I’m back and some good news

We are all feeling better and things are slowly getting back to normal.  Unfortunately, I am behind on almost everything but I will slowly catch up.  No point in trying to do everything in one day.

I need to put the finishing touches on my take on credit card issuers and then I will post.  I’m only about a week late.

Now for some good news – I’ll go so far as to say some GREAT news.  Anyone remember when I started this blog back in October where I wrote about all of our debt?    I wish the great news was that we were debt free but it’s not.  Not yet anyway.  Everything has been paid off except for the car.   We still owe $6,200 on the car.   The car will definitely be paid off in  2009 but I’m not sure exactly when.  We have a big expense coming up in August (more about that later) and need to save a little more to cover it.

We are $6,200 from DEBT FREEDOM.

About this cash only thing

I’m spending less money.  I looked at the check register this morning and there is about $200 more in there than normal at this time of the month.

So even with the many extra expenses this month it seems that we spent less than normal.

I want out of debt but….

I really want to get out of debt.  I think that we can be out of debt by December 31, 2009.  I want to have to pay only living expenses and mortgage. 

The problem is …. Do I want it enough?  Some days I can say without a doubt that getting out of debt is the most important thing.  On these days I’m willing to do anything to get this debt paid off.  I’m willing to eat cheaper, skip the movies, turn the heat down, rake my own yard, and a million other things.

Then there are the days that I like my life – all of it except for the debt.  I like stopping by the bakery and picking up a pie for my boys just because I know they will appreciate it.  I like going to see a play at the local theatre.  I love the way my yard looks after the yard crew has been here.  I like watching Top Chef on cable.  You get the picture there are at least a million things that I could live without but I like them.

I need to find the balance.  I’m not sure I want a rice and beans diet (Dave Ramsey – gazelle intensity) and I know I don’t want to pay the minimums on my debt so it would take years to pay off.

So the battle is internal. Am I willing to live 1 YEAR – beans and rice – work work work with very little extras to be debt free?  Or do I want to let it ride the course and pay extra but not bare bones for 3 YEARS?

Does anyone else have these internal struggles?  How do you balance the desire to be debt free and the desire to live a “normal” life?

Working on the 2009 Budget – Skipping Black Friday

I have decided to skip all of the Black Friday sales and work on my budgets.  I’ll do a little on the December budget and goals but mostly concentrate on the 2009 budget and goals.

I hate car payments.  I just hate them.  But I am wondering if I should pay off my credit card first.  The interest is about the same.  I think the card is 3.99% forever and the car is 4.99%.  Currently, I am almost two years ahead on the car payment. 

I also think I am just going to go ahead and pay off the hospital even though there is no interest.

Advice? Opinions?