Smurfette's Debt Gazette

[Smurfette]

January 9, 2017

Cash on hand: $1,344

Upcoming Fixed/Variable Expenses: $1,206

Net Cash: $138

Credit Card Balance: $4,572

Comments:

$138 in cash with nearly two weeks to go is low, low. I do have food at home, so that will help reduce upcoming expenses. I am focusing on bringing my lunch to work to slow down on dining out. I fixed a dish in my crock pot yesterday for lunches this week. I also have ingredients for homemade pizza at home for dinner. I want to make a good chicken/dumpling recipe, too. Baby steps, baby steps. Need to get these good habits going.

My increased savings for retirement kicked in with last week's check. My net pay went from $1,778 to $1,740. Once my 2% raise kicks in, it should return to about $1,778.

My vacuum cleaner will cost $59 to fix; I've already put $25 down and will pay $34 when I pick it up this afternoon. I'm relieved that's all it cost to fix.

Getting out of debt is such a marathon; it's easier to focus on the day in/day out of budgeting and reducing my spending. I still dream of traveling more and purchasing a small house. Those are medium to long-term goals.

I have been DEEPLY contemplating the housing. It's clear; to make everything work, I will need to finance no more than $140,000. Assuming I save $15,000, I can purchase a small 2B; 1BA house on a small lot for about $150,000 without stripping all my cash and pay it off by the time I retire. That's the new question---do I wait, put more down later or put less down now but have more time to pay it off? Time to give this more thought.

[Smurfette]

January 10, 2017

Cash: $1,147

Upcoming Fixed/Variable Expenses: $1,135

Net Cash: $12

Credit card balance: $4,582

Pitiful. Well, this means there's a couple of expense categories that will need to be delayed for cash flow reasons:
1. Student Loan; $116--Delay to 2nd Jan check
2. Hotel Reservation (March Conference): $175--Delay until February
Total = $291

Revised Net Cash: $303

So, my Jan 20th paycheck will look like this:

Income: $1,740

Expenses:
Cable: $115
Student Loan: $116
Rent: $1,138
Total Expenses: $1,369
Net Cash: $371

What I may do is split my rent between my 2nd Jan check and 1st Feb check, for better cashflow.

I will take a closer look at my spending. Something is out of whack for my cash to be so low and there's still more than a week before I'm paid. Maybe I got too aggressive in paying down the card.