Comments on: Money and Marriage: Tightening of the Financial Belt to Fight Debt http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/ Our Journey to a Debt-Free Life Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:05:18 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tricia http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-73934 Tricia Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:42:51 +0000 http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/#comment-73934 Carried - point taken about living beyond our means and that is how we got into debt in the first place. There is much to be said, however, about spending money (CASH only) on some things that will bring benefit to our life. The kayaks for one, mean that we are out exercising versus perhaps going out and going to the movies for entertainment. My bass guitar provides a great deal of musical pleasure and the stress relieving qualities are unmeasurable. The above could sound like rationalization and in part it is. But the point of my journey isn't to pay off our debt as quickly as possible. It is to foster a lifelong habit of spending less than we make. Fast forwarding to today, with paying off over $17,000 of our debt in less than a year and a half is quite an accomplishment since we only made around $48,000 last year and are making less than that so far this year. We are spending less than we make by leaps and bounds. It's all about balance, and I have learned a lot about that. Carried – point taken about living beyond our means and that is how we got into debt in the first place.

There is much to be said, however, about spending money (CASH only) on some things that will bring benefit to our life. The kayaks for one, mean that we are out exercising versus perhaps going out and going to the movies for entertainment. My bass guitar provides a great deal of musical pleasure and the stress relieving qualities are unmeasurable.

The above could sound like rationalization and in part it is. But the point of my journey isn’t to pay off our debt as quickly as possible. It is to foster a lifelong habit of spending less than we make.

Fast forwarding to today, with paying off over $17,000 of our debt in less than a year and a half is quite an accomplishment since we only made around $48,000 last year and are making less than that so far this year. We are spending less than we make by leaps and bounds.

It’s all about balance, and I have learned a lot about that.

]]> By: Carried http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-73823 Carried Sun, 24 Jun 2007 19:00:32 +0000 http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/#comment-73823 The reason you have debt in the first place is because you are living beyond your means. You apparently are unconcerned about that and are easily able to rationalize your expenditures for "wants", i.e. "toys", instead of sacrificing and limiting yourself to "needs" only. You're just like most people in today's materialistic society who have little self-control, an inflated sense of entitlement and that's why credit card companies are laughing all the way to the bank and the foreclosure rate is skyrocketing. I highly recommend you read Good Debt..Bad Debt by Jon Hanson. The reason you have debt in the first place is because you are living beyond your means. You apparently are unconcerned about that and are easily able to rationalize your expenditures for “wants”, i.e. “toys”, instead of sacrificing and limiting yourself to “needs” only. You’re just like most people in today’s materialistic society who have little self-control, an inflated sense of entitlement and that’s why credit card companies are laughing all the way to the bank and the foreclosure rate is skyrocketing. I highly recommend you read Good Debt..Bad Debt by Jon Hanson.

]]> By: Tricia http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-26658 Tricia Sat, 10 Mar 2007 14:10:01 +0000 http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/#comment-26658 Hi Chris, It's perfectly fine to respond to older posts. The blogging software I use lets me know of comments in the order they are received so I see them coming in. I think you and your wife have a healthy financial relationship. You are on the same page and are working towards a common goal. You guys should be really proud of yourselves! That's awesome what you are doing. Hi Chris,

It’s perfectly fine to respond to older posts. The blogging software I use lets me know of comments in the order they are received so I see them coming in.

I think you and your wife have a healthy financial relationship. You are on the same page and are working towards a common goal. You guys should be really proud of yourselves! That’s awesome what you are doing.

]]> By: Chris http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-26605 Chris Fri, 09 Mar 2007 22:23:32 +0000 http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/#comment-26605 I hope it is okay to respond to older posts, I just started reading your blog. When my wife and I started tackling our debt, we did it together. We sat down and made a spreadsheet that we could both read periodically to keep ourselves in the loop. While I handle most of the finances, we both look at the report and make big decisions together, such as what debt to tackle first, where we should put our extra money, etc. And we always report to each other when we spend, and ask before we buy something big. It will be nice when we can be financially stable enough to have our own checking accounts to spend as we like, but right now our system works for us. I hope it is okay to respond to older posts, I just started reading your blog.

When my wife and I started tackling our debt, we did it together. We sat down and made a spreadsheet that we could both read periodically to keep ourselves in the loop. While I handle most of the finances, we both look at the report and make big decisions together, such as what debt to tackle first, where we should put our extra money, etc. And we always report to each other when we spend, and ask before we buy something big.

It will be nice when we can be financially stable enough to have our own checking accounts to spend as we like, but right now our system works for us.

]]> By: Tricia http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-1008 Tricia Wed, 30 Aug 2006 22:29:45 +0000 http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/#comment-1008 In our relationship, it's a little bit different because I make the bulk of the money. He sort of gives in to me sometimes, I think. But I am fairly low maintenance and now that I have my bass guitar I pretty much have all the "toys" I want (there's an LCD TV calling my name still, but that's been controlled). For my husband, though, he drools over every computer magazine that comes in the house. He could easily spend $50,000 on computers and electronics if he had it. Me, I wouldn't know what to do. In our relationship, it’s a little bit different because I make the bulk of the money. He sort of gives in to me sometimes, I think. But I am fairly low maintenance and now that I have my bass guitar I pretty much have all the “toys” I want (there’s an LCD TV calling my name still, but that’s been controlled). For my husband, though, he drools over every computer magazine that comes in the house. He could easily spend $50,000 on computers and electronics if he had it. Me, I wouldn’t know what to do.

]]> By: Aimee http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-978 Aimee Mon, 28 Aug 2006 05:31:56 +0000 http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/#comment-978 I totally agree with you! The main problem we have is that it is him who gets to splurge and not me... this is something we are trying to work out. But I feel like since he is the one working hard to earn the money, he deserves the splurge the most. ;) We also try to budget a little wiggle room so we can pay cash for our fun purchases too. I totally agree with you! The main problem we have is that it is him who gets to splurge and not me… this is something we are trying to work out. But I feel like since he is the one working hard to earn the money, he deserves the splurge the most. ;) We also try to budget a little wiggle room so we can pay cash for our fun purchases too.

]]> By: Mighty Bargain Hunter http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/comment-page-1/#comment-976 Mighty Bargain Hunter Mon, 28 Aug 2006 05:04:37 +0000 http://www.bloggingawaydebt.com/2006/08/money-and-marriage-tightening-of-the-financial-belt-to-fight-debt/#comment-976 <strong>The 50th Carnival of Debt Reduction...</strong> Welcome to issue 50 of the Carnival of Debt Reduction! As an extra feature I’ll highlight the great work that some of the posters have done at reducing their debt, gathered from various sources, like individuals’ blogs, the No Credit Neede... The 50th Carnival of Debt Reduction…

Welcome to issue 50 of the Carnival of Debt Reduction! As an extra feature I’ll highlight the great work that some of the posters have done at reducing their debt, gathered from various sources, like individuals’ blogs, the No Credit Neede…

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