Counting Blessings

When I think of my financial goals and where I want to be vs. where I am right now, it is easy to get discouraged. So whenever I start feeling like I have set out to climb Mt. Everest with no food, equipment, oxygen, first aid kit, etc., I marinate for a while on what [...]

Saving for Retirement vs. Paying Off Debt

This has been an ongoing personal dilemma for me: contribute to my 401K or focus on paying off my debt. In previous years, my employer matched up to 6 percent of my contributions, so I contributed that much for the free money match. My current employer does not contribute at all. At one point, I [...]

A Lesson Learned

I’m still not totally back on the wagon yet, but today I’m not feeling so bad about it. In hindsight, I believe my initial plan was too strict. To go from spending money whenever I wanted on whatever I wanted to spending NO money at all – except for absolute necessities was . . . [...]

Stupid Tax – I Have Fallen Off the Wagon

I have had a major setback. Several little setbacks actually over the last week or so, but I’ll roll them all up into one and call it a major setback. For starters, I stopped writing down every purchase. At first I figured I would just put the receipts in my wallet and write everything down [...]

10 Steps To Begin Your Rise Out of Debt

I am writing this as much for myself as for anyone else who might find it helpful. I fully intend to read over the list regularly as a way to stay on track.

Make a list of EVERY debt you owe. Credit cards, medical bills, loans, mortgage company, people. . . EVERY bill! It may be [...]

Personal Finance Frenzy

Since I decided to reinvent my financial self, I have become almost addicted to personal finance blogs, books, news, websites, and pretty much anything on the subject. Little by little, I have listed each and every one of my debts, balances, interest rates, etc. I even opened a new bank account for a new beginning [...]