Freedom Friday- Financial Peace Giveaway!

* This is going to be a giveaway blog, so be sure to post a comment! I will be using a random number generator to pick the winner! *

I know, I know- I'm supposed to be sharing my progress on clearing out the dining room today... BUT it's not quite done and I need to find a new home for our extra Financial Peace University kit- so I'm killing two birds with one stone!

Back in 2003, I started listening to the Dave Ramsey Show everyday at work. At the time, I was in a BIG financial mess. I took my first FPU class in early 2005 when Havie and were still dating. I was determined to fix my mess before we potentially got married. I got a 2nd job selling fine Jewelry at Foley's evenings and weekends. My mess was just too big to make an impact. Or so I thought at the time.

When we got engaged, I found out pretty quickly that Havie had his own mess. It wasn't as big as mine and it was totally different. He has never had a credit card (and never will!) or student loans (and never will), but he had a leased vehicle that went bad and tons of medical bills. I didn't feel as bad knowing that he had bad credit along with me.

So, happily we ignored our debt together. For three years! We were making a decent living between the two of us, and we were spending it all! We had some "stuff" to show for it, but mostly we were always left wondering where it went. It makes me ashamed to admit that we were constantly behind on our bills. There was no excuse for it! Just utter immaturity on our parts. Sure, we were paying cash for everything, but our electric was about to be cut off... duh!

Anyway, about a year ago, we decided to take action. We signed up for a FPU class as a couple, finally. I had been trying to convince Havie for years, and he reluctantly decided to go with me. All it took was the first class and he was hooked. Dave's no-nonsense style is just what he needed! We were so far behind on everything that we couldn't even thing about getting to babystep 1! It took us the entire class to just get our monthly bills on time and get on a working budget.

We've been on a monthly budget ever since and it is our biggest lifesaver. Money is something we simply DON'T fight over anymore. We both know where our money is going before the month even starts. We've also accomplished baby step #1- $1,000 in Savings for an Emergency Fund, and I'm proud to tell you that we still haven't had to touch it even with Havie not working! We were starting our Debt Snowball (babystep #2) this summer when everything got turned upside down.

We are REALLY looking forward to tackling our debt when Havie gets back to work soon. To get ourselves back in gear, we are reading Total Money Makeover. I would recommend it to anyone- whether you are in a good financial state or not. It is full of hope and inspiration and real life stories of people who have found financial peace.

We already are one of those couples who have found financial peace eventhough we have a way to go. We are changing our family tree. It is amazing! All it takes is living like no one else so later we can LIVE like no one else! Normal is broke- we wanna be wierd!

***** You could have your very own FPU kit! Just comment below to be entered into the giveaway!***** (Ends Friday, August 14, 2009)

Thankful Thursday

* For unconditional love... something I'm still wrapping my head around, but I'm starting to feel like it's everything

* For family- however dysfunctional.

* For knowing when to make amends and knowing when to swallow my pride.

* For knowing when to stand up for myself.

* For being able to make it through this time. I know you're going crazy, but I'm not. Let me remind you that it's going to be okay.

* For motivation- moving towards action. It's not about the outward appearance, even if it seems that way. It's about the freedom of health and feeling well.

* For friends with open hearts and minds who counsel, encourage, and kick me in the butt when I need it. You're amazing and I am blessed!

* For taking a little mental break this week to slow down a bit and recharge.

* For ladies with such positive attitudes that you just can't help joining in! I'm a bit more on the melancholy side, so it's a welcome change!

* For understanding myself more and more each day.

* For our future plans- they are so real and we have worked so hard to get here. We are going to make it! We're living like no one else today so later we can LIVE like no one else.

* For blog readers who don't leave comments... LOL, yes I'm thankful for you- Gives me a goal and makes me strive to be a better writer.

* Por mi vida loca... gracias

Winning Wednesday- Today is the Day

** WARNING **
This blog contains pictures that are incredibly embarrassing and potentially disgusting. Proceed with caution.

Ugh...

Today's Weight: 317.6 lbs.
Measurements: TBD (Couldn't find my little measuring tape)
BMI: 51.3 (Obese)

This time last year I had lost over 20 pounds with WW, Wii Fit and swimming all summer. I was feeling amazing! Then the school year started, my stress level went to an all time high, and I threw it all to the wayside. In January, I was proud that I had only gained back 5 pounds and was determined to turn it around again. We joined a gym, restarted our diet, and were doing great until school kicked back into stress mode for me. (Are you sensing a pattern?)

My first goals are:

1. Lose 20 lbs. to get under 300

2. Find a better way to deal with stress


I am going to start WW again this weekend. I just need the structure to keep me on track. I have joined a WW support group on Facebook- Chunky Monkeys NO More! It's made up of some girls from back home and they have already been very inspiring and positive.

I also have a workout buddy lined up! Thank you Michelle! I am really looking forward to being active again. I really do have more energy and feel better when I'm exercising.

I am so excited!

Random Tuesday- 80's Cartoons

Does anyone remember the Gummi Bears?

Don't worry- I couldn't remember the name of the cartoon either. Wow. It's kind of amazing that I'm starting to cross over the line where I can't remember stuff from my childhood. This was one of my favorite cartoons. I think it's important to keep some of these memories of joy from our childhood!

Havie loves to talk about cartoons from the 80's, but of course he watched all the boy ones- Transformers, Thundercats, He-man, etc. I finally got tired of forgetting the names and during a google search, I found this website.

Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Pound Puppies, Care Bears, Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers, Duck Tales, The Flinstones, The Jetsons, Fraggle Rock, Garfield and Friends, Inspector Gadget, Jem, Muppet Babies, My Little Pony, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Poochie, Punky Brewster, Richie Rich, Rainbow Brite, She-ra, Smurfs, Strawberry Shortcake, Super Mario Brothers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Wuzzles, Yogi Bear... woah, was I ever not watching tv as a kid?

What was your favorite cartoon growing up? Do you remember a specific episode?

Marriage Monday- It ain't all peaches and cream...

Now, that was an interested google image search... LOL

But seriously folks... it's the truth. I've always been one of those people who felt like they had to remind themselves that even when things are good- there's always another tough time around the corner... I think I've just seen so much disappointment in my days that I feel the need to protect myself from getting my hopes up.

But if I have learned anything in the last month- it's that tough times don't have to be BAD times.

Life has thrown us some curves and while we are dodging bullets- somehow we've managed to stay a team. FOR.THE.FIRST.TIME.EVER.

I know that we haven't been perfect- we never will because we are human beings. We've each individually had our moments, but that's all it has amounted to... a moment. It's an eye-opening experience for me. I honestly think that I've told myself all this time that fighting was inevitable. That we couldn't make it through tough times without fighting. I think I've justified it.

And without even trying, we have been making it through a very stressful few weeks without conflict. I know that if we managed this without trying, that it could me that we aren't just destined to fight with one another.

On our trip to Lubbock, we had probably the most frank and open conversation of our entire relationship. I came to understand my husband more than I ever had before... maybe it was the shift that has made the difference.

I'm not saying that we won't ever fight again, but maybe we won't... Maybe, just maybe, I can let myself believe.

Freedom Friday- The Elephant in the Room

We recently moved from a two bedroom, 1.5 bath townhome that had a big closet under the stairs, two hallway closets, and a small storage shed. We sized down to a one bedroom, one bath apartment with a HUGE walk-in closet, one tiny coat closet, and a laundry/storage closet. Essentially, we had to do some major downsizing. I was already pretty disorganized at the old house, but it was all hidden in our guest bedroom... Now this is what we are left with in what should be our dining room-

So, my goal for this next week is to get all of this in it's proper place. Most of it is going in our closet, but I'm not going to just throw it in there. I want to give everything it's own space. Quite a bit of this belongs in my filing cabinet which was moved over empty... That will be a project all in itself another week (or three). And some of that stuff is just plain not going to continue living with us.

This is our closet, which as you can see has a ton of possibilities and I'm trying to maximize our effective use of the space. If you have any suggestions, I need all the help I can get!

Thankful Thursday

* For family history- it's comforting knowing where you came from...

* for road trips with intense and honest coversations, something we really needed and so glad I understand now.

* for late nights of card games with the family

* for you being so close to my family, such a part of it- it's truly amazing and wonderful

* for having the gumption to say what needed to be said, even if I regret it later...

* for plans and goals... our future looks so bright

* for enough being enough, finally