Big money

I will be receiving an unexpected windfall in December. A nice sum of money. Ever since I learned of it I have been trying to work out how to make good use of it, how to stretch it yet have fun with it. My main goal is to reduce the payments I make every month, and I will be able to pay off all of my credit cards and set aside the money for my car loan (the interest rate on the car loan is so low it actually makes sense to put that money into a savings account and pay the loan off from there rather than pay the car loan off immediately), which will cut my expenses by about $800 per month.

I am relieved, of course, to have this piece of luck on my side. I didn't do anything to earn it. At the same time I fear myself. My daughter suggested that I set aside a specific amount to blow on fun stuff, and I love that idea. I can put that amount in a separate account and keep track that way and then I am less likely to go through the money without realizing it.

In addition to the fun money, I will take out some for putting down a chunk on my house loan, giving a bunch to various charities, and finding some ways to keep the rest earning money. I will also purchase items I want: energy-efficient, more effective appliances and some camera lenses and other equipment. Items that will make my life more pleasant and that will save some energy, too.

What has been funny is that knowing about this money has not made me deliriously happy. It has given me headaches.

Tough going

I worried that when I had to start making house payments I would find it to be quite a struggle. That is, in fact, the case. I don't yet know if I can manage it on my present income with my present expenses, because there have been extraordinary expenses, mostly related to the move. It all needs to shake down so I can see what's what more clearly.

On the plus side, I am eating out a lot less often than I was before. This because I have a nice new kitchen that is easy to use, has plenty of space, and has appliances that work. I am especially delighted to have a working oven. Oh, the cooking that goes on! I am quite savvy about making meals cheaply, too.

I just requested a change to my house loan. When approved I will be making two payments a month instead of one. And thereby I will shave two years off the loan and save about $12,000 in interest. This won't help me on a daily basis but it's no harder than paying once a month so it's clearly the right thing to do.

Up again

What's a story without a little drama? We get to ask ourselves, will she make it? At this point the answer is still out there.

My debt has increased in the last month or so. I was on the road from June 10 until about July 20, which created quite a strain on my financial resources. Then I moved into my new place, assumed a huge debt, and went out to buy new stuff.

Oddly, I don't feel awful about it. I don't expect to be buying stuff for the house constantly. I still am going out there to fill in some gaps (yesterday a new hose and hand-held vacuum) but the spending has slowed and I expect it to get down to a trickle. More importantly, I am okay.

I was determined, when I moved to my new house, to make a fresh start. This meant not taking old furniture with me, not even taking old plates and glasses. I did bring a lot of stuff with me (there is still a storage building waiting to be emptied) but most of the furniture is new.

My vision was that I would accumulate enough savings to be able to furnish the house without taking on further debt. That didn't happen. But neither have I been recklessly extravagant. At this point I have enough to live. I am no longer feeling pressure to run out for sheets or towels or cleaning supplies. So I can take breaths and look for what I want in a more leisurely fashion and even buy some things from thrift shops. I'm looking for mirrors.

down more

My credit card debt is now about $8100, down from over $11,000 in January. At times I feel like I'm getting nowhere so it is good that I'm keeping these records. I can see the progress, even though from time to time I have an expense for which I do not have cash and I put it on a card. I try to get that paid off as soon as possible, that extra expense, so I can be back on track.

Even better, with some of the cards paid off there are fewer payments so it is easier to deal with what's left and to continue to make bigger payments on the higher-interest cards.

I am still worried about how I will pay for everything when I have my new home but I suspect that with some judicious cutting here and there I will do all right, although I will certainly notice.

worries

I do not have a good handle on my money yet. This week I have had to shell out several hundred dollars for veterinary care and I didn't have the reserves. I need to have the reserves.

I worry about my new house and how much it will cost every month. I think I may become a serious recluse, only leaving the house once or twice a week, once I have that house, so I can cook all my meals and not pay much for vehicle use.

My new home

My new mobile home has been ordered. I am worried about making the payment every month. I've been worried about this since I first started on this trail. My life is likely to change significantly unless I find another source of income.

A Way Out?

Like most of the middle class in the U.S., I am in debt. I have a credit card debt of over $11,000, and a car loan that is about the same. And yet I am in the midst of trying to get a loan to replace my mobile home (with another one on the same space), and when I get that loan (I feel fairly sure I will) I will have a huge new payment to make each month. Can I do it? I am sure the lender wonders the same thing, and is perusing how I spend my money and pay my bills.

I created this blog to track my progress, and offer suggestions to others in the same boat, in getting off that debt horse. My first plan is to follow Jean Chatzky's Pay it Down! program (see link at right). It is likely that this little book is really all I will need to get on track, because it not only offers a detailed program for getting out of debt but also offers a lot of help for those times when we face really bad financial times. But I expect to draw upon a ton of other resources along the way. Many of these are in the book. Others I will no doubt discover.