Blogging Away Debt Blogging Away Debt follows real people on their journey to debt freedom — with tips on the debt snowball, budgeting, cutting expenses, and staying motivated.

by Tricia

I received a new credit card yesterday to replace an older one. I always dread calling to activate new cards because I always seem to get someone who talks really fast and tries to sell additional services. You say no and then they read another script worded a little differently to try to seal the deal.

I didn’t get a fast talker this time but I did get a persistent person trying to sell me a program that would make my monthly payment if I lose my job, etc. The charge for this program depends on the balance on your card and this card is the one with the last of our credit card debt.

I’m not interested in a program like that and told the woman, “No thank you.” She went on again. I said, “No.” Then she got a little personal. “Do you have anything that will pay off your balance if you happen to lose your job?”

I am not a quick thinker. If my fifth grade teacher hadn’t of zapped the word, “Um…” from my vocabulary, I would be saying it all of the time (thanks, Mrs. R!). I don’t know where it came from, but I had a quick answer for her…

“My emergency fund.”

Dead silence on her end. I don’t think she expected to hear that. I didn’t expect to myself to say that! After a few seconds, she said, “Ok.” She didn’t discuss the program again and our call ended shortly after that.

I know we have more in savings than credit card debt. The whole thing is still a little surreal even though I’ve written about it on here and discussed it with my husband. Saying it out loud to someone else other than my husband made it really sink in. I can definitely understand why some people who have paid off their debt call into a radio show to yell that they are debt free.

by Tricia

I read an interesting article on Yahoo earlier tonight. I had no idea that you could purchase groceries at auction!

As consumers seek relief from the recession and spiraling food prices, grocery auctions are gaining in popularity as an easy way to cut costs.

[Via Yahoo.com]

I have worked in the grocery business, and I have had to throw out perfectly good food that was only a day past their use by date. It made me feel sick to my stomach – it was good food going to waste. It seemed like there could be a place for that food to go instead of the dumpster. Hearing about these auctions gives me hope about that practice. The store makes some money and people get discounted food – it’s a win-win!

The story also got me thinking about waste in general. I have heard stories about retail stores that throw out perfectly good products that they no longer wish to have on their shelves. Although I am not happy we are in a recession…perhaps there will be some positives that come from it. I hope stores decide to go the auction route with products that were going to end up in the dumpster.