Neglect is not the right word here

I just didn't get into the blogging routine. I love reading other folks blogs but I just can't seem to commit myself to blogging.

So I decided this time I'm gonna make an attempt to do this at least 3 or 4 times a week. I have made great strides in our financial freedom. We have paid off several more credit cards. We now have one large bill left - that one is over $5K.

From January to April 14 we had to put our snowball into paying off the IRS. I am happy to say that we were successful in paying our IRS taxes before the due date. I am saving to offer an settlement for the last major credit card we have left and at the same time we are paying double payments on the Avalanche which I want to have paid off by July or August. Remaining balance on that is $7.5K.

So to keep myself accountable on this blog:

Remaining debts:

Wachovia (Chase) Credit Card - $7000 - will take settlement of $4000
Americredit Loan for 2002 Avalanche - remaining balance $7950

Today is Monday right???

I can't come up with a topic to talk about tonight. Just been sitting here watching TV and surfing the internet. Hubby has left for work - he is working overtime tonight from 10 p.m. to 2 p.m. - which will be 4 hours added to the 8 hours he has already.

Just wanted to shout tonight that we paid off Speigal yesterday. Hubby called them and they received the last payment by Western Union yesterday! Another down. Gonna keep plowing ahead on our debt snowball.

We are now below $10,000 in what we owe. I need to revise my snowball listing and what is owed.

Other musings - my 9 month old lab is sitting here besides me like he's reading this blog and just staring at it. I am thinking he approves - so that means I'm gonna post it.

Daughter is feeling better after being sick most of the weekend with a cough and a fever. She's taking it easy tonight.

Well going to sign off tonight. Hope everyone has a great week! We are another debt down and heading to Financial Freedom!

Saturday July 28th - Budget Day

Well purchased a new budget program online and I have finally taken the time to start learing how to use it and implement it my financial program.

Check out www.ynab.com

I figured out how to download my checking account transactions and put them into categories. Did all the transactions back to May 2007. Now I'm identifying each transaction (there are alot of them) and determining which category it is going into - I have a feeling that its going to be an eyeopener. I am currently doing a budget with an excel spreadsheet but I haven't used a tool to track all my transactions.

Tomorrow I have to pay one credit card off and pay our electric bill (its outrageous)! Do grocery shopping and have in the budget to get some school supplies for 12 year old DD. She starts school on August 27th - the 6th grade.

Well I guess my actions are making an impression - my brother-in-law (he read TMMO) is now working like gazelle to get out of debt. He had one debt that he wanted paid - for the last three months he's worked 50+ hours and put all his checks/overtime on it. He was over here today and told me its paid off. Now he's going to start his snowball and pay all his credit cards off....

Its getting late and I need to get to bed - going to 8:00 am Mass in the morning. Tomorrow is housecleaning and decluttering day for DD and me. She has to earn $30 that I loaned her.

Goodnight!

The Blogging starts here....

First a little background on our family. I am happily married to my husband Donny for 8 years. My stepdaugther lives with us and is 12 years old. As she says, I am her mother. We are currently following the Baby Steps in Dave Ramsey's TMMO. We are in baby step 2 and are snowballing our debt. Its been a struggle but we are really close to getting this step done and moving on to our family financial freedom.

I am an accounting analysis and my husband is a generator mechanic. We both work alot of hours - especially my husband. He got on board with TMMO - attended FPU with me and then went and saw Dave with me live. Its awesome to have my spouse onboard and we are doing this as a team and changing our family tree.

We have been living in our house here in Baytown Texas for 6 years. Once we get to BS3 our FFEF done we will concentrate on paying the mortgage off in 2-3 years. We live out in country one acre of land. We have a 4 bedroom house with a barn and a garage.

We are a family who usually work, play and attend church together. My husband is my best friend. We are different but then we are alike - which makes our marriage great!

I am the geek in the family - being the accountant - I love working with budgets and excel spreadsheets. I am always looking for new financial tools to use and help us achieve financial freedom.

So to end today's blog - our family goal is to achieve financial freedom forever and never go back to owing anyone any money at all.