Day 487

I'm sure my goal list will grow but here are a few to start with:

pack lunches for work

make meal plans

grocery shop once a week

make income goals

live on cash out of jars/pay myself

set up payments for credit card

make donate, keep, and sell buckets

track spending

track income

track bills

don't use credit

pay debts on time

keep up with the savings account

don't go into overdraft

pay the phone old bill off this month

This is what I hope to take care of for the rest of the month.

I need to think of how I am going to buy Christmas presents.

If I plan on being debt free by the two year mark then I have to pay off $3,333 a month for the next six months. I'll save the braces bill for last as I am set up on a month to mont payment for them and take care of the high interest/effecting my credit bills first. Oh, but the braces come off the credit card...bad idea. I may need to switch that over to cheques.

credit, taxes, car, old phone bill and braces are what's left to pay before being debt free.

I made a $500 payment to the old phone bill tonight. I should be able to put another $200 on debt tomorrow :) and pay some bills with the rest of the money I'll earn/deposit tomorrow

Total Debt Paid: $47, 234

Day 486

How possible is it to be debt free?!?

Since I’ve started this I’ve paid off a lot of debt. Of course I’ve lost focus here and there and could have done better but I’ve also gained more debt…like $6100 in braces for my son, over $4000 in taxes, new equipment for the business

So the break down now:

$1200 taxes

$1200 to the car

$3,600 to my mom

I’ve paid off some Visa but I’m not even going to count it as I’ve about put the money back on. So, I’ll start adding the Visa to debt payment once I really start paying it off

My goal to be debt free by my 30^th birthday did not happen

Soooooo, the new goal is to be debt free by June 2010

By June 2010 it will be 2yrs since I’ve started this

I need to get back into my whole idea of Donald Trumps “Set goals and stay disciplined” if this is ever going to work well for me.

I make a great income for being single. I should have a lot more that what I do.

I’ll be back with new goals tomorrow

Total Debt Paid: $42, 234

Day 386

Still slow going...what a difference losing focus makes -- obviously!

I've been putting money into the business like crazy. I have a boyfriend who is military who I hardly see so dating isn't costing me a thing. Right now I have over $4000 sitting in the bank waiting for me to put it somewhere...I'm thinking I'll pay off the car and I'm owed a few thousand dollars as well.

I think I have something like $17,000 to go. It will be more when we figure out how much I owe in taxes :(

Total Debt paid: $36, 234

Day 333

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted! Ugh, and I haven't been focused.

Since my last post I have only paid $1000 to debt 

In the meantime I have added the cost of my sons new braces to my debt and over $3000 in taxes from last year

I have just less than $20,000 to pay by Nov *fingers crossed*

I need some new goals to get me there

Total Debt Paid: $34, 534

Day 275

I paid an amount of $500 to an owing debt today....some more of the cash I owed my mother. 

I'm going to try and pay off the rest of my debt in the next 3 months...or 92 days. I'm guessing it's about $15, 000 or so which works out to about $1250 a week! Yikes!!! I'll try anyway. It would be nice to have a $50, 000 debt paid in 15 months so that's what I'm going for. Wish me luck! *fingers crossed*

Total Debt Paid: $33, 534

Day 265

I just made a payment to the Visa :)

Total Debt Paid $33, 034

Day 258

Ugh, I have no idea why I haven't been in here: busy, not making the time for it...I could come up with a few reasons. Mostly I think because I was in such a slow time for work that I didn't have the extra cash to put onto debt that I found it a bit depressing. 

Now that my business is picking up again and the income is now double what it was over Jan-April I hope to get back on track and finish paying off this debt this year. 

I need to get back on track and follow the whole 'set goals and stay disciplined'. I need new goals for each month as the goal along the whole way has been to be debt free by age 30 which is now just 5 months away! -- YIKES!!!

Total Debt Paid: $32, 648

Day 175

I did it! I hit $30, 000 -- actually just over :D

I still have a bit of a way to go, abut $20, 000

Total Debt Paid: $30, 348

Day 172

Come on $30,000

Goal this week is to hit $30,000...so close!

Total Debt Paid: $29,648

Day 269

This is my first post this month. Last month was the first time I tracked my income and expenses and the expenses out weighted the income. I was $1,737.45 short so a few bills were not paid and I only put $303 to debt.

I was going to go to Vegas this week for a work convention but decided not to. So instead I put $1000 to my credit card. For the first time in a long time my balance is in the $6,000+ as it's usually around $8,000. Isn't that a crazy balance to carry? Maybe I was a bit out of control!

I am going to Florida in March so I paid for the flight and convention fees. 

AND, I put $700 on a advertising bill which I piled into my debt as it's taking me awhile to pay the full amount. 

I paid about $1000 in bills today. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up from last month. 

Total Debt Paid: $29,148

Day 251

My son just left for school and I'm just slightly in shock to what he said to me before he left for school. "The kids at school think we're poor because we live here." We have a three bedroom house, fenced in yard, a shed an attic, lots of room and in a neighborhood where all the houses look pretty much the same. I rent and it's by no means expensive but we moved here from a small apartment where I paid the same rent. I like the house. There are plenty of kids in the neighborhood for my son to play with. I've painted the house, we have nice furniture, my son has his own play room with two tv's, a couch, xbox, playstation, and a weight bench. (I didn't buy the game systems or the one tv) He plays hockey and snowboards -- both costly sports. My son is by no means doing with out. I think I provide very well for him. 

My son sometimes says we are poor as well and I always tell him we are not poor. I think I make great money for being a single mom. I own my own business that I work hard at and it does well. My sons father doesn't help with anything, not even child support, but my son and I still do ok. All the money right now of course goes to debt but I don't want my son to think we are poor. We just live off what we need right now. 

I think I need to figure out a way to talk about money with him to explain the situation. 

Total Debt Paid: $27, 448

Day 243

I've been back on my laying out my monthly expenses

I've been calculating with a Budget Template which I find great for helping me out with tracking expenses. I downloaded it from the Maxed Out website. It's free to use :D

I never pay my bills on time but I hope to change that. I almost have my monthly bills paid for the house; I'm just one bill away. Then I'll have the business bills to pay. 

GOOD NEWS: I am caught up on my Visa as I was two months behind :(

Total Debt Paid: $27, 448

(I can't wait for this number to be $30,000)

Day 242

So, I laid out my monthly bills and it's pretty scary. So far just for rent, car, heat, hydro, cable, internet on my house and business I am spending over $4,200.  That still does not include groceries, gas and what I would like to put onto debt. It's also the time of year where I advertise and it's about $1000 this month if I decide to take part. It's a once a year thing. I hope this months income will at least cover the bills, groceries, gas with a bit for debt. So far this month all my money has gone to needs...and books. Oh, I'll have to add books to the monthly budget.

Here is what I'm reading now:

The last book I read by Kiyosaki was very informative so I thought I would give this one a try since I own my own business

Cost was $14.95 on iTunes

...and this one I am almost done and just started today. It's a lot about history of business, what's worked and what has failed. I feel like I'm getting a lot of stats and it's stuff I kind of already know.

Cost was $9.95 on iTunes

So far I have spent $36.85 on audio books this month. I put them on my iPod and listen when I can. I walk around with the iPod my pocket and the earphones around my neck when I'm not using them. I have a long list of books I want to get to. After these two books there is another debt book I really want to read. I figure reading biz books will improve my business and I'll make more to pay off debt :D

Total Debt Paid: $27, 148

Day 239

I went to the bank today for a 'financial check up' is what they call it. When I sat down the lady asked me to tell her a bit about me. So, I went on with: single mom, business owner, and I'm flat broke paying off debt. She was totally impressed with how much debt I have been able to pay off at day 239. So, since I don't have any money right now to invest because it's all going to debt we talked about what I would do with my money after I am done paying off my debt. I was just wondering what I was going to do last week so this meeting was helpful. I also locked my RRSP's in for another 4yrs at 4% as they are maturing soon so why not?!! I also learnt a bit about how I can be saving my my son after my debt is paid AND she then suggested I meet an accountant so I did that next and am now on my way to getting on track. The accountant gave me a list of things to gather in the next two weeks before she can help me. 

The book I mentioned below is excellent. I have it on audio and have listened to it twice. It gave me a good foundation in a few areas: taxes, owning a business, liabilities vs assets, why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and how to make my money work for me. 

If anyone has any suggestions on books to do with finances I'd love to hear your suggestions. 

Tonight I am going to get started on the homework my new account gave me and start a money flow. 

I've ben keeping track of all my sending and income so far this month. I haven't paid anything to debt because I owe so much in bill right now :(

Total Debt Paid: 27, 148

Day 233

I've made it through the holidays :D I think I spent about $700ish on Christmas gifts. (ouch!) I do dislike that about Christmas. The gift buying is crazy. My family totally over does it. I still spent less than they did and I do feel a bit cheap but I can't afford to be a crazy shopper.

On New Years I didn't spend any money...except gas money so maybe $20. I went to a friends and played Wii. It was just three of there and we had a blast. It was so much better than getting into the bar scene and I started the new Year working out -- hopefully a good sign. I use to be huge into fitness. I worked as a trainer in a gym but then I got busy with my own business and took a break which has now been two years. So, I really miss it and I'm back in the books trying to re-learn what i have forgotten over time

I bought the Rich Dad Poor Dad book. I've heard at least three times now that it's the best book ever read. I bought it on iTunes for about $16. It's the audio book and I have it on my iPod so I plan on listening to it while cleaning. I'm a big fan of audio books. It's the multi-tasking of listening and driving or cleaning that I can do at the same time that I love.

I'll report back on my review of the book. I'm sure I'll have it done next week.

Still, I continue to be flat broke. All my money is going to bills right now. I think it will take me two months to catch up as I still recovery from the high deposits from the move. I made $1500 on Dec 20th that I am waiting to be paid for and with that I will FINALLY buy my washer and dryer

Total Dent Paid: $27, 148