Not For Sale!!!

I wish I could afford to take 20% of my paycheck out, but if I did that it would be that living off the rest that would be a problem.

 

Good to hear, 007.
I feel ya though. My wife just went back to work yesterday after raising our children for the last 4 years. I stress big time about finances, I don't like not paying my bills, but thats the way it is sometimes. I've been falling behind, thats why truck mods are in the backseat right now and why my wife got a job............I'm starting to ramble.....thats how much this topic gets to me!
Anyhow, you're not alone. Keep your head up, everything will work out.

 

I paid for my own college (not smart enough for a scholarship) and paid off my debt within one year, I have raised 5 kids on one salary, wife stayed home with the kids (we agreed on that from the start), currently have three in college, and two to go, my house is paid for (upper-middle class Pittsburgh home), and I have no debt. How did we do it? We have never owned a new car, I have put a lot of elbow grease into every home we have owned, and we live within our means, according to the formula. Sacrifices along the way? Yes. Worth it now? You bet.

I'm telling you, the formula is simple: 10% to charity, 10% to savings, and live on the rest. Actually, since we have been out of debt, we are saving more like 25% of our salary. I'm sure I make less than many of you on this board, with my govt salary.

The sooner you start, the better, because trying to cut back your habitual spending to get back within your means, and then trying to pare back the debts, is the hard part.

 

very good to hear my friend!! and this means you still will have the taco if you decide to make the trip for the carolina's tacoma meet!! awesome!

 

That is how it went in Houston, but I took a $20,000/year pay cut to get out of Houston (saved my marriage) in March. The wife hasn't been able to find a job that pays as much as the one she had in Houston either. We are also both in school (although right now I am on a break). What is really killing us - medical bills. I have been sick as a dog this past summer (digestive tract issues) plus we are still paying off my corneial transplant from last year (and I have to have another).

Exactly, right now we can't afford to put anything into savings. I am PAYING some one to buy my house in Houston because the market is so bad there. We are bringing $25,000 to the table just to close because we had to drop the price to get it to move.

Yeah, I am still paying for my own college (slacking off in high school is STILL chomping at my @$$). We have no credit card debt (everything is the two Toyotas and the two houses and the medical bills and the tuition). I have a list of mods 10 pages long that I want to do to my truck, but I can't do any of them until I can replenish my savings. My wife and I haven't been out to eat in months, and I am gaining weight just from the stress. My job is suffering as well. Hopefully the house in Houston will go to closing on October 5th. Then I can start to rebuild my broken empire.

I will be in West Jefferson, North Carolina for Thanksgiving (my parents are helping us pay to come out). I wish I was there right now to see the fall colors.

I will try my best to make it out for the Carolina Meet. We will see what happens.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I know it will all pan out the way it should. I am just trying to make it happen as soon as possible.

Cheers!

 

Sorry to hear about all your problems 007. What was going on in Houston that you had to move to save your marriage? (if thats too personal dont answer, i was just curious)

Thenrie: i agree with you. I hate being in debt and plan on paying it all off as soon as possible. Although right now my college loans are on the back burner. Actually let me specify, i have two college loans (i was also too stupid for scholorships) one through the state and one through citibank. Then i have the loan for my truck, all in all it adds up to about 50k. My truck is my number one priority. My payments are $425 per month and i pay $500 for each payment andusually make 2 payments per month (which means my next scheduled payment isnt due until january or febuary) My college loan through citi bank has a really high interest rate (almost 7%) so i do make payments but its more like every 6 months instead of every month. But i havent made a payment on my state loan in a year. I have always had loans paid off way before they were due, but right now my college loans are the least of my worries. I'm actually looking at a house so i want to get the big stuff with the high APR's paid off first.

 

My wife grew up in a small town in New Mexico. Houston just wasn't for her.

 

Houston isn't for any one

 

I moved around alot when I was young. I lived in Shiprock, NM. It was on a Navajo Indian reservation.

 

Then you know exactly where Farmington, NM is. I lived there for two years, met my wife, and got out. My mother was a doctor on the reservation for 5 years. My wife doesn't want to go back, but she doesn't want to be in Houston either.

 

I was only 4 years old when I lived there. I vividly remember burning my legs and ass on the scolding hot playground equipment!

 

LOL - I was in college. If I was on a playground, it was the middle of the night after a few beers, and I was probably doing something quasi illegal, but I can't remember.

 

Yeah, I hadn't quite hit that chapter in my life yet. I was well rooted on PA by then.

 

What a small world! I lived in Farmington nearly 7 years, from 97-03! What a great place for 4-wheeling, particularly rock-climbing! My 54 Willys is still sitting there. You may see it on ebay soon. My two oldest kids went to HS there. I spent most of my time on the reservation. Still have lots of friends there.

 

What's up with the Willy's? Got pictures?

 

Yeah. I'll post some this weekend. Don't have time right now.

 

I posted three pics of my Willys on my photo page if you want to take a look. It was a fun project and served its intended purpose well, which was to help father and son cement a solid relationship through the tough teenage years, while helping son develop skills in handling tools and building self-confidence. He learned welding, metal fab, body work, engine work, buy/sell parts, and last, but not least, to rock crawl and have fun in the desert! Took us two years. Stripped it down to the last nut and bolt. I had to leave it in storage in Farmington, NM when I transferred to Puerto Rico for nearly 4 years. That was less than a year after getting it back on the road. Now I'm here in Pittsburgh and they want $1500 to ship it out to me, so it's going up for sale. I spent over $7,000 on it (have receipts for more than that), so I can't see spending another bundle for shipping it here.

I have another 16-year-old boy now and am thinking about a new project. Recently saw an old Taco, maybe 82-85, sitting up to the mirrors in weeds. Maybe a good starting point for a fun 4WD project for father and son. We'll see.

Look for the Willys on ebay next month. I'm going out of town during Oct or I'd do it sooner.

 

They sure do hold value I just sold my 96 single cab 4x4with 183k for $6,000!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah I'm in college right now and thank goodness the military is paying my way, I still try and save, I put $200 or 50% of my income into a savings account and keep my credit card with a zero balance. I have one student loan 25k at 1% interest which is how I bought the taco and my triathlon bike (3k). I live off the remainder of the loan and the other $200 I earn. Some months it gets kinda close but I get by.