WE'RE DEBT FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before you read this I have to admit that some of what I have written is very embarrasing to John and I but we don't regret any decisions we made in the past because we have learned from our mistakes and if we wouldn't have made any changes to our behavior we would still be making them!

We’ve paid off $42,500 in 3 years!!!!

Here is how our Journey started:

We were one of those ignorant people who thought buying a house with no money down was a good plan. So 4 ½ years ago we bought our first house at ages 20 & 21 with no money down and thought we were moving up in the world. John and I had already been married 3 years at that point and we had a 2 ½ year old daughter, we thought we had it all figured out. I would look at the numbers before we closed on the house and figured if we had perfect months every month that we could make it plus John was up for a promotion so we thought he would get a raise after we closed. Unfortunately he didn’t get the promotion so all of that went out the window. He started searching for a new job which he did end up getting but it was 7 months after we had moved in and of course since we didn’t have perfect months we weren’t making it. We brought home $2180 a month and had a $745 a month house payment we were barely making it. So we started defaulting on our credit cards and car payment and truck payment even (yes I know) our house payment and any other bill that would come in b/c we just didn’t have the money to pay them. So we, of course, were sent to collections and we were starting to get all the nasty letters and phone calls and we were even sued.

With John starting his new job he was making more money but for some reason we still weren’t making it. He went from bringing home $200 a week to anywhere from $500-$800 a week. Where was all of our money going?? Well it turns out we were nickel and diming our selves to death. We had enough! In February of 2007 we got our tax return and instead of blowing it like we usually did we used it to pay off our first debt which was Kay Jewelers. It felt good to have one debt gone. So we kept going, little by little we were paying off our debts, the problem was though is we still didn’t have a plan. We knew we wanted to pay off our debts and not have to worry about finding another collection notice in the mail or worry about answering our phone but we just didn’t have the steps to do it.

In June of 2007 we were blessed with our 2nd child and I was going to stay home from work because we couldn’t afford daycare. I put in my notice at work and the VP came up to me and asked if there was anything that they could do to get me stay. I was completely honest with her and told her I would need a raise. We couldn’t make it with me working and only making $8.25 an hour so to my great shock she offered me $10.50 an hour if I would stay on with the chance of a promotion in a couple of months. In November 2007 the chance for a promotion was there and I applied and got it. Along with the position I also got another raise. So I was now making $11.50 an hour and we were doing great. We were paying off our debt slowly but surely and everything started looking up.

In January of 2008 the transmission in our 1994 Ford Explorer went out and instead of replacing it we went out and financed a 2006 Ford 500 and because our credit was still so bad we ended up with a 23% interest rate and we thought that there was nothing else we could do “You’ll always have a car payment”. Then in April I was helping a customer open up an Insured Money Market Savings account for their Baby Emergency Fund of $1000.00 and they kept talking about this guy named Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace University class that was so awesome and how this account was going to be for emergencies only and they weren’t going to touch it. The whole time I kept thinking to myself “Yeah right! Everybody says they are going to save money and not touch it but they’ll never follow through with it.” Well this couple kept talking and told me to listen to this Dave guy on the radio Monday thru Friday. So I filed that information in the back of my mind and in June I remembered what that couple had said and looked him up. I started listening to his show and at first thought it was all a big scam. He was talking about these baby steps and I thought I can barely get $10 in my savings account how am I supposed to be able to put $1000 in a savings account.

I tried talking to John about it but he just kept saying the only reason this guy is so rich is because people fall for his scam and buy his stuff. So he was totally not onboard with this. Well I kept listening to Dave Ramsey on the radio and happened to catch a Debt Free Friday show and the emotion these callers felt when they were telling their story was palpable and it would bring tears to my eyes just hearing the sense of relief, accomplishment and freedom in their voices. I decided at that point that we were going to do this, we had to do this for our family and ourselves! So I called John and told him that I was going to go out and buy Dave Ramsey’s books and envelope system and that I think we should really give this a try.

He said go ahead but this is all on you, I want nothing to do with it. So with out his help I started making a budget and saving money and trying to follow Dave Ramsey’s rules without John’s help. I tell you what that is not an easy thing to do! So finally in December on 08 John made a comment on our way home from the grocery store about how he liked not getting late notices in the mail and collection calls and having money in savings to pay for things like Christmas and Emergencies. I just smiled to myself and thought YES!! I’ve got you now!!!

So in January I had him sit down with me and we did a budget and we started working the plan together! That is the key to this whole thing! You have to do it together! I signed us up for Financial Peace University in August of 09 just so we could get the whole benefit of his teachings and we learned so much!!

So we started this long journey in February 2007 making $40k with $42,500 in debt to paying off our last debt (which was the car at 23% 3 years early) 3 years and 2 months later in April 2010 making $70k!!

We are expecting our 3rd child in July and I will be quitting my job to be a SAHM. Because of Dave Ramsey and his teachings we are finally getting some financial peace!

Bittersweet Colorado Trip

This is a really hard post for me. As most of you know my Grandpa is very ill with Pulmonary Fibrosis. It is now to the point that when he leaves the house he is confined to a wheel chair and is on oxygen 24/7. The doctors aren't giving him much time and he doesn't think there is much time left either. It was so great to be able to see my grandpa one more time but it was also very hard. It is hard to see someone you love so much go through this. This is a weekend I will never forget. I will take from it so many wonderful memories to cherish! He has already given me so many memories that I cherish and this will be the cherry on top.

Poor Elizabeth!! She had to wear an eye patch on the way to Colorado because on Wednesday (the day before we left) her brother poked her in the eye and scratched her eye. She is on medicated eye drops until they run out. She's not too thrilled about it!

I had to take this picture of him putting the bowl on his head!
This is the train at Tiny Town in Colorado. It goes all around the park and I have been going on this train since I was little and it is so cool to be able to do that with my family!

In the caboos are Taylor, Zach & Elizabeth. They had such a great time!

All of these little houses were donated to Tiny Town and are kept up by volunteers and the people who donate them. There are about 50 little houses here and they are all so creative!

This beautiful woman is my grandma! She is so special to me! I love her so much!

This is the highest I have ever seen this creek and the highest my Grandpa has ever seen it! It was so pretty!

I had to push them both at the same time that got a little tricky at times!

Elizabeth couldn't get high enough!

Here is the most wonderful man in the world! My Grandpa! I love him so much!

The "Kids" had a blast at the park that is right across the street from my grandparents house. This is the same tire swing Nicole and I used to play on when were little and visit!

Nicole was the only adult brave enough to do the Tilt-a-Whirl, I just can't do that anymore my stomach won't let me! :(

You can't tell who he looks like can you?? :)

After the Alpine slide we went to the Red Rocks! What a gorgeous place! It is so amazing seeing all of those big red rocks and the shapes. Makes you really think how something like that was made. Did water make the rocks eroud like that? Was it God who put them there like that? I think a little of both. Just Beautiful!

This is so cute!

Dad's Visit to Nebraska

My dad stayed with us for a day while he was waiting for the rest of his buddies to make it here. He was on his way to Canada for a week long fishing trip. We had fun while he was here but it was way too short!

Me and my dad!

Grandpa and his Grandbabies!

I made pancakes and John made bacon and eggs on the morning my dad left. John (little) wanted to be a big boy and sit with the rest of the kids so there he is with his cousin's in his booster seat! He was so happy! (Lucky just looks pitiful in his cage getting teased with all that delicious food)

My Sleeping Beauty(s)!

I went up to check on the kids and this was too funny I had to take a picture!

Swinging is such hard work!

Elizabeth's Dance Recital (a month late)

Here are some belated pictures of Elizabeth's Dance Recital. The actual pictures of her recital didn't turn out so here are the before the recital pictures! Isn't she beautiful!

It's Officially Official!

John has accepted the Head Coaching Position for Arlington's Junior High Cross Country team! This means instead of being a volunteer he is now a paid coach! He is so thrilled! I am thrilled as well for him he has already put in 3 years as an assistant coach and now he has an official title! Can we say snowball??

OUR NEW PORCH!!!!!!!

This is what our porch used to look like (John barely got out there to take a before picture)

I think it looks better gone then it ever did up


The guys who worked on our porch got all this done on a Saturday

The colonial style railings are almost complete

The rails are done and the lattice is up!

I started priming on Sunday and finished priming on Wednesday. I took Thursday off (it was 85 perfect weather for painting) started painting at 8:30 in the morning and didn't finish until 9 pm ask John he'll vouch for me! I stopped for lunch and dinner and that's about it!

So this is what 12 hrs of painting looks like!

I LOVE IT!!!!!! We bought wicker chairs for it too and with the porch swing it looks so nice! It ties it all together so nicely! We are so proud of this improvement! It took 4 months of no stop saving to get this complete! It feel so good to have it done!