The Go Green CHALLENGE!

Its challenge time again!!! Yes I know, when have I EVER completed a challenge right?? Hey Im trying to motivate myself and some reason the word challenge motivates me so whatever works!

The Entire MONTH of June is going to be a month of transformation as I prepare to turn 28 which is a big deal, as is everything in my life because I enjoy making every bit of life about me (kidding). I am going to be working on better health better body and total make-over so to speak. In my 28th year I WILL be debt free so I just want to prepare to look as good as a DEBT free woman can look and feel!! As I was looking at my budget I realized June will be the first month that I have full paychecks to work with. Im down to 1 final debt (Student loan) and its important that I get serious and not be so whimsical with my budget to make sure Im staying on track.

So I thought it would be fun to go DEBIT CARDLESS for a WHOLEEEEEEEEEE MONTH and just use cash. This should 1. keep me from always having to balance my checkbook register, and 2. help me pay better attention to the budget, knowing I don't have access to a debit card on a whim.

I noticed that when my paycheck got deposited I had more money than I have had in a LONG time that has NO BILLS tied to it. It would be easy for me to splurge here n there knowing I only have one debt (other than my house) to pay on and I do NOT wanna go down that path. I could see myself easily saying "oh mikki everybody has student loans" but NO, I have worked way to hard to make it to the end of my debt freedom so I can't stop now!!

So after I grocery shop, and pay all my monthly expenses I am going to LITERALLY FREEZE THE DEBT CARD. You know how you always see in the movies "break glass incase of emergencies" Yes I am gonna do that to my debt card. Im excited about it and can't wait to see how accurate my spread she has been over the last 6 months.

On June 1st I am going to post my budget, allow readers to see if I am being realistic about it, and to hold me too it.

If anyone else wants to go GREEN let me know, maybe I will include a prize for the person who actually can use cash all month!!!

Unexpected Expenses, How to Cope

December is always a time of reflection for most people. Embarking on a new year, attempting to do things different from the year before. As I reflect on 2009, I see a lot of accomplishment and I am so proud of many things that have occurred in my life. However 2009 wasn't such a great year for my finances because honestly for the most part I neglected them.

This year I am seriously seeking debt freedom and I don't want to have another year fly by without having done everything I could have possibly done to become debt free. So as I look over last years expenses I noticed I was doing a lot of unexpected things. Car repairs, home repairs, trips and shopping. Even though I will be going into 2010 in the black I am way off target for paying off stuff and I know it was because of the unexpected. But alas I have a solution!! Put it in the budget!!

I realize I am a woman after a clean heart, meaning I like everything simple. I thought I was getting simple by creating an unrealistic budget. How so you ask?? I did everything In my power to keep everything 0 dollars. I figure the less zero's I saw, the less I was spending right? wrong!! Because I didn't plan, I ended up spending more that I should have on certain things. The way I plan to keep from doing that this year is being realistic. I know my car is going to need some type of repairs, I am gonna wanna take a trip to somewhere, and by golly I am definitely going to go shopping for new clothes. If I allocate something, even if its only a little to each of these accounts, it won't be so devastating when I actually do need to spend the money.

Hopefully I will have a budget sheet on here soon for everyone to use and go through the process together. So people, what are some of the things you plan to do differently with your money this year? Inquiring minds would like to know.....

Why Become Debt Free?

As stated in the last post, I started my debt free journey 2 years ago and it been a crazy wild trip. It hasn't all been fun, matter of fact about 35% of the time I have struggled. I have moved 2 times during the process, worked 2 jobs, and fixed my car at least 4 times without resorting to throwing in the towel and buying new. Its not all that easy refraining from a habit you have kept most of your adult life.

When I share my story with people I get a variety of questions and responses like : "you could die tomorrow" or "you never get to have fun" or my very favorite one "good luck with that" Its never really bothered me much because from day one I started seeing progress. However the biggest question would always remain "why do this?" Well let me tell you my list could get rather long but since this is a new site and I want folks to come back I will just leave you with my top 5 reasons.

1. Being broke sucks!! - Yep I said it, I never realize in all my 27 years how much I DIDN'T get to do, until I started getting out of debt. Sure I ate at the occasional steakhouse or took a trip a state or two over once a year and I even shopped when I felt like it. But man once I started focusing on paying off debt I saw how much of a life I DIDN'T HAVE. My friends were always going on trips, going to parties, buying clothes every other day, driving nice cars and doing things I dreamed of when I didn't have money. I never noticed because I was too busy keeping afloat so it didn't seem like life was really happening around me. Now that I am almost debt free I have found a million and one things to do AFTER im debt free, and prayerfully I get to do them now that debt won't be holding me back.

2. I can't ever give to people in need - Have you ever said to someone "Im sorry can't help you money is tight" 20 or more times?? I know I have and its not a good feeling when you can't help those especially in your family, when they are in need. Becoming debt free has given me much financial backing enough so that I COULD do for others, not all the time but way more than I ever could before. Not only can I give money, I don't even have to (nor will I ) expect it back. Talk about a good feeling eh?

3. I hate telling folks I like to travel but never do - I went to south Africa when I was 17 and that was a couple months shy of 10 years ago. I would love to travel outside of the country again and even go to cool places in the states, but money has always been an issue, im looking to renew my passport soon and hopefully this time I can use it more than every 10 years.

4. I want to get married one day - Ok guys so be serious with me for a moment, have you ever dated someone and have one of the requirements be "you must have a credit score of 700 or more to date me" Ok me neither but I don't plan on it either lol. Seriously who wants to go into a marriage with LOADS of debt? Money fights is one of the main causes for divorce and I do not want to end up being like 50% of America.

5. I want to pay for my kids college - I don't actually have children yet and I pray the lord blesses me with 4 little ones, but I want to be prepared. I don't want to have college NOT be an option for my kids or have them be bogged down by financial problems that they can't focus on their studies. I know how difficult it has been for me in the past and I want my kids to not only have an opportunity to experience a debt free college but I want them to graduate knowing how money REALLY WORKS which apparently you can't get that in college.

So these are my top 5 reasons for wanting to be debt free. I am aware that some people might not actually agree with the path im on but its been very rewarding. I look forward to sharing more about my progress and one day you will get to hear me scream IM DEBT FREEEEEEEEEE!! So if you have reasons for wanting to be debt free let me know, or if you think its all crazy you can tell me that too lol what ever you do though give me a buzz!!