Dave Ramsey, debt, credit cards, retirement, etc

Snackem

Snackem

Danger Zone
Location
Colfax WA
thrllskr said:
Grocery shopping, too. Buy only when things are on sale and/or you have a coupon. I buy a lot of store brand items, unless there is a big taste preference or health benefit to a name brand. Things like rice, pasta, sauces, etc. I usually buy the store brand. I can keep my grocery bills down to under $200/month and I eat well and cook a lot. I rarely eat out because I enjoy cooking.
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If you do that and buy in bulk when you can you'll save even more. We buy 5 lb bags of rice and stuff like that. I LOVE Costco!!!!
 
vitaly

vitaly

Анархия - мать порядка!
Location
NY/NJ
Snackem said:
If you do that and buy in bulk when you can you'll save even more. We buy 5 lb bags of rice and stuff like that. I LOVE Costco!!!!
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Is not there like a $30/year membership fee? :sneaky: :biggrin:
I don't like Costco/Sam's and such for a few reasons:
1. Huge lines, you basically waste a day to buy anything, and my time is my money. :bs2:
2. No packaging/bags/boxes. :bs2:
3. Obsolete electronic and tech goods. :bs2:
4. You have to buy everything in huge amounts. For instance, I have no use for a gallon of Tabasco sauce. :bs2:
5. The Costco prices are not really competitive, you can do a lot better shopping online. :biggthumpup:
 
SeaLion

SeaLion

Jet Ski Junkie
You must not have 3 boys like I do. They can eat alot and they are not even teens yet, lol. My wife is a stay at home mom and she shops during the day with no lines. We also have a business membership at Sam's and they have a business line that is usually less congested plus you can get in an hour or two before the other members can and have no lines at all.

As far as boxes. Costco and Sam's by me always have boxes and will pack it for you too.

Obsolete electronics don't matter to me because I personally don't want the latest and the greatest right away. I have yet to own an iPod :)

That said, my wife prefers Trader Joes and buys most of the groceries from there in small quantity and often to keep everything as fresh as possible. TJ's has some awesome products at chain supermarket prices or even lower. Many think it is a botique type of store with high prices but the opposite is true. Quality stuff at reasonable prices.
 
onesojourner

onesojourner

I use a thumb throttle.
Location
springfield, mo
update on my debt. my insurance paid for a big chunk of my medical bills for my femur/ride home. it took them a year but now I am in debt about 8000. we hope to have that knocked out out by the end of the year or at least close to knocked out. the first thing is my wifes car. we still owe about 3,000 on that and then the rest is medical bills.
 
Snackem

Snackem

Danger Zone
Location
Colfax WA
onesojourner said:
update on my debt. my insurance paid for a big chunk of my medical bills for my femur/ride home. it took them a year but now I am in debt about 8000. we hope to have that knocked out out by the end of the year or at least close to knocked out. the first thing is my wifes car. we still owe about 3,000 on that and then the rest is medical bills.
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Since we're posting updates, we're down to about $88k left on our mortgage. :rolleyes: Should have that paid off in about 12-15 years
 
SuperJETT

SuperJETT

So long and thanks for all the fish
Location
none
Based on our current situation, we should be debt-free in July/August, well ahead of our goal of the end of this year. WOOT!

Oh, another reminder of how credit card companies focus only on profits.
Due to a day or two in timing, we ended up with a balance transfer onto our Chase card at 5.99% FIXED along with a small purchase balance of around $75 at normal rate 9.25% (currently, it's variable).

Even though we've paid down almost $10,000 since then, that balance has only gone up because they apply credits to the lowest interest rate balance first. It's currently $90 due to how they apply credits.

Granted, to us, it's only going to be a $15-20 difference, but to someone else it could be big bucks.

Never again!
 
Snackem

Snackem

Danger Zone
Location
Colfax WA
Glad to hear the good news Darin. Just think of how nice the holidays will be. . . Cash for Christmas. . . and you won't be paying it off in July. . .
 
SuperJETT

SuperJETT

So long and thanks for all the fish
Location
none
Snackem said:
Glad to hear the good news Darin. Just think of how nice the holidays will be. . . Cash for Christmas. . . and you won't be paying it off in July. . .
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We haven't done that in a long time anyway, we save all year for Christmas, and don't use more than is in that account, but....that first month we can stick money away to start growing the baby e-fund into a full e-fund, wow, I can't wait to do that!

My 401K will be going back up from the 1% I'm at right now too. I have a decent amount in already, so I had no problem dropping it down to 1% just to maintain enrollment and be able to change it as needed, and to be able to bump it back up to get the full match then setup Roth's will be nice!
 
kingnothing3

kingnothing3

give me fuel give me fire
Location
Petersburg,Michigan
douglee25 said:
Gotta love it, huh? I just paid my mortgage today.... $1600.00 would sure buy me a nice square nose :rolleyes:

Doug
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arrg I hate making mortgage payments! could buy so many other cool things with that money!

but I just mowed my grass, cleaned the house and worked on the rest of the yard and it sure is nice to sit back and appreciate all the money and hardwork that goes into a house and property. 91,000 to go for me! only three years into it though.

darin, sounds like you are kickin ass!!! keep it up.
 
SuperJETT

SuperJETT

So long and thanks for all the fish
Location
none
No, not including the house. That will come later.
 
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