Good bye 2008

So the year is ending and it went by so fast. This year what financially have we accomplished. We became a household that is living by the 10.10.80 scenerio, we save 10% in stock and 401K, we tithe 10% to various charities and church, we live off 80% which includes the amount we need to pay off debt. We have reduced our debt by $5,000 and we got married $6,000. We are working to adjust our eating out habits and have started making our own coffee, taking our lunches and eating dinner in most nights. We have developed business plans and tried to create opportunities, we are working on plans for the new year for alternative incomes to help with debt reduction and we are enjoying life together. When you look back on 2008, what have you accomplished, big or small, to increase your financial stability? I remember when I first started looking at my finances, my big accomplishment was writing down all my debt (and the number was huge) and my income and coming to realization something has to change. That was it, all I did for a whole year because I started living in denial. But as I look back on my financial accomplishments, this step was the beginning and was my financial accomplishment for 2004. In 4 short years, I have turned my financial life around and now I am a we and we are doing it together. Look for the good, the accomplishments and build off that for the futures. May you shine in 2009!

Thoughts about Layoffs

So as we continue to talk about layoffs at work and whether people will leave voluntarialy or involuntarialy, I continue to look at God for my answers. Everyday I wonder what I will do with out a job and every day I must remind myself that I don't have the ability to control this. I need to keep my head above water, enjoying the moments as they come and remembering that God is in control of my life and destiny. So I'm reminded about Ecclesiates 5:10 Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. So at the end of the day, job or no job God has my back. Of this I'm certain! I'm also certain that no matter what 10%, 10%, 80% is how we should live. So I hope that even in turbulant times, we are giving 10%, saving 10% and living off 80%. What are you doing?

Doomsday has come

Well, I've been mentally preparing for it but when it comes time for the axe to fall no one can be really prepared. Yesterday my company announced that it is offering voluntary separations for people to choose to leave the company and then if they need to involuntary layoffs will occur. The executives are saying that involuntary layoffs are probable. So no matter how mentally prepared I was for this day, it is still a strike to my confidence and my financial planning. Just married, two living on one income, two homes to think about and now my company laying off folks. I know I've been working toward financial freedom but this may be a big enough blow to land me right back to $60K in debt with no way out. My husband and I are still working the plan. I am taking the bus to and from work. We are eating every meal in and we are analyzing all recreational activities always leaning towards the free activities. But will it be enough, will all our hard work pay off. Well, in cases like this is when God really speaks to me through his word. Phillipians 4:6 comes to mind. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present yourself to God. So I pray and I am thankful that with temperatures dipping to negative 18 last night that I have a heated home with a loving husband to ride this wave. So I pray and I am thankful for the next two months I have a job with benefits with a company that cares about it's people. So I pray and I am thankful that I have the love of the Lord and have been adopted into His family. So I pray and I am thankful for friends and family that will love and support us through this tough time. So I pray and I am thankful that God gave me a mind to think, a back to work and strength to weather the storm. So I pray.

God Bless.

Lifes Changes

So I've been remiss in my postings lately but this is due to a few life changes happening in my life. First, I got married. This was a festive hoopla of a weekend at the beach with 30 of our nearest and dearest friends and family. It was simplistic in nature but emotional touching which is exactly how a wedding should be. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with about 20 of us and we had a wonderful wedding with 30 of us the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Now I'm hear to tell you that this could all be done for under $6,000 which included 3 beach house rentals, all the food for Thanksgiving and the wedding and some initial food for each of the houses. We were able to have the most intimate and wonderful weekend for less than most would spend on the rehearsal dinner. It was amazing, it was cost conscious and it was my day. So when life changes happen to you, know that even with your money you can be thrifty and amazing at the same time. My words of wisdom are to figure out what you want to spend your money on, how you want the day to go and what is the most important to you. For us the most important thing was family and friends to celebrate with us. So the majority of our budget went to housing and food to ensure this was as inexpensive as possible for our friends and family. Then we wanted a simple ceremony with a everyone around to hear it so that was our next order of business. We were able to bring everyone into one beach house and have a great ceremony where everyone could hear and enjoy. Then we went to a wonderful Japanese Steakhouse for dinner which was inexpensive and great entertainment. So we determined what was important and put our money to that end first. Happy life changes to each of you!!!!

God Bless

Wedded Bliss

Thank you for your patience as I went through the wedding process. My husband (wow, that's good to say) are experiencing wedded bliss. I kind of let everything go as I got our plans finalized and ready to go. Well now we are combining our accounts and deciding how to make our money work for two people. Does everything become joint accounts? Do I change my name? What do we do with our money as it comes in, who's debt do we pay off first and how do we maintain two mortgage payments until one house sells? Right now we are praying for wisdom on all financial matters and maintaining a beautiful life with each other. We are working to get ahead and out of debt while still loving our first year of marriage. I have a plan but in my dreams God has a better plan that will be what we follow to ensure we are working together to get God's plan in the works. It starts with a $50 savings every paycheck along with paying off some of our credit card debt with wedding money. It will be great to get our financial house in order and I know God will lead us down the right path. Come along the journey.