Forgotten

Well this blog was forgotten as my job demanded alot of extra time and energy. I was working six/ seven days a week there for a while and it was very draining, but I am back and starting December 1st, tomorrow I will posting daily with our progress and how we are working on taming the ferocious dollar.

Money Stress on the Long Road

The first thing that you have to do when you are obsessed with money like I am right now. Is to stop and realize money is a tool and not a big monster in the closet. Breathe in and out and realize that money is an end to a means not the end. My goals are important but this is a long road and trying to sprint when you are just starting out will get you a cramp in your side and make you stop. Slowly and steady is the way to win the race like the turtle against the rabbit. Things like appreciating the things around you will help make this journey more enjoyable and not make you only obsess on the bad.

Time Goal

The part we forgot it that we are going to pay it off in two years. What that means is we have to squeeze $3,702 out of our budget each month or make more money to pay off the debt.

Our Story, Part 2

There's a little catch, of course, to our efforts to pay off that debt as fast as possible. (Isn't there always a catch?) We're also trying to support local businesses, and buy environmentally-friendly products[1]. The problem with this is, that local businesses and environmentally-friendly products aren't always the cheapest things on the market.

So, along with the cost cutting tips and budgeting advice that we'll be passing along as we figure out how to do them - because a failure to budget well and cut costs is part of the problem we have - we'll be looking for ways to save money while still supporting our beliefs.

Oh, Melanie points out that this is probably too preachy. Yeah, well, this is the way I write. Watch for us to disagree with each other as the blogging gets going.

[1]That is to say, products that are genuinely friendly to the environment, not the crap that squeeks through by following the letter of the Federal regulations.

Our Story

We are a happily married couple (most of the time) who really wants to change our life style. We both want to pay off $88,850.18 in debt. This debt consists of student loans and a car loan. These debts, while not credit cards, are keeping us from living the life we want to live. I want to go back to school and become a teacher and Rich wants to spend time writing and figure out what else he wants to do. We can not do any of these things with the debt handing over our heads. So starts our journey to tame the ferocious dollar.