Journey Towards Financial Freedom

Hey, neighbors! I just got my updated mortgage statement and my balance is down to $65,559.74! That's a difference of $312.91, including my extra principle payment of $34.32.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5051.77

Mortgage Balance Difference: $312.91

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5364.68

Hi, everyone. I got paid today and so more money went to debt, savings, and retirement. I am doing so much better than I ever dreamed I would on this challenge. For the first time in well over a year, the regular savings account is over $1,000.00. Woo-hoo! I have worked really hard to get it there.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4919.02

$40.00 Regular Savings Deposit

$20.00 Slush Deposit

$22.75 cc #2 Payment (made a purchase on the card - this brings the balance to $0)

$50.00 cc #1 Payment

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $5051.77


I have also been stocking up on some foods that we use a lot when I see them on sale. This has helped me to level out the grocery budget better. I have also had good success with the fountain card this week. I will likely be making another $5.00 payment to cc #1 next week.

Hi, everyone.

I just cashed in some more survey points and rebates that will come to fruition soon.

I cashed in my rebates at mrrebates dot com for $11.97. I will get that at the end of the month.

I cashed in my survey points at epoll for $5.00.

I will probably be able to cashed in points at pinecone for another $5.00.

This will all make additional payments totalling $21.97 to cc #1.

Hi, everyone.

I figure I have saved at least $2.00 this week by using my fountain card and making my own tea. So, $2.00 is now on its way to cc #1.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4917.02

$2.00 extra payment

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4919.02

New cc #1 Balance: $4408.00

Hi, everyone.

My 52 Week Challenge is going great, better than I ever even dreamed. I feel so blessed. With Thanksgiving coming up, I feel that I should recognize that I am blessed with, among other things, 1) good health, 2) finances in good shape and improving, 3) friends, family, and a husband who all love me, and 4) a good job.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4727.02

$40.00 Regular Savings Deposit
$20.00 Car Savings Deposit
$20.00 House Savings Deposit
$15.00 AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit
$75.00 cc #1 payment
$20.00 slush savings

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4917.02

My challenge to limit trips to convenience stores has worked out famously with only 2 trips this week as opposed to daily trips previously, sometimes multiple times per day. All other food and beverages have been brought from home, prepared at work using teabags I brought to work with me, or purchased at work using my new fountain card.

Hi, everyone.

I am still trying to come up with more ways to spend less on stuff. As you know, I have been paying more attention to stuff I spend money on, like iced tea at convenience stores and such and applying the funds I don't use for that to paying off cc #1. Today, I also discovered that at my work's cafeteria where I sometimes buy lunch and iced tea, they have something called a fountain drink card where you can buy 10 refills (you must bring a refill cup which I already have) ahead of time for $6.00 plus tax or $6.56, which comes out to about 65 cents per refill. Yea. So, I have still been resisting going to convenience stores because that is usually $1.19 to $1.30 per 32 ounce drink depending on which one I go to. But at the work cafeteria, I can use the fountain card and save a lot of money. So, I bought one and have been using it for when I do buy iced tea on work days. Of course, I am also still making tea at work and drinking that much of the time, but sometimes, I want to get out of my office and do something different for a little bit. I am going to figure out the difference between what I was paying and what I am paying now and pay that to cc #1.

Woo-hoo! Spending less money on trinkets, blinkets, and shineys nets you more money to pay on debts and necessities. Sound obvious? Yes, it is, but some of us have to consciously remember WHY we are spending less money on stuff like cups on ice tea from a convenience store so that we can some day be out of debt. I have been consciously thinking about this lately and instead of buying iced tea every day, I have been making my own in a pitcher and drinking that. I also bought a 12 pack of sparkling seltzer water and added lemon juice and stevia for a refreshing, non caffeine beverage. Anyway, I am sending an extra $5.00 to cc #1 just because I have funds to do so due to less spending on stuff.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4722.02

cc #1 extra payment $5.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4727.02

Hi, everyone. I get paid tomorrow. I have already allocated funds for 1/2 of the mortgage and written out checks for a savings deposit, the trash bill, and the water bill.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4552.02

$40.00 Regular Savings Deposit
$5.00 AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit
$5.00 Escrow Savings Deposit
$23.00 House Savings Deposit
$22.00 Car Savings Deposit
$75.00 cc #1 payment

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4722.02

Hi, everyone.

I just got some great news yesterday and I thought I would tell you all about it as a caution to be aware and ask questions. I recently had some lab work done. I have health insurance that comes with a "lab card" that is supposed to insure, in most cases, that I don't have to pay a bill. There were a large number of tests run, but I was still surprised to get a bill of $107.00. I called the lab testing company to inquire if they had a list of tests that are covered so that I would know in the future if a certain test was run, I would have to pay for it. The person said they do not have a list, but asked what the problem was. So, I told her about the lab work and my lab card, which she asked me to send to her, which I did. One clue is that the name of insurance company listed on the bill was not mine. That was forwarded to billing and they fixed it straight away and said they had gotten incorrect billing information from the collection facility. Anyway, this is just a note to all of you that if you get a bill that does not seem right, ask questions. Woo-Hoo! I feel fantastic.

Hi, everyone. It's a day off, heck two days off, for me, but I still got paid today, so more dollars are going to savings, debt, and retirement. I have already allocated for 1/2 of the mortgage payment and car insurance.

Old 2015 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4392.02

$40.00 Regular Savings Deposit
$20.00 Car Savings Deposit
$20.00 House Savings Deposit
$20.00 AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit
$20.00 Slush Deposit
$40.00 cc #1 payment

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4552.02

Hi, everyone.

It has been quite a week at my house. Our air conditioner is finally functioning at peak capacity. It turns out the reason why the fan kept running all the time even if we had it turned off is because of two reasons: something called a relay was malfunctioning and a wire was hooked up wrong. Anyway, it's all fixed now. The weather has been rather cool here this last week, so we have not had the A/C on for at least four days. And because we have our new windows, we have had the windows open that entire time. For the last five years, we have not been able to open windows on cooler days because the windows did not open at all.

Also, today the deposit for my rebate from mrrebates came in and went right back out to cc #1. Woo-Hoo! So, here is my updated 52 Week Challenge Balance.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4381.58

mrrebates deposit $10.44

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4392.02

This brings the balance for cc #1 to $4496.78.

Hi, everyone. I got my Pinecone deposit today and my husband got his check, so here is the update to the 52 Week Challenge.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4309.10

Husband's payment to cc #1 $67.48
Pinecone Deposit $5.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4381.58

This brings the cc #1 balance to $4507.22.

I also got an email from mrrebates about my rebate of $10.44 being available. So, when that arrives in the bank account, I will send it to cc #1 also. Woo-Hoo!

Hi, everyone.

I just got a payment of $5.00 from Pinecone. As soon as it clears, I will send it right to cc #1.

My garden is doing well. My kale and lettuce are about 3 inches hall! In another few weeks, they will be ready for picking. Yummy!

I transferred money the other day to make the escrow payment. The transfer finally cleared, so I mailed the check today.

Tomorrow, my husband's check clears and $67.48 of that will go to cc #1.

I will post an updated cc #1 balance tomorrow after both payments clear.

I just my mortgage's escrow statement today. It states that my escrow account is short by $68.72 for the next year. Guess what? I have over $100 in my escrow savings account. So this will be taken care of in full and without any fuss on Monday. It feels so wonderful for something like this to be so easy to take care of because I thought ahead about it. I can easily remember a time when something like this would have sent me over the edge and in a panic. I am so happy.

Hi, everyone.

I just got paid today, so more money is going to debt, savings, and retirement.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4114.10

Regular Savings Deposit $40.00
cc #1 payment $75.00
Car Savings Deposit $20.00
House Savings Deposit $20.00
Escrow Savings $10.00
AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit $10.00
Slush Deposit $20.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4309.10

Hi, everyone. We have been working really hard keeping up with making regular payments with extra principal. We have been keeping up those increased payments even though we refinanced last year, reducing our required payment. We received our most recent statement. Our balance is down to $65,872.65! Woo-Hoo!

I am going to start counting the principal reduction (regular principal + extra) in each payment towards my 52 Week Challenge.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3956.56

Mortgage Principal Reduction $157.54

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $4114.10

Hi, everyone.

We have been waiting for awhile for a contractor to get back to us about 2 jobs we need him to do, installing a doorball and an outdoor light. We already had $300.00 set aside for paying for it. We got a curveball today when we realized our A/C was not working right and so had an A/C contractor come in to repair it. The repair cost $251.18 out of the $300.00 we had set aside. Arrgh!

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3947.56

$9.00 reimbursement from a friend for a purchase

I sent it to cc #1

Current 2015 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3956.56

Hi, everyone.

I got paid yesterday, so more money went to debt, savings, and retirement. Here are my amounts.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance $3820.11

Regular Savings Deposit $40.00
Slush Transfer $20.00
DH's payment to the credit card #1 $67.45

New 52 Week Challenge Balance $3947.56

Also, other recent frugal activities include 1) planting kale, spinach, and arugula for a winter garden, 2) buying clear plastic containers cheap to use as covers for garden when it gets really cold this winter. I plan to plant some lettuce tomorrow. This winter garden will contribute significantly to my being able to eat organic veggies this winter without breaking the bank.

Hi, everyone. I occasionally order things online and access most vendors I deal with for that through mrrebates in order to get deals like free shipping and rebates. I cashed in my rebates today and so will get $10.44 on October. As soon as it clears, I will send it right to the credit card and update my 52 Week Challenge Balance.

Old 2015 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3700.11

Car Savings Deposit $20.00
House Savings Deposit $20.00
House Escrow Deposit $10.00
AAA/Car Tax Savings Deposit $10.00
Regular Savings Deposit $40.00
Slush Deposit $20.00

New 2015 52 Week Challenge Balance $3820.11

Hi, everyone. More progress to report on the 52 Week Challenge here. I just got a Pinecone deposit in the amount of $5.00, so I sent it directly to cc #1. Woo-Hoo!

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3695.11

Pinecone deposit $5.00

Current 2015 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3700.11

Hi, everyone. Several days ago I got a $25.00 Toluna suurvey check in the mail. I deposited it and as soon as it cleared, I sent it to cc #1. Woo-Hoo! This feels great.

I should be able to cash in at mrrebates before the month is over. That will be about $10.00.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3670.11

cc #1 payment $25.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3695.11

Hey, everyone. I just got the latest mortgage statement. I am almost under $66,000. Woo-hoo!

Hi, everyone. I get paid again tomorrow, so more money will be going to debt, savings, and retirement.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3570.11

Regular Savings Deposit $40.00
Car Savings Deposit $20.00
House Savings Deposit $20.00
Car Tax/AAA Savings $20.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3670.11

I plan to also pay $100.00 to cc #1 tomorrow.

Hi, everybody. Well, it seems I have only about $243.00 left of the reimbursement and my husband and I have chosen to use it for both of us to go see a new doctor in town.

Tomorrow, I get paid and so here is my update of the 52 Week Challenge. As always, more money is going to debt, savings, and retirement.

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3392.66

Car Savings $20.00
House Savings $20.00
Regular Savings $40.00
Slush Deposit $20.00
cc #1 payment $77.45

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3570.11

Hi, everyone. In the mail today, I got something I had actually forgotten all about, a rebate check for Dickinson's astringent for $4.99. I have already deposited it and authorized payment to cc #1. This brings my 52 Week Challenge Balance to $3302.66. Woo-Hoo!

And now for something to give you a giggle, especially if you are a Star Trek fan. This shot came from an original Star Trek series episode called "The Trouble with Tribbles" that aired in 1967.

Hi, everyone. I got a survey deposit from Pinecone. I will pay it directly to cc #1.

Prior 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3382.67

Pinecone Survey Deposit $5.00

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3387.67

Okay. I have been disbursing more of my reimbursement money, so at the bottom is an update of everything I have done so far.

Specifically what's changed is:

$50.00 cc #1 payment

$50.00 another $50 on trip out of town next week

$100.00 slush money redirected towards door bell installation

$82.63 from the other things I have not thought of category (money I spent purchasing a doorbell, transformer, and doorbell button at Home Depot)

Total done yesterday and today is $282.63 .



1118 REGULAR REIMBURSEMENT FUNDS
-50 part of trip out of town (DONE!!!)
-60 house savings (1/2 DONE!!)
-60 car savings (1/2 DONE!!)
-100 regular savings
-200 yard light/doorbell installation allocation (DONE!!!)
-100 cc #1 (DONE!!!)
-75 escrow (-20 TOWARDS THIS SO FAR!!)
-40 fun money
-100 extra slush (redirected towards yard light/doorbell) (DONE!!!)
-283 other that I have not thought of ($82.63 of this spent on buying new door bell at Home Depot)
0


This brings my 52 Week Challenge Balance up a little bit to $3382.67.

So, if you recall in my last financial post, I still had $58.00 of my $500.00 reimbursement left. Well, today I sent that to cc #1.

Also, I finally got the second part of my reimbursement in that amount of $1118.62. I have already sent $80.00 total to house, car, and escrow savings. I have also allocated $200.00 for the yard light and doorbell replacement.

$1118.62
-50 1/2 of trip to fayetteville
-60 house savings (1/2 DONE!!)
-60 car savings (1/2 DONE!!)
-100 regular savings
-200 yard light/doorbell (DONE!!!)
-100 cc #1
-75 escrow ($20 TOWARDS THIS SO FAR!!)
-40 fun money
-100 extra slush
-283 other that I have not thought of
0

Old 52 Week Challenge Balance: $2885.25

$80.00 Savings Deposits
$58.00 cc #1 payment
$200.00 set aside for home repairs/maintenance

New 52 Week Challenge Balance: $3223.25