Numbers - Good and Bad

I am working like a mad women - setting up an on-line store for my business.  I have no interest in going through Etsy - I can market on my own.  I have heard that Etsy is no better at getting customers anyway, plus they charge you!

Anyway, here are our January numbers.

Debts:

401(k) loan for land
October 2017 Start - $42,627
Current -  $0

CC#1
October 2017 Start - $30,400.81
Current - $0

CC#2
October 2017 Start - $13,943.95
Current - $0

CC#3
October 2017 Start - $17,279.17
Current -$0

CC#4
October 2017 Start  - $32,855.22
Current - $28,635.75

CC#5
October 2017 Start - $0
Current - $26,886.00

Truck
October 2017 Start - $21,753.52
Current -$20,333.58

Car
October 2017 Start - $7,013.68
Current -$6,637.21

Mortgage
October 2017 Start - $332,480.00
Current - $329,047.54

Total Non-Mortgage
October 2017 Start - $165, 874.09
Current - $82,492.54

Total Debt
October 2017 Start - $498,354.09
Current - $411,540.01


OK, the Bad 1st.  We took advantage of a credit card offer for 0% interest for 18 months.  That is why the balance from CC#3 went away so quickly.  We did pay a little more off to CC#4 as well as a personal issue that came up that I do not want to divulge here.  We will just leave it at that.

The rest is good.  We went up a little over $2,000 in the non-mortgage debts, but overall are down $1,199.24 this month.

So, here is my thing right now and I am sure it will change as we get close to paying off one card or the whole thing.  I am not gazelle intense right now.   I have no interest in adding to our debt, but if just goes down a little every month right now, I am fine with it.

Reasons being -

1)  Me and the kids are struggling being isolated out here in the country.  It is an hour minimum to get anywhere and we spend a little more on gas to get around.  Plus, there are costs associated with getting them the social aspects of teenagerdom.  I am not going to skimp and say no to one or two outings a month that give them what they need socially.  Overall - maybe $100 a month on this.

2) Our land is a complete mess - it is nothing but mud and washing away.  The straw and rye grass helped, but this is the wettest winter we have ever had and the land is getting worse.  We have decided we are going to put up a fence to block the "front" area from the "back" area.  We are going to sod and plant a couple of trees in the front and probably throw more rye in the back.  We will cash flow this a little at a time, but it needs to happen or we will be fined by our HOA, not to mention that the land itself will wash away from the foundation of the house.  This is a must or there will consequences to the house or other financial repercussions.  We are doing it all ourselves - no hiring of anyone.  No idea of the cost just yet.  But the trees will be around $45 each, we buy small ones and baby them.

So, for the time being, we are paying a little more than minimums, but not huge amounts.

OTHER FINANCIAL ASPECTS

1.  We got a bump in pay as I am sure so many others did as well.  We thought about putting it toward debt, but ultimately decided we felt more comfortable putting it in the 401(k).  So, all of the increase went to the 401(k).  We went from 6% to 8%.

2. Our bonuses have become more regular.  Which is great.  We are using them to save for the college tuition for college boy, pay off debt mostly and then a little to get needed things around the house (ie cash flow for the land)

3. We did ultimately decide to NOT refinance the house.  I am not looking forward to dealing with the craptastic mortgage company, but since this is a new house, hopefully that will be minimal.  I will just have to watch them like a hawk when we start paying extra to principal.


That's it folks - we are just keeping on, keeping on.  I am working non-stop, which is good.  I am having fun with it and it put a spring in my step.