I was thinking of the best way to get this started. Probably, a few steps and tips to get a handle on your finances? While what we did may not be “right” or “advisable”, it worked for us. No matter what advice the gurus spout out, if it won’t work for you, or you can’t work the plan, it’s not right.
The first step, I guess, to getting a handle on your money and getting out of debt, is to stop spending more than you earn. The first place to look is unnecessary expenses, like clothes, eating out, movies, stuff like that. Here are some of the things that we cut:
* I used to get pedicures and acrylic nails done with a friend every 2 weeks. That was one of the first to go!
* We had Netflix, like $8.99 a month, cuz we were horrible about returning movies on time! We ended up canceling that, and renting movies at the library. Most are free, but some of the new releases are like $.25 a day. Or something like that.
* I love buying toys and stuff for Gavin. And it’s justifiable, right, if it’s for your kid? But then I realized that he had a ton of “stuff” and only really played with a handful of favorites. So I quit buying him stuff.
Next, take a look at your “necessary” expenses. Gas, groceries, utilities…
*Cell Phone: I know, I know, anyone that you ask for financial advice will tell you to dump it and get a prepaid phone. Well, for one, you’d end up paying a cancellation fee. Not good. We just looked at our plan and made sure it was the right fit. We had a family plan with 1400 minutes, and we used like 400 minutes. So we just switched to the next plan down, which had 700 minutes. It’s still a little expensive, cuz we have a texting plan and data plans. But we use them, and they’re both vital to Kelly-Shane’s job. So we’re keeping the texting and data!
* Internet: Again, most people will say “dump the high-speed”! If you can get by with a slower, cheaper connection, go for it! Maybe try Clear? We have Comcast, and tried to switch to Clear, but we couldn’t get a good enough signal at our house cuz of this big hill. We ended up sticking with Comcast (cable internet and basic cable, cuz they can’t shut off the tv part, or something…). And again, it’s not a “luxury”, we HAVE to have it for Kelly-Shane’s job.
*Insurance: If you have multiple policies with different companies, think about getting quotes to have ALL of them with the same company. We have 2 cars, the scooter and our renters with State Farm. Generally, you’ll get a multi-policy discount. And I think alot of companies give a discount if you have the payments automatically withdrawn from your checking account. Just make sure you have the money in your account! 
Also, look into raising your deductibles. Just make sure it’s an amount your comfortable with spending, if you need to! That could drop your monthly premiums quite a bit.
*Gas: Well, what we did PROBABLY won’t work for everyone! This is how Kelly-Shane got his scooter. He was driving 50 miles everyday in his 1970 Plymouth Station Wagon. We spent about $30 every other day in gas. Do the math: that’s roughly $450 a month! Even though we had to finance the scooter, we’re saving money during the month (probably not so much in the long run, cuz of interest, but I haven’t run the numbers). The payment is $110, and he only spends $40 in gas a month. Not to mention it’s MUCH more eco-friendly! Also on the subject of gas, we became much more consciencious about our driving. We combined alot of trips, and tried to only go “up to the store” (Fred Meyer at the top of the hill in Oregon City) 2-3 times a week. It didn’t always work out, but we cut down our trips alot. Plus, not so many impulse purchases at the grocery store! We’re still working on that one: trying to plan out more than 1 or 2 days worth of meals at a time.
It’s still really a work in progress. One of the biggest issues for me: being content with what I have. I love to shop! Sometimes, it just feels good to spend money that isn’t planned out to the last $.50. Especially when there hasn’t been any money TO spend! But I worked really hard to… train myself, I guess?… to just be OK. We had everything we NEEDED. Everything else I just WANTED. And it was always nice to step back, look at the big picture, and go “This isn’t permanent. We’ll be done soon, and everything will be much better!”
My brain is pretty fried right now, and I think I’ve forgotten some things I want to add. I’ll catch it up later. I think my next topic will be about bringing in extra money.
~April
This is cool. I like the idea. I feel so fortunate that Josh and I have so far not been in debt.
One of the biggest things I’ve learned is, if you can, save up for what you want to buy and don’t take out outrageous credit you will have a hard time paying off.