an obligation to update with new info.

$120 is a super cheap vacation, and Hilton Head is really nice.
What are you going to do?

I'd probably still say no, but if you do say yes, be sure to add in the cost of gas, food, dining out, etc., etc.
A $120 trip can cost $1000 really quick

[Magic Johnson]

I got paid this morning, and first of the month bills are due tomorrow. When they are paid, I will have $17 left in checking. I'll get paid for my second job this Friday.

It's starting to sink in with me just how "razor's edge" I am.

I won't be going to Hilton Head.

[disneysteve]

I got paid this morning, and first of the month bills are due tomorrow. When they are paid, I will have $17 left in checking. I'll get paid for my second job this Friday.

It's starting to sink in with me just how "razor's edge" I am.

I won't be going to Hilton Head.

Very glad to hear this. Well, not glad to hear you'll only have $17, but glad to hear that the reality of that is sinking in. And you dropped cable which is a big step for a lot of people. Once you accept your situation, that's when change really starts happening. Just that $50/mo. from your cable is $600/yr. That's a big deal. Once you change your mindset, you'll start looking for all of the places you can trim expenses. A few dollars here and there starts adding up to thousands over the course of a year. And those debts start dropping off giving you more breathing room each time a payment goes away.

I hope you'll keep posting and share updated budgets as they evolve.

[scfr]

$50 per month. That money will go toward building my EF to $1,000. Then it will go toward speeding up payoff of my IRS debt.

Awesome! Regarding streaming services, have you looked in to what your local library offers? (I'm encouraging you to look for no-cost options!)

[Magic Johnson]

I can ask at my library. I live in a rural small town, so I’m not hopeful.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I can ask at my library. I live in a rural small town, so I’m not hopeful.

Do you have anyone to share streaming services with? GF? Family? Also what about the cell phone? Can you drop that down? If you don't use much internet you could go to ting or mint? I'm really considering dropping ours but our plan is out of control right now. But my suspicion is that going to mint or ting I'm worried out taxes and fees aren't going to drop any. I suspect that a lot of our taxes and fees are going to be added to that service no matter what. It's aggrevating to pay so much in taxes and fees on cell phones.

[Magic Johnson]

Hi.

When I was married, my now ex-wife, kids, and I lived in my family's centennial farmhouse. When I got divorced my ex-wife got the house, but I asked my attorney to add a first right of refusal clause.

I recently learned that my ex is buying a new house and I will exercise the right of refusal clause when she sells. I expect that I'll have to get an appraisal, and she'll have to get an appraisal, and my offer will be the average of the two.

My best guess at this point is that the house will appraise for $130-140K.

My well-off aunt has agreed to lend me the 20% down payment plus closing costs (current estimate $32,000 max). My aunt has also agreed that I can delay payment on that loan until after my 16-year-old daughter turns 18, and I will have extra cash because I'll be paying less in child support. I'll pay my aunt $300-$350/mo. for 10 years after that.

I'll get three quotes on mortgages. I'm hoping that with my credit score I'll get a mortgage for around 5% APR. Of course, DTI will be my problem.

I know that the best things I can do is make more or spend less to afford my new mortgage + increased insurance + property taxes, but I've always managed to pay all of my bills in the past, and I fully expect to continue to pay all of my bills in the future. I always have managed to do so.

[Magic Johnson]

Buying the house is in part an emotional decision. You need to understand rural standing in a community to understand my decision. My gg grandparents built the house in 1882, and I have a chance to get it back into my family’s name before the next time a plat book is published. Her name will not be in that plat book.

At this point it’s a matter of managing my decision. I might not get approved for a 20 year mortgage, I might have to take out a 30 year. My 20 year preapproval paperwork said 4.81%. But now they’re looking into the details. I got an email from one of the three companies I’m looking at for a mortgage. She sad that my DTI is higher than she can approve, so she has to send the application upstairs for approval. If it’s not approved as is I think I have two choices - I can stretch the mortgage to 30 years or I can sell assets to reduce debt/monthly payments. The only asset I have of value is my 403B current value about $200k. I’m guessing the house is worth $130-140K.