Challenging Debt

So I woke up in a desert

2010-01-06T07:37:00.000-05:00

My fiancé tends to overcompensate for the heat for me. Instaed of leaving it at 75 where me and my asthma would be comfortable. He pushes it to 85-90 degrees and closes the door. So I wake up halfway through the night with labored breathing and lips that are so dry they can cut through paper. It is so painful. I wind up having to open the door and turn on the fan just so my nasal passage will stop feeling like knives darting in when I inhale. I know he means well but, he is killing me.

2010 Blog Goals for Challenger Debt

2010-01-05T02:08:00.002-05:00

Here are my blog goals for 2010

Improve blog layout for both blogs Challenging Debt and Challenging Creations.
Increase posting.
Make posting more consistent (I am notorious for sporadic posting. I want to post on a more frequent basis)
Host a giveaway

and with that I am done with my 2010 goals
2010 Financial Goals
2010 Personal Goals

2010 Financial Goals for Debt Challenger

2010-01-04T05:52:00.001-05:00

Well 2010 is in full swing which means it is time for my Fianancial Goals for this year. I have a multi-tasker's mind so I am trying to keep the list doable.

Pay off Citibank in full by February 28, 2010
Pay off AT&T by October 31, 2010
Get married by October 31, 2010
Put $1000 into E Fund
Contribute up to the match on my 401K
Find a way to make Christmas more affordable. (I need to plan a more reasonable Christmas budget for 2010. My goal will be to analyze pay and have an amount planned out by January 31, 2010 and automate it and post it on the blog).

2010 Personal Goals for Debt Challenger

2010-01-03T14:06:00.000-05:00

Hmm. This one I haven't thought out too much. I do have some personal goals for 2010.

Develop my management skills at work
Train my team to be able to work proficiently without my presence.
Manage my time better at work.
Make time for friends
Move to new apartment in February

Debt Repayment Update 2010 Edition

2010-01-03T13:06:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow Debt Challengers. D.C. here blogging from the living room with the first debt update of 2010. Here we go y'all.

Citibank -$1,120.32
AT&T -$4,063.56
Debt Total -$5,183.88

I am almost at the finish line y'all with the Citibank. Kiss it goodbye :O)! So here is the plan. Pay off the Citibank then put the money toward paying off the AT&T. Financial Resolutions to come.

Last Debt Repayment Update

Roomates party of four

2010-01-01T05:54:00.002-05:00

Someone asked me how it is to live with roommates. I will tell you it kind of sucks. I wake up to random chicks in the house and the roommates always tell them, "this is he female of the house and what she says goes." I want to say "in that case, get the hell out." I tend to walk around in my super short shorts and wife beater normally but,living here I have to constantly remind myself that there are two other men here (oher than my fiancé). I can pretty much say that I am literally never alone. There is literally always someone here. I am counting down the days until our move. I have to share the television with all of the guest. Everyone expects me to clean the whole apartment on my own. There is 1300 sq ft of everyone's junk and every time I try to clean they bring in more. It's frustrating but in a month and a 1/2 I'll be done.

Apartment Searching

2009-12-30T01:00:00.000-05:00

The fiance and I are about to do some apartment searching. His lease is coming up at the end of March so we have to get on the ball. I pretty much have an idea in my head of where I'd like for us to live so that it will be convenient to his job as well as mine. I am looking forward to it being just the three of us (me, the fiance and the shih tzu). My family of course is kicking and screaming the whole way. They want me to live near them which will make my commute to work over 2 hours each way and his even longer because he commutes 25 miles currently and I 9 miles. We have to do what is right for us. We live across town not out of town. Even when I lived in Buckhead (a neighborhood of Atlanta) they were complaining. They shopped at the mall less than 2 miles from my house and dined around the corner from me but, complained about where I lived. Mainly it was my sister. I think she likes to control people but, that is another subject in itself. Anyway, we are trying to find a neutral place for the two of us to live. So we will see where this pans out for us. :O). wish us luck.

D.C. Out

I'm still here

2009-12-28T08:02:00.001-05:00

Just sitting down finally during my vacation. I have been on the go most of the last week and I am just getting an opportunity to blog.

Suggested retail price

2009-12-22T20:04:00.001-05:00

Debt Repayment Update

2009-12-16T03:34:00.000-05:00

Oh yeah! And it goes a little sumthin like dis. Hit It.

Citibank $1279.84
AT&T Universal $4117.30
Total CC Debt $5,397.14

Made it to the midway point with Debt Repayment still on track. Now we just have the December 31st payment to make it to :O). Go me! Go! Go! Go me! Go! Go!

Jonesin

2009-12-14T01:08:00.003-05:00

Okay so I had a major case of Jonesin this past weekend. My friend had a Christmas party and her house made me want to drool. She and her husband bought a very sizable house. Closets to die for. Every bedroom had a walk in closet. There were huge bathrooms and sinks everywhere. I mean everywhere. They had a bathroom on the main floor for the guest as well as an extra sink adjacent to it near the garage (in case you wanted to wash your hands right when you walked in the garage door). They had a closet in the master with high ceilings. Her husband built a stairway so he could walk above his wives' rack and retrieve his clothes from the top. The television was wired to their computer in their kitchen. That in turn was wired for sound throughout the house. It was nothing short of amazing. And I, yes I admit that I am envious. I know, I know guys just because, they have the house doesn't mean they aren't under mounds of debt. I just wish that we were further along in our debt repayment. I know, I know. It'll all come in due time. But, for right now, y'all I'm jonesin.

Debt Repayment Update

2009-12-07T05:37:00.000-05:00

So I am finally sitting down to compose this blog. Here is my Debt update.

Citibank $1,559.34
AT& T Universal $4,179.30
Total $5,738.64

I am attempting to knock the $500 out this month. It is difficult with the holidays and my desire to buy gifts but, I have already scheduled a payment for the 15th now I just need to schedule the 31 and we are good.

I promise I'm coming with the info

2009-12-04T01:18:00.004-05:00

I recently had a change in my job function at work (and I mean in the past couple weeks recently). I am swamped with work and trying to flesh out some ideas for my group. I will get to the debt repayment updates as soon as I can. I'm under deadlines with my executive on some projects right now though. I haven't forgotten. In the mean time feel free to click on the debt repayment sidebar for all of my progress. Talk to you all soon D.C. Out

Whew whoo!

2009-12-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

401K matches will be made in 2010 at the j-o-b! I'm game. Can't wait. Current contributions 0%. Future contribution, company matched amount. All right!

Debt Repayment Update

2009-12-01T14:18:00.000-05:00

Yes this is a little behind.

So I am headed back to work

2009-12-01T06:40:00.004-05:00

So I am headed back to work cold n all! I only have one more payday between me and Christmas. I have no idea what i am buying anyone for x-mas with the exception of the fiancé and amberella. Other than that I'm done with ideas. I have no ideas for mom, sis, bro absentee dad etc. My family is huge and local.

Guess what

2009-11-30T15:41:00.002-05:00

I'm still sick. I went to the doctor today and it is definitely a cold. I lost my voice and have had a dry heaving cough. One dayi'm running temperatures and sneezing my head off, the name blam coughing. I'm on cherrytussin but, going back to work tomorrow.

Kroger for free

2009-11-27T20:56:00.003-05:00

Oh Yeah! I hit up the Kroger Free coupons. I got all of this stuff for free. I have been watching clips of Coupon Mom and other clips and I want to be able to shop like them. I wonder how much processed food they have to buy. I am trying to go more natural because, all of these documentaries are scaring the bajujus out of me. Well everyone enjoy your Friday. I am going to lay back down. I have a cold (boo)

Count it off

2009-11-22T17:54:00.001-05:00

One more day until my Thanksgiving holiday :O). Whew who!

Mental Block

2009-11-18T01:26:00.003-05:00

I feel like I have a mental block. I can only update one budgeted paycheck at a time. I am afraid to plan for more than one for fear that something may go wrong. Isn't that weird? I feel like I at least know that I am getting the next paycheck but, I have no idea how many more past that I will receive. I have been trying to get myself to draw up the budget for the rest of the year but, it is like I suffer from brain farts every time I try. My mind won't calculate pass the next check. HMMM!

This journey hasn't been an easy one

2009-11-17T01:06:00.006-05:00

I cannot say that this debt free journey has been all roses. I get sick of being broke. Committing myself to soup and sandwiches everyday for lunch has not been fun either.

(shameless plug to my favorite bread and soup makers)

But, I keep telling myself that every payment is worth it. Not having new clothes or for that matter winter clothes sucks ( I have gained weight so my old clothes don't fit anymore, so I gave them to goodwill. I am not going to hang on to the illusion that I will fit into a size 6 again when I am a size 10. Oh yeah! Hips and booty for days. I'm still proud at this size. I don't love my thighs I want to be more toned but, for an anorexic girl with an eating disorder I'm doing pretty damn good). I don't completely deny myself while paying off debt but, I do have limits now. I allowed myself to purchase new work pants but, now I have no long sleeved shirts and sweaters for winter. There will probably always be something I "need" to buy but, if I go buy everything I will wind up back where I started, "in more DEBT!".

The journey to adulthood has been a long one for me as well. I have been a spoiled pampered princess for as long as I could remember. My mom cleaned my room for me, made my dinner and did all "my chores" . This was well into my twenties when my parents separated and divorced. I lived with my mom until I was almost 27. I also carried this debt with me all that time. I am not saying that I am not still spoiled. I have a fiancé who can't tell me no. He can't stand to see a pout on my face. When he saw how much I wanted to pay off my debt he told me to move in and he'd pay all the bills for us (apt rent, cable, lights, heat etc we have two other roommates). I have since been attacking this debt like it is going out of style. You'd be amazed with what you can do when you have $500 more to pay on bills every month.

I still suffer from consumptionitis (yeah I made that up) but, I save for the big stuff now. I wanted my Sony DSLR camera and I saved for it with my fiancé. I got it. Now I am enjoying the hell out of it. I plan out my paycheck so I am putting all the money where it needs to go when it needs to go. I'm motivated by watching my debt shrink every pay period. I enjoy knowing that I have emergency money in case an emergency does pop up. I would like to grow it bigger but, that'll come in time.

I have slipped many, many times in the past. I amaze myself at how focused I am at getting this debt paid off for our future. Yes, I am also doing this for myself. Debt is not sexy.

I am looking forward to rewarding myself with a new wardrobe (paid for in cash of course). I want to be able to bank roll everything. I know a house will be a bit much to bank roll but, a car shouldn't be. I can't wait to feel how amazing it feels to be out from all of this debt! This path I am on right now sucks like all get out but, it won't suck forever. One day I will truly be out from under the credit card and car debt and I will be able to breathe freely. I won't feel that monkey weighing me down anymore. It'll be lovely!

Blogtastic Update

2009-11-16T08:25:00.003-05:00

So I am coming out of my funk with a blogtastic update. Y'all ready?! My debt repayment totals are so gangsta! Oh yeah!

Peep this y'all:

AT&T $4,172.63
Citi $1,809.67
Total $5,930.74

That is a long way from the $11.109.33 I had when I restarted this blog in June of 2007.Coming down the $5G mountain. Whew who! She'll be coming round tha moutain when she comes! I'm seeing the finish line coming!

A Nice surprise

2009-11-15T19:50:00.001-05:00

I received these coupons and a few others from Kroger this month. I love getting things free. Who doesn't so I was elated to see that I had coupons for free cereal and tylenol. They even gave me a coupon for free salad dressing. Whew Who! I am the type of person who'll go to the store and just use the free coupons and leave. Of course, I'll wind up patronizing the store another day but, it feels good to walk out with product that cost you nothing (Especially if you stop on your way home from work. I pass Kroger anyway so it is no extra gas spent). Thank you Kroger! I will be hitting you up soon for my free groceries, then for my thanksgiving groceries. I have the task of making cheesecake with my nephew. I so look forward to it.

Clearing the mark

2009-11-13T02:54:00.001-05:00

With today's payment I will be glad to say that my Citibank card is officially below the $2,000.00 mark. I am applying $252.04 to the card today. That'll make my balance $1,809.64. Uhn, Uhn, get it, get it! D.C. making tracks. Chugga Chugga Whoo whoo! In the words of Quagmire, "Alright, Giggidy!"

Okay had to celebrate there for a moment. So the Citibank continues to go down. Uh hun! and if I keep these payments steady through the holidays and into next year by February I should have only one card left on my hit list. My AT&T Universal Card. The oldest card in my collection. Oh the memories of shopping at Express and buying the all white Reebok classics (it's a Georgia thing. What you know about that). Now I can finally pay all of it off. Gonna say good bye to the Guess shopping sprees of $200 to $300 in one trip. Oh wait I had those jogging pants on this week. Seven years later and I am still paying for them. Think about that for a minute. Ewhhhh! That's okay though. I am grown now and I know better. I will pay this debt off!

I'm focused man!!!!!!!!!!!

Annual Pocket Violating Time

2009-11-12T02:38:00.001-05:00

Yep, it is that time. Time for the insurance company to rape your pockets. You all know this one. I am talking about annual enrollment. Whew Who!!! Let's see what we have here. Ah yes! The Medical Deductible just went up from $350 to $450 (oooh bend over for it). And what else do we have here. Well looky here Dental has gone up $50 more dollars to $100 now for the deductible. OOOhhh and specialist visits have gone up $25 to $50 per visit. Wonderful!!!! I am sure I will be more willing to see my specialist knowing that I gotta come out the pocket $50 every visit. Nothing like isurance plans. Oh yeah, let's hear it for the $150 prescription deductible.

I'm sorry, did I see a salary increase. Let me look here. Uhm no, no not there. No it doesn't look like my paycheck has changed. No not clearing $50K or better. Nope nowhere near that. Uhm yeah!

But, you can pay with your pretax dollars through your flexible spending card. Oh is this the card that when I use it you try to dispute the usage of my own money to pay for medical and dental expenses? Is this the one where you ask for my first born and a blood oath for? Oh yes that one. Yeah that is wonderful. I love keeping all the documents from my medical bills past just in case in the next three years you get the itch to ask about them so that I can produce them for you.

Anyone else think this healthcare market has lost its f*$#ing mind?

Charge us more ever year and cover us less every year. It's a win win situation.

Uhhh. Pocket rape should be a crime!