Day 182

I had a birthday this week which basically means only 52 weeks to be debt free...as the goal is to be debt free by the age of 30. 

I've spent to much money on business this month and I haven't started Christmas shopping, ugh! 

I did pay $300 to an account today that I am WAY behind on. One of my clients actually just started working for this company I owe money to and she felt awful that she has to be the one to email me asking to pay up. And not to mention it's a tad bit embarrassing to have to tell my client I don't have the money but I'll pay $300. 

The credit card is still in the freezer. I hope to put some money on it before the month is over. 

Total Debt Paid: $26, 548

Day 173

I now have car insurance! YAY! It will cost me about $200 a month as I have a few speeding tickets from the past. 

I also caught up on my car payments today!

I turn 29 next week which means only a year left to pay off debt to reach my 'debt free by age 30' goal.

Work is crazy right now. I'm actually strongly considering hiring help. It's either expand or cut back so I think I'll try expanding to see how it goes instead of limiting myself. Hopefully I'll be able to afford the help. 

Total Debt Paid: $26, 248 

Day 173

I had a few unexpected expenses today. My son needed new shoes because he stepped in dog pooh and left his shoes at my mothers, outside in a bucket of water! He then tried to go to school this morning in his cousins size 1 shoe when he is a size 4. So, we went shopping and spent over $50 on shoes. He also needed new goalie pads and a goalie stick as he has grown out of his (but they lasted for three years) so there was another $400+. I had only budgeted for $100 in sports and $100 in clothing for him this month and as we went over the budget for sports I will also go over budget for clothing as I still have to buy him winter boots....maybe not over budget if I can find boots under $50.

I haven't paid any money to debt since my last post but I plan on paying my car tomorrow as it's two weeks late! Ugh, and secured debt! I'm just killing my credit here.

As soon as I get the car caught up and my car insurance I'll start putting into the emergency fund -- thanks for the suggestion.

Oh, and the budget -- SCARY! So far my expenses add up to over $4,700 a month. That's just so far, ocovering the costs of rent on the house, biz, gas, food, clothing, sports....so I have the budget and the actual will be more :( I didn't know I spend THAT much money.

Total Debt Paid: $25, 888

Day 169

After calculating up the numbers on my budget sheet I pretty much have enough money to pay for my bills and some debt and then I'm broke. I feel broke all the time. I always have a long list as to where money needs to go. My numbers are not all correct yet with the budget but I should have a better idea by the end of the month. I'm not sure if I am breaking even or spending more than I make right now as I do pay bills late, the phone, hydro and the car. Hmmm, sounds like a good indication I spend more than I make.

I have $10 in my wallet right now. I've been trying to feed my Ice Cap (coffee) addiction with change only this month as I never seem to keep cash long enough. I spend about $4 a day on coffee. I just put $300 on my credit card which is still frozen in the freezer :)

My income will decrease by half next month as I have some seasonal work that will come to an end. It's great for 6months and then pretty dead for the other 6 months. I'll need to find some way to make some more money AND cut from my budget. I'm very worried about this. Last year I was very broke through the winter as I wasn't watching my money, or trying to make more in my slow season, or paying debt...and I pretty much never paid the bills on time -- just the rent on my apartment and commercial space. I was the person eating peanuts for dinner (really, peanuts) because I didn't have any money to buy food. I always made sure my son would eat well and I would go without.

Once I have the time I'm going to photograph and sell and bunch of stuff I have at home online and out all the money to my credit card :D

Total Debt Paid: $25, 888

Day 162

I was looking over my first post when I started this blog just this past June and at that time I was paying over $400 in interest a month on my debt...the good news is that I have paid off enough debt that I pay just over $100 a month now in interest :) -- YAY!

I remember the day when I made it to $10,000 on the amount of debt paid. I was paying my PST at the bank as I owed money...so much that there was a lien on my business and car. I paid the bill and cried as I walked out of the bank because it felt amazing to make it to the $10,000 mark. It's been a adventure! From hiding my car from a bailiff to not answering my phone in fear of a creditor asking for money that I didn't have.

I was adding up my debt yesterday on how much I owe and how much I paid and my numbers where not adding up. I forgot that I had included the car (secured debt I have a problem paying -- terrible) on the debt amount but I was counting it to what I have paid. I've sort of looked at the car debt like a bill. However, I have struggled so much with this loan I'm wondering how I missed counting into the debt. I was hiding my car for a few weeks in fear of the bailiff, not sleeping at night worrying about the car being gone in the morning...how could I forget this bill?!! I still struggle with it.

So adding the car in the amount of debt paid I am now at $25,588 in total debt paid in 162 days :) Of course I can't help but to wonder what would I have done with that money if I wasn't paying off debt. I have always been terrible with money so I think I would have blown it on a lot of nothing but I would have bought some gear for business. I'm in my sixth month and I love that I have been able to pay this much and I am totally thankful for all the help I have had in doing so. Change, I thank you the most as your blog brought me here.

I was feeling pretty terrible about failing on all my goals last month but I'm catching up and I'm focusing on the positive. $25, 588 in 161 days is pretty good and I know it's a slow process to pay off debt and there are setbacks in most things we take on in life, right?!!

Total Debt Paid: $25,588

Day 160

OK, so I’m catching up and since Nov 1^st I have paid my gas bill on the house, an outstanding Express Toll Route bill, over paid on the VISA, the hyrdo bill for the old house is now paid for, my cable/internet bill is paid and I PAID OFF my Future Shop account! The Future Shop account was the priority bill to pay with it’s high interest. Now I’ll have to work on the Visa. I’m terrible for paying bills but I am working on a more organized system

The Visa is a huge problem. Every time I pay it down I out more stuff on it for business that I never have the money for. I just ordered over $3000 worth of product last month and this month I would like to buy about $400 worth or props for the business. I’ll try to use PayPal for that and my Visa is going in a plastic bag full of water and it’s going in the freezer so I can’t use it. I’ll do that now – ok done! Now I may have to move it to someone else’s freezer for better keeping.

I finished reading ‘Debt Management’ and from it have learnt a lot I need to put into play. Today I transferred my drugs to another pharmacy which will save me just over $2 a month. And I closed 2 of my four bank accounts – less bank fees.

I also have a budget in place to use as a guideline. After all a budget is suppose to be my financial life raft in all this…the biggest tool in pulling me out of this mess. So I better get use to following one to help me out here.

Total debt Paid: $23, 813

Day 158

I actually failed on EVERY goal last month

1. pay bills on time -- nope!

2. buy a washer & dryer -- I bought a $2400 computer, biz expense needed...other one crashed

3. no movie rentals -- ugh!

4. blog at least three times a week -- ugh!!!

5. pay off future shop bill -- I owe just over $100. I should have paid it

6. no new clothing -- I bought cloths for work

7. get child support -- still no success here - he doesn't want to pay

8. finish reading 'managing debt' -- I'm pretty much done

New month new goals and lets hope I do a lot better this month. I would like to watch more debt programs. I really like them, they motivate me and I learn form them. I actually watch them writing notes for myself.

Today I watched 'Maxedout' and it's a Canadian show. I have not thought about where I spend most of my money but is on my business. In Oct I spent over $3000 on new equipment. This month I will spend about $2000 in new equipment. It's really eating into what's left for debt payment. 

totally feeling like a failure I need to forget last month and try again with new November goals

1. I will not rent any movies

2. Blog at least three times a week (helps me to focus)

3. Watch as many debt programs as my schedule allows

4. I will not buy new clothing (winter boots not included...needed)

5. Read more on debt with the books I have

6. The Future Shop bill will be paid off

I do have a few expenses this month for the business. I'd love to buy that needed washer and dryer so I can stop using my mothers but I'm not sure I'll have the money. I still need to pay the deposits on my hydro and gas bills bills for the home and commercial space. The commercial space gas deposit is $500! YIKES!!! I think I need to consider ways to make more money :(

I did spent less than $10 today...I need more days like this

Total Debt paid: still not sure but hopefully I'l figure it out tomorrow