I'm too afraid to set 2009 Financial goals....we did so well in 2007 and 08 until I got ovarian cancer.  We still have no credit card debt (thank you, Dave Ramsey) but we did wipe out our savings (including the emergency fund) this year.  And we both work for the same company, which is in bad shape.  I don't know from week to week which of us will get the ax first.  We don't have car payments either, so I'm just crossing my fingers that we stay employed and can get back on Ramsey's way with gazelle intensity here soon.....

GOOD LUCK to you, btw....it does work!!!

The definition of insanity to do the same thing, over and over, and expect different results......Albert Einstein.

Taskmom3 - I am so sorry to hear about your health issues and insecurity with the jobs!  I'll say a prayer for you!

But, thank you for responding and sharing your experience using Dave's philosophy.  I know his approach works and I get inspired to hear others' stories. 

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taskmom, I was just thinking about you yesterday! I haven't seen you on here for a while (we may be running in different circles). I think of you often and said a prayer for you last night.

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Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

My goal will be to get Upromise link up to the kids 529 accounts by January 31 and to get Vanguard IRAs setup and direct-deposited to for me and DH. I need to look into what the minimum amounts to open an account are before I determine when we can do that by. We may have to save for one, open it and then save for the other and open it.

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Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

Dagnabbit, I wish the edit function would work consistently in firefox!

eta - oh and by the end of the 1st quarter have a pricebook on where I can get groceries the cheapest that will fit the new diet we are doing - no preservatives, additives, food coloring, high fructose corn syrup, etc. These items will be more expensive and have less coupons than all the pre-packaged stuff, but it will be worth it to be healthier and hopefully improve DS's behavior.

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Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison

My DH and I have a few goal that we can reach.

1.  We have a loan taken out from his 401k that comes out of his check.  This will be finished in April

2.  We have a computer purchase loan through his work that will be finished in June (they let you have $1500 a year to purchase a computer you just have to pay it within a year and it has to come out of your check) 

We just finished paying off his school loan.

We have one credit card that we will finish paying off once we get his bonus or our taxes.  Then we are going to take the rest of that money and put it into savings and at the end of the year we will pay an extra house payment of hopefully like $5000.  We really want to pay off our house as soon as possible.  Our one car will be payed off in April of 2010, so only one more year of that.  Woohoo!  Once that is payed off we will purchase, out right, a second cheap car and then put lots extra money to our house.

I just read the Total Money Makeover so we are starting our TMMO in January!  Here it goes:

1.  Save our $1K emergency fund - Jan 09

2.  With income tax - pay off 2 CC's (our new floors and hubby's TV) and the rest of DH medical bill - Feb 09 (from now on no 12mo same as cash - save for items!) ($5,000)

3.  Pay off DH school loan - June 09 ($2,600)

4. Pay off CC Dec 09 ($9,000) (YAY - debt free except my SL ($20K) and Mortgage - my sl will be paid off in Feb 11 if not sooner! - Shooting for Dec 2010) 

**so paying off over $14,000 of debt in 2009!!!!

5.  Also planning on cutting back on groceries - to needs only (not going to get coffee, junk food, and other nonessential items) to help our debt reduction.

6.  We may also be selling our paid off 02 Suburban for a used Chevy Express 12 passenger van - we're running out of space! So we may make money on the deal - we'll see.

So there it is - my embarrasing debt!  But I have to acknowledge what we've gotten ourselves into in the past.  2009 starts a new lifestyle for us!  I've always been a frugal person and I plan everything out - type a personality so we're on the right road now!  I always wanted to do this and I'm blessed to have found Dave Ramsey's book - I only wish I knew about it earlier!

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Choose your battles.

They're only little once, cherish every moment.

SuperMOMof4andMore - I feel the same as you do!  I wish I would have heard about Dave Ramsey's book a long time ago.  Things would be much different! 

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