From the Heart: Creativity

Many people think that being on a budget means you can't be romantic. Quite the opposite! You now have the opportunity to throw away the normal 'go out to dinner or a movie' routine and use your creative skills for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, Valentines day, or nights you just want to be together. Make your sweetie a coupon book of things they can have you do, like washing the dishes or a foot massage. Cook their favorite meal, set up candles and put out the fine china that you never use. This way, you get more time in each other's company without all the worry of driving and spending money, and with the extra bonus of showing your love and appreciation through your thoughtful efforts.


HeartTip#3

From the Kitchen: Use What You Have

Before deciding what to make, see what you have, make a chart if you can be that organized. Always use things that you have before going to buy something. This has saved us big time.

You (I, always) spend more going out to the store than you planned to, not to mention you could have spent nothing just using leftovers or using things you would never have thought could go together.

You always have some cans of some veggies in your pantry like corn or peas; throw them a pot with some water and spices, add anything else you may have lying around (meat, beans, celery, or carrots), toast some bread with butter and garlic powder and you are good to go for at least one meal, maybe two!

In this case all we had was rice, cream of chicken, and, of course, frozen broccoli.

From the Bank: If You Don't Have it

Wise words from youtube's Kid President:

"If you don't have no money, don't spend it... don't spend it."

It is his simplistic take on the US economy but I think it settles with all of us. No matter how you came upon your current debt, you have decided to pwn it, so DON'T GET MORE. Just remember, we are trying to lower those debt figures. If you already have debt, you should probably not get a credit card. Buying on credit means buying something before you have the money. Even if you do have money, or will have it, its just too much temptation to spend more than you have, too much interest if you miss a payment, another set of money to keep track of and think about, and you will usually always be behind on a payment, which just means you're in debt, again. Obviously if its an emergency, do what you must, but these will be rare occasions. Before getting a credit card or another loan on something big, ask family, ask friends, if they think your purchase is a good decision or even if they would help you with the funds if it is something you need.

This goes for your budgets, too. Don't spend over your set budgets. You may have enough money to get those shoes or that tool, and it won't seem like that much, but every purchase outside of necessity or the occasional treat, means a longer time snuggled close to your debt, with added interest. If all of your budgets are maxed, don't buy anything else, even if your account says you have the money. You can put the extra money into your debts or into savings. The quicker you pay off your debts, the smaller your total payoffs will be.


BankTip#3

Tip From the Heart: Hope

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed and happy are those whose help is in the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

          -Psalm 146.

Ask God for help and steadiness, you alone cannot accomplish anything. Ask God for peace and perserverence in the midst of debt.

Tip From the Kitchen: Pinterest & Google are your Friends.






You don't need to be a chef to use your kitchen, certainly neither of us are.

I use Pinterest.com a lot for ideas that are cheap but fun. I also frequent Google search for "cheap, easy, quick dinner recipes". This tip is one of the hardest to keep up, we really enjoy socializing over food. Try to realistically budget for this one to not drive yourself mad with budgeting and swear it off altogether out of excessive restriction and frustration (totally guilty).



             Why use your kitchen more?

  

1. Cost. Restaunts will at least initially cost you $5 for a tip for two. Right there you will spend more than we may for several nights cooking in the kitchen. Not to mention that most side items or appetizers will cost more than several dinners for two in your own home.

2. Social eating. You (I) always end up spending, getting, and eating, more than you planned.



3. Health. I don't get on a nutritional soap box often, but you are able to know and control what goes into your food, any therefore your body, if you make it.

  

Spent 5 minutes looking up dinner ideas and found "Savory Pepper Steak"

    -Pinterest (http://www.six-cents.com/2012/06/crockpot-freezer-cooking-101.html).

Tip From the Bank: Mint.com

Now that you have decided to pwn your debt, you need to figure out how! Mint.com is a great tool to help you do just that! My husband and I have been using it for almost 2 years; we love it and it has been quintessential for helping us reach our goals of debtlessness! My husband's brother initially showed it to us to help with budgeting as we start out. Since then we have shared it with anyone who will listen.

Why Mint.com?

1. Easily tracks your spending.

• This alone would have made me use Mint.com, I frequently do not have time, or would rather spend my time elsewhere, to track all of my transactions and totals, for the weeks and months, not to mention keeping track of it all and orderly enough to read for years.
• Sometimes we don't see the enormity of what we are spending money on until it is totaled in front of us on the screen. You will be able to see where you can (shopping, eating out, bills) and where you can't (rent, bills, insurance) limit or cut your spending. Even things you may think you need, you find you are spending too much money on for its worth (examples for us: cable, smart phones, new car, house, some insurances).

2.   Automatically calculates your budget.

• Custom your budget categories. Create dozens to be specific or, like we do, create only a few categories so we can cut down on increasing overall monthly budget. (We started with more categories than we do now to be specific but realized that doing that created a larger budget than we desired. We encompassed several categories into one with a small but reasonable size.
• Custom your budget amounts. When you first start budgeting, you may need to monitor your financial activities before you can set up a useful and feasible budget. Since Mint counts all your transactions, you won't forget any purchases as you might with manual budgeting.
• Mint shows you immediately how much over or under in each budget category. This will help you make better decisions throughout the weeks, months, and years. We (I, always) usually overestimate how much money we have left to spend, and regrettably spend money when we shouldn't.

3.  Easily tracks debts and goals to payoff.

• Add any student loans, other loans, and/or credit cards to your accounts. Add a goal to payoff these debts. One of my favorite features because you can see your transactions and debts interacting. The way you spend, as shown in your budgets, directly affects your goals to debt payoff. Spend too much in a budget category and can't afford to make a debt payment, and actually see how your goal date is extended. Having this tool to physically see your debts decrease or increase according to your spending has been essential for extra motivation, especially when the end date comes closer and closer.

Outsider review of Mint.com: http://investorjunkie.com/54/mint-com-review/

First Tips from the Bank, the Kitchen, and the Heart

Tip#1 from the Bank

Decide that you want to pwn your debt.



Tip#1 from the Kitchen

Find one.



Tip#1 from the Heart

Peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of God.