Living on a Discount
This blog my accountability. I'm not writing it teach someone how to get
out of debt. I'm writing it because I want to document my journey
living life on a sale.
I'm a 33 year old married mother of one. My family and I own an
apartment in New York with a mortgage, we just bought a new car and have
a car payment and my daughter needs daycare and a sitter to take care
of her while my husband and I work. We're your typical American family
that has a lot of debt.
I was fortunate enough not to have to take out any undergraduate loans.
My family qualified for financial aid, I went local so I did not have to
pay for room and board, I lived with my family and I worked my ass off.
For a good two years of my life I was going to school full time and
working 3 part time jobs so I wouldn't have to ask my parents for money.
So I understand what it takes to make a dollar.
So how does this supposedly hard working girl get into debt. It was a lot of bad choices.
When my now husband and I got engaged, I was swept into the whole "dream
wedding" idea. I knew what was told to me in magazines, tv shows and
movies. I got into the hype of the blogging world. People documenting
their planning experience and the extravagant things they bought to make
it into the perfect wedding.
I was never dreamed of my wedding when I was younger. I dreamed of
college, landing a high paying job, with a house in Connecticut like in
Who's the Boss? .
So what happened? I met the Jones and I wanted to keep up with them. The worst decision I ever made.
I had excellent credit at the age of 22. I was able to buy a car with
the lowest interest rate. I paid my one credit card on time and because
of that, they raised my credit limit to about 20k.
So when I met the Jones I needed everything they had. I threw away
everything I learned about being frugal, saving for everything you want.
I became impatient and I wanted things NOW! so I started to use my
credit and leave a balance on my credit card. It was small at first, I
would pay it off by the 2nd month making biweekly payments, but the
Jones upped the ante. So I started to go beyond what I was making and
you can guess what happened next... DEBT.
Yes I know I'm blaming my problem on something that isn't really real. I
know the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, so I'm
admitting to it now. And this blog is here to help me be accountable. I
know it's not going to be an easy road but I order to move forward, I
need to take the first step.
So ground rules:
1. Everything that I buy must be on sale. So if the store has a sale
that's great. Full priced item BUT I have a coupon, awesome. So you get
the point and why this blog is called living life on a sale.
2. I can only buy things I need. So no more walking into a store at
lunch and buying something. If it ain't broke I can't get it, even if
it's on sale.
3. If I need the item, I must write down why I must have it. - accountability
4. Make a budget and stick to it.
5. Start saving and paying down debt.
So this is going to happen and I'm going to succeed!
More to come....
