Debt Dumpers - 2017

[Eureka]

I'll be here this year. DH was laid off 7 of the last 13 months. 2016 was not our year.

I hear you. I was only out of work 3.5 months but it set us back more than I anticipated...and we even had/have an emergency fund too. Hoping 2017 will be a fresh start for us all.

 

[Eureka]

to all of our new debt dumpers!! Here's hoping that 2017 is a success for all of us! I agree that eating out takes a huge chunk of my money (that includes Starbucks and stops at the market for sodas and snacks) - small purchases that add up quickly! I'm going to reign that spending in and put the funds toward my debt in 2017!

Yes....with DH cooking more bc of my new schedule, we are not only picking up pizza a little more but he cooks meat almost every night (runs and picks up ingredients when he needs to without using coupons or Cartwheel etc) and doesn't schedule a leftover night like I do. I need to find a way to balance that with my cooking days on the weekends, not wasting food and spending less on the food we buy. Trouble is I don't have the time I used to to be able to go to more stores for loss leaders. But I will figure it out.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

Yes....with DH cooking more bc of my new schedule, we are not only picking up pizza a little more but he cooks meat almost every night (runs and picks up ingredients when he needs to without using coupons or Cartwheel etc) and doesn't schedule a leftover night like I do. I need to find a way to balance that with my cooking days on the weekends, not wasting food and spending less on the food we buy. Trouble is I don't have the time I used to to be able to go to more stores for loss leaders. But I will figure it out.

DH cooks some nights, me others. What we do is we sit down on Saturday or Sunday and come up with our meal plan for the week. DH decides what he wants to cook with a little input from me. We try to use at least a few things that are already in the house and supplement with fresh items from the grocery store. We usually go shopping together on Sunday, but sometimes it's just me. Maybe you and your husband can make a meal plan and that way you have a little more say over what he cooks as well as having a left over night in the schedule? And another option is to make some meals when you have time on the weekend and then just freeze for your DH to heat in the oven one night per week. Something like veggie lasagna, etc.

 

[Imagineer5]

I have a debt dumper plan, with the goal to have it all paid off by March 2020, so just over 3 years. In April 2020 I hope to do a Disney Cruise as our big payoff! Until then I'm doing local inexpensive trips as well as cheap Disney trips (June & October 2017 are the plan, already have AP's, TiW, and staying offsite for around $400 for each week). Otherwise putting all our $ towards debt.

In 2017 I intend to pay off our car loan by April, I am due with baby #3 in April and go on leave without pay for 12 weeks ugh. But I also intend to pay off a 401K loan we took out (another ugh) and halfway pay off another big personal loan. Total debt 12/31/2016 - anticipated debt 12/31/2017 = 55027. Hoping to stay on track!

 

[Imagineer5]

Vacations are my downfall so that is why I'm trying to stick to two under-2500 trips this coming year lol. Daycare for 3 kids is no joke, and we have a LOT of debt that piled up over the years - we consolidated into one big personal loan which is what I intend to half-way pay down this year after paying off the car.

I have to keep telling myself NO big expensive vacations until it's all paid off ... oooh look a deal on a cruise!! ooooh airfare to Milan is only $400!

Ugh!

 

[Dentam]

On the cooking note - I think I need to start using my crockpot much more! Easy to store the leftovers in it and reheat them, plus it can cook while I'm at work.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

On the cooking note - I think I need to start using my crockpot much more! Easy to store the leftovers in it and reheat them, plus it can cook while I'm at work.

I second this. We usually have at least 1 crockpot meal per week because they are easy to prep and quick once you get home. This week it was lamb pot roast with mashed potatoes. Very yummy alternative to beef, since DH doesn't eat it.

 

[scrappydew]

I'd like to join in!

I really want an emergency fund. It seems like even a little unexpected repair can throw us off. And I'm getting too old to be anxious over things that we really should have budgeted for. It'll be tough, though. We have a vacation coming up Christmas 2017 - probably our "last" family one, and I would like to have it paid off before we go!!

 

[Barnabas T Bullion]

Looking forward to gaining more steam in 2017. 2016 saw an interesting few events, namely paying off all credit card debt finally (it was a TON that started 8 years ago thanks to dumb wife), and when we finally got in good shape there she forgot to pay a credit card bill on our Discover that we never use and bombed our credit score by about 100 points before I even knew what was going on. We had good money left over for home improvements after getting our tax returns and paying off the CC debt so I'm really looking to be tight about budgeting so we can save a lot more - especially Jan thru March while we still only have one car bill and can save a bit more for the downpayment for a new car for me (should have enough now but...). I got two large raises in 2016 as well that amounted to over 20% so we should be pocketing a lot of money going forward - I have started an emergency fund too so we are up to like $2,800 there as well (I put in $40 every Sunday night when I do my weekly finances tracking). We had some electrical work done in the house and look to do a tiny bit more there next year as well. I am not anticipating doing any big renovations this year as our back deck is currently being renovated and nothing is really in need right now, will save for issues that arise when they pop up. 2017 is hopefully the year we put it all together.

Large costs expected in 2017:
Trip to Indy500 (late May) - most already paid for
Small trip to Chicago in (April)
Wedding of sister-in-law (April)
New car downpayment (April/early May)
Summer vacation in Poconos (August)

Other:
Electrical work

 

[Eureka]

DH cooks some nights, me others. What we do is we sit down on Saturday or Sunday and come up with our meal plan for the week. DH decides what he wants to cook with a little input from me. We try to use at least a few things that are already in the house and supplement with fresh items from the grocery store. We usually go shopping together on Sunday, but sometimes it's just me. Maybe you and your husband can make a meal plan and that way you have a little more say over what he cooks as well as having a left over night in the schedule? And another option is to make some meals when you have time on the weekend and then just freeze for your DH to heat in the oven one night per week. Something like veggie lasagna, etc.

When DH cooks, he likes to cook what he likes to cook, you know? We cook different things which is partly why I want to get back to it more, because I (and the kids) also like the things I make in addition to what he makes. (His repertoire is a little more limited than mine) For awhile I was good and would get homemade pizzas together for Friday nights, have crockpot meatballs going, cook up taco meat, etc. and then I kind of got off track. So I really just need to get back on track. I also shop by myself (we are both happier that way, lol) and stock the house with things he tends to cook, so that generally works out fine. Funny story, I use a ready-made pizza crust we all like from BJ's Wholesale club and one time DH said "I can just make the pizza for Friday, you don't have to make it ahead." So I said fine, even though I prefer to make it myself and next time he said "Well, that didn't go over well. DS13 did not like my pizza" (he put a lot more sauce on it than I do). So now I am back to being the pizza chef

 

[sweetpeama]

Can I join.
Personal loan based on the payment schedule will be paid off in 2017
Need to come up with money for the deductible for our house repairs from a hail storm last spring so we can get the siding and roof replaced before one year from our claim date. About 1600 by the end of Apr at the latest. Luckily our contractor will let DH help with at least the removal which will reduce that and will take payments for what insurance does not cover if needed.
Plans for after that is to try and get at least some money in an emergency fund. Not sure how much as our home deductible has changed from 1K plus depriciation from the purchase date to a 1% of every incident plus the depriciation. I would feel better having at least 2K in there to start with, DH when I have brought up the having extra just for the depriciation has gone the 1K only route.
Goal to pay off or at least pay off credit card debt of close to 3K

Trips planned for 2017
Family reunion in a resort town about an hour away from us. Not sure if we will be staying there at least part of the time or if we will be commuting each day. A lot is going to depend on the costs and which one we can swing easier.
Tenative long weekend trip to a rabbit show in a community across the state so about a 5 hour drive. This is going to depend if we have the funds for a rental car as taking the truck that far is a gas nightmare not to mention how many miles we would put on an older truck that is our main vehicle. Also being in January in MT it is going to depend on the weather and road conditions. Interstate 90 has been closed at various times this past week from Park City to Livingston due to blowing and drifting snow conditions not to mention that at times the 2 passes we would have to drive have been closed so we will be checking the road and weather reports.

 

[Owlpost23]

dumb wife

Nice.No wonder she spends money like a drunken sailor.

 

[Imagineer5]

On the food front, I need to be better about sticking to our budget. I have $100/week allotted (2 adults, 2 little kids, 1 on the way). On a typical week we can, mainly because the only meat I eat is Chicken. We both work full time though, so I am finding it tough to find recipes that I can either cook in the slow cooker that taste good (all the chicken seems to come out the same, except for Mexican dishes which seem to have good flavor) --OR-- really excited about this, someone bought me a pressure cooker from my Amazon wishlist for Christmas, so I hope to be able to utilize that. We usually make meals on Sundays with left overs Monday, then Tuesday night w/ leftovers Wednesday, and a 1 night quick meal Thursday. Then Pizza night Friday. That also allows for more time for Sunday dinner. We also give ourselves $100/week in "fun" $ but seem to blow through that really fast

Anyway, it's so hard to stick to a budget, but I am really hoping to work on that in 2017. 2016 we made a lot of good financial decisions for the future, but didn't make much headway in our debt.

And the "dumb wife" comment pissed me off too. It's a two-way road.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

On the food front, I need to be better about sticking to our budget. I have $100/week allotted (2 adults, 2 little kids, 1 on the way). On a typical week we can, mainly because the only meat I eat is Chicken. We both work full time though, so I am finding it tough to find recipes that I can either cook in the slow cooker that taste good (all the chicken seems to come out the same, except for Mexican dishes which seem to have good flavor) --OR-- really excited about this, someone bought me a pressure cooker from my Amazon wishlist for Christmas, so I hope to be able to utilize that. We usually make meals on Sundays with left overs Monday, then Tuesday night w/ leftovers Wednesday, and a 1 night quick meal Thursday. Then Pizza night Friday. That also allows for more time for Sunday dinner. We also give ourselves $100/week in "fun" $ but seem to blow through that really fast

Anyway, it's so hard to stick to a budget, but I am really hoping to work on that in 2017. 2016 we made a lot of good financial decisions for the future, but didn't make much headway in our debt.

And the "dumb wife" comment pissed me off too. It's a two-way road.

$100 per week seems pretty low to me for 4 people each week, though I know your kids are small. But if you really are having trouble sticking to it, then it might be because it isn't a reasonable budget. Especially if you are being as frugal as it seems you are. I would go back over the last 3 months and figure out the average you spent on groceries each month. This might help you figure out what is reasonable. Maybe adding $25 more each week will bring less stress? Just think about where you might be able to cut from your budget to shift the money into your food bill.

 

[Imagineer5]

$100 per week seems pretty low to me for 4 people each week, though I know your kids are small. But if you really are having trouble sticking to it, then it might be because it isn't a reasonable budget. Especially if you are being as frugal as it seems you are. I would go back over the last 3 months and figure out the average you spent on groceries each month. This might help you figure out what is reasonable. Maybe adding $25 more each week will bring less stress? Just think about where you might be able to cut from your budget to shift the money into your food bill.

On a normal week we can stick to it (and that is with only making food from scratch, I don't do mac & cheese and stuff like that). I've re-evaluated the budget and just dropped it from 125 to 100 lol! Trying to cut out where I can in order to put more towards debt - but will re-evaluate again when the time comes. Also, daycare supplies breakfast and lunch for my girls 5 days/week so that is HUGE on the budget, we really only need to focus on dinners and then weekend food.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

On a normal week we can stick to it (and that is with only making food from scratch, I don't do mac & cheese and stuff like that). I've re-evaluated the budget and just dropped it from 125 to 100 lol! Trying to cut out where I can in order to put more towards debt - but will re-evaluate again when the time comes. Also, daycare supplies breakfast and lunch for my girls 5 days/week so that is HUGE on the budget, we really only need to focus on dinners and then weekend food.

I know it is different for everybody based on eating habits, cost of groceries in your area, couponing, etc. When I lived by myself, I budgeted $200 for groceries and $50 each month for eating out. Once DH moved in, I started budgeting $400 each month for groceries. We eliminated the dining out budget to put towards debt. Well, now that we have finally paid off our credit card debt, we were able to loosen up a bit so I put the dining out budget at $100 and added another $100 for "fun money." We also were able to give ourselves allowances of $250 each per month too. And then DH begged for an increase in the grocery budget, so I upped it to $450. He felt like it just wasn't enough, I guess, but I thought it was fine.

 

[Imagineer5]

I know it is different for everybody based on eating habits, cost of groceries in your area, couponing, etc. When I lived by myself, I budgeted $200 for groceries and $50 each month for eating out. Once DH moved in, I started budgeting $400 each month for groceries. We eliminated the dining out budget to put towards debt. Well, now that we have finally paid off our credit card debt, we were able to loosen up a bit so I put the dining out budget at $100 and added another $100 for "fun money." We also were able to give ourselves allowances of $250 each per month too. And then DH begged for an increase in the grocery budget, so I upped it to $450. He felt like it just wasn't enough, I guess, but I thought it was fine.

It's nice to have that dining out and fun money budgeted to use, too, which is what I do too. We also each get about 150 per month for our own spending money (which I put towards my other hobby - clothes shopping for my girls lol). Trying to make it all work!

 

[Eureka]

I know it is different for everybody based on eating habits, cost of groceries in your area, couponing, etc. When I lived by myself, I budgeted $200 for groceries and $50 each month for eating out. Once DH moved in, I started budgeting $400 each month for groceries. We eliminated the dining out budget to put towards debt. Well, now that we have finally paid off our credit card debt, we were able to loosen up a bit so I put the dining out budget at $100 and added another $100 for "fun money." We also were able to give ourselves allowances of $250 each per month too. And then DH begged for an increase in the grocery budget, so I upped it to $450. He felt like it just wasn't enough, I guess, but I thought it was fine.

I don't even try to budget for groceries anymore, I just buy what we need but use coupons, sales, ibotta, savingstar, etc. to save money. My boys are both teens and eat like horses. One piece of chicken each will not do it anymore, and they are both athletes so need the protein. I feel like I am always at the store and always spending a ton, but then I realize they will be living at home for just a few more years (and that makes me sad) and it will all change again.

 

[Dentam]

I don't even try to budget for groceries anymore, I just buy what we need but use coupons, sales, ibotta, savingstar, etc. to save money. My boys are both teens and eat like horses. One piece of chicken each will not do it anymore, and they are both athletes so need the protein. I feel like I am always at the store and always spending a ton, but then I realize they will be living at home for just a few more years (and that makes me sad) and it will all change again.

Do you have a Costco membership? Might be a good thing to have in your situation!

 

[Eureka]

Do you have a Costco membership? Might be a good thing to have in your situation!

We have a BJ's membership and I spend a lot of money there