Mumof2's Personal Finance Blog

Just wondering what people do when they become debt free? I think there are different areas that people see as debt free from what I have seen some see that being consumer debt free (CC loans etc) but they still ahve a morg and then there is totally debt free where you have no debt at all. People may argue with this but it is just an observation.

We are debt free but are saving to buy a house and whe that happens we will pay it off asap to be debt free again....i'm just wondering what others have done when they have become debt free...

I hate shopping...I mean really hate it...if I need to get something then I am get in get it and get out...but I have to admit I do occassionally online shop when I am bored...I don't just buy anything but I do buy what I am looking for...so yesterday I bought a dog stroller...I know what you are thinking...a freaking dog stroller...WHY!!!

Well my daughters dog has spent the last 13 months at home with me all day everyday...he gets seperation anxiety when I leave the house for to long...but he also loves walks...now that I am able to walk a little more I want to be able to take him when I go but he has little legs and gets tired easily so I can't take him...so I decided that he could walk and when he gets tired he can rest in the stroller (and yes it is made for dogs) then walk again and I can walk further and he can come with me...might sound silly to others but when you have chronic illness you do what you can to make life easier for yourself...but it was only $62 (includes sipping) and I come out of my madmoney so not out of our budget...so spent money but not to much....but I don't like to spend money either

Got a surprise when I opened up our account today an extra $565...not a lot but every bit helps especially when it is unexpected. About 18 months ago there was a class action suit against neurofen (something I use often) about the way they mislead their consumers...I put my name on it...didn't hear back thought nothing more of it as it had been so long and then today it was sitting in my bank...so a nice chunk of change that I put into my ice account to get it back to where we want it to be...

In december I paid our water bill to the wrong company...the house we are renting was sold and we got new owners and when we transferred all data from my old computer to the new one the information came with it...so money went to the old company...I called them monday and the lady who does their accounting was rushed to hospital with for surgery but one of the ladies called me and got my bank info and put the money back into our account so that mistake has now been settled and was easy to get done...just a couple phone calls...so that went straight into savings again...so no more mistakes this year like this!!

I look at our grocery budget and we usually cook fairly healthy rarely eat take out (maybe once a month) and I was thinking that if I lived in places like the US that had coupons we could save so much more than what we do here...food is expensive here but damn I wish we could get coupons like other countries...what do others think..do you think coupons are worth it? I wouldn't go to extreme nad have a basement full of stuff or buy what we didn't really use much of...but I hink we would save I do love watching these shows on tv

last year was hard as we had a lot of medical tests that we had to pay for and I hardly ever left the house due to dizziness and I needed a babysitter 24/7...I hated it...I use to walk 50-60 miles a week which was impressive for me as I cfs and fibro...when I got this illness I couldn't walk to the end of the street.

although still dizzy I am improving and today I walked to the store and back to post a letter (around 2.5 miles) and I did it by myself..no help or anything...so feeling really positive about this year

I have also made our first car payment into our car account, first payment into our annual account but I do need to work on our ice account as it is low right now...but will get it where to we usually have it and hopefully can add to it this year as well.
I am going to update at the end of each month so hopefully they will all grow each month and by the end of the year will have some savings in them all

today only spent $6 (yes postage is expensive over here) but no other spending...although yesterday I did buy a tin to put my christmas money in for the year as I take it out monthly and hold seperately to buy gifts during the year..

Hi...just wondering what the ufmc is that people are doing?

My friend is coming over from the US in feb for a 3 month visit...to say I am excited is beyond belief...and we are paying for the tickets...but they are getting so expensive due to the exchange rates...but worth the price...I am trying to stay on budget while she is here so we will see what happens so far everything with the budget is going well and all bills are paid and savings have started...can't wait till our next payday....

One thing I have noticed on this website is that in Australia it is hard to be able to get any sort of credit unless you have a great income...if you don't work yu will never get a loan for a car/house or even a personal loan or CC....Our banks never offer any incentives to stay with them at all...so in a way I think it is a little easier to save and stay out of debt over here as we know we won't get all the credit you get in America....but in saying that it is so hard to save for a house over here as you need a minimum 3% so for a $300,000 home (which is a very basic home) you need $30,000 ($20,000 of which is fees) so that really sucks but I find it interesting the differences...what are your thoughts

Well last year they sold our house and we got new owners and new landlords...and everything has been good...well I was sick and trying to get the bills paid etc before christmas...I stupidly pay our water bill to the old account and not the new one...didn't know till we got an email saying it was late and I went back and checked it...well I made the mistake so paid the account in full to the new owners and have to wait till the 6th jan to contact the other group to get our money back...hopefully won't take to long...

It was my fault but a costly mistake...now to get it rectified...so savings down a little have now rectified and deleted the old people from my account which I thought we had already done...my bad...just need to do better

So this week is pay week to say that I am excited is beyond belief....I love payday to see everything being paid and savings grow a little each month but this year I have some set goals that I want to achieve and I am looking forward to starting them this week..I know it may sound silly to some...but it's the little things in life that make me happy.

So here is wishing everyone a great..safe and prosperous new years...may all your goals be achievable

2018 was a hard year healthwise...which added to our financial burden. Our goals were pretty basic for this year...we wanted to stay debt free, not add any more debt at all and to start saving for a house deposit.

WINS
we have no debt
we used the cc once but paid it off in full within 2 weeks
we updated a few things but paid in cash

FAILS
we ended up with no savings due to all the specialists we had to pay for this year...so our $5000 savings plan was a complete failure

our ice account is on 3/4 where we want it to be so $600 short there

Overall we are happy with this year...started off with no debt ended up with no debt...would love some savings but have moved that to 2019....now to stay on track in 2019 and achieve those goals

Can't wait to see how everyone else faired with their budgets this year

Christmas has come and gone and our cc is in tact (not used) and we have some savings and all bills are paid in full so none to pay till next year...we have plenty of food in the fridge/freezer and pantry...so ending this year on a good not and next year will be all about my health and savings...had a rough year healthwise but so grateful that we have what we have and that I have a supportive family to help me through it...hope everyone has a very merry christmas and a safe and prosperous new year

I took over my moms finances 20 months ago...she lives on a pension and is raising a teenager ( was 11 at the time) had a bunch sof appliances that broke and had to "rent to buy", never had savings as things always came up etc...we talked and set up a budget for her and I paid her bills online and she took cash for her groceries/chiro/fone.

This november she was completely debt free, she has her christmas shopping done (bought her great grandson a laptop ready for high school) and she has savings...we have written out next years budget and changed a few things and she said this is the first year she hasn't really stressed about things in a long time...so I am happy that not only have we been able to help our situation but also my moms and what is better is that she is use to living on limited money and wants to stay that way so she can build up some savings....she says she hasn't really missed out on anything either....so happy that next year will be a positive year for her as well....does anyone else help their family this way?

Rewrote my budget out today, so I could change and add our car account we opened in so we are looking at putting in a monthly "car" payment into the account and will hopefully save around $5000 next year towards a car...cars are expensive here so probably won't buy for a couple years and our car is fine right now.

Going to really try and stick to our budget next year which means we should hopefully save around $20,000 towards a home deposit but I have put $15,000 in my goals just to be realistic. We need approx $30,000 for a house deposit ($20,000 is just fees) but we want to save more so we can do solar panels and whatever changes we want to do to a house when we buy it...so will probably around 2 years before we buy now...longer than what we want but next year I am really focusing on my health so I can go back to work at least part time...but only time will tell. Also added in christmas, birthdays and paying for my friend to come visit us from the US early next year...so excited for that...

I am feeling positive about next year already

Well I have really been thinking of our finances lately and what we can do better in 2019...both hubby and I have had a crap year healthwise which wiped out our savings and we have to add in extra health things for next year but we do that now we should be able to write up goals and stick to them and reach the goals we set.

I'm not one that makes resolutions but I do set goals and make them achievable...also looking at things we can do while my friend is over here from the states for 3 months...we are so excited has been far to long since we have seen each other.

only spent around $12 today for onions and lemons today...so have saved money on the grocery budget.

Our oldest is house sitting for friends of hers to look after their dogs...she will make some great money from it and add to her savings...I am proud to say that everything I have learnt about finances over the years to get to the point we are in we have taught our girls one is great and the other not so much but she makes her own money and pays her own bills but I think for her it is her ADD it can make her impulsive...but the oldest is great at budgeting and I'm so glad that she has learnt from our mistakes

Thought I might try to blog more often...not that I have an exciting life but why not...hubby and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary yesterday...very low key we have both been down sick and we always do thing for and with each other so to us each day is special.

Had my last doc visit for the year she gave me a form that gives me 5 neuro physiotherapist visits for half price (some do it for free mine doesn't) but I will take it...

finished most of our christmas food shopping today so all we need to get now is the fresh stuff christmas eve..

starting to feel a bit more positive this week last week was pretty bad but its a new week...a new perspective

All our bills are paid for the year except groceries and gas and one more lot of rent...but the money is in the bank for all of these plus extra for our christmas food shopping. Our next lot of rent is due right after new year and since pays can be messed up over the holidays the money is in the account just in case.

We have 1 more pay before the end of the year so that will be going into savings so we can have a little savings to start the new year with been a rough year but we have managed to get through without any debt added, the CC is paid off (we used once) and we have a little savings...so feeling pretty good...only have a couple weeks left of this year so hopefully it stays good

My NPT (neuro physio therapist) is happy with how I am doing even though it has only been 3 weeks I have made great progress so I am hoping it continues...its hot today 103 degrees so not doing much today...except taking it easy I don't cope with heat right now...which sucks as I really love summer.

Have to rejig the budget as we have decided that my hubby will also see the NPT as well starting Jan...so have to factor that in as well...

Have opened up another account to start saving for another car...wwe don't need one but a few years from now we might so will start saving now or if this one needs repairs etc it will be covered.

Also have envelopes ready for next year for christmas etc...so we are almost ready for next year

Well its december, we are debt free, our ice account is back to $2000 but we have no savings at the moment but thats ok..we still have a couple of pays before the end of the year...I do have to give my daughter some money for christmas (what she wants) she has other gifts...and I have my specialist tomorrow so have that to pay for..but everything else is done for the year so we are where I wanted to be...next year we will start to save and stay on track going to be better than what this year has been.

Think over the holidays I might do some research on investing in shares it interests me and looking at starting for extra income as well over the next few years....does anyone invest or know some good books to read etc?

I have finished my christmas and stocking stuffers today its all wrapped and we went and got our christmas decorations out of storage so might put up this weekend...being unwell this year I don't really feel in the mood for christmas...so hoping that the closer it gets the better I will feel....hope everyone else is getting their christmas shopping done

I was just wondering when people are saving for things at the same time say a house deposit, car, college etc do you use seperate accounts to keep track of the amounts or do you just have them written down and update as you progress?

we already have 5 accounts for different things so not sure if I should open up another one or not...so figured I would see what others do and then decide...so let me know what works for you.

We had our first thanksgiving in 30 years as we don't celebrate it over here but our yongest wanted to so we did but on sat...it was a good day with family and friends...thankfully it was a cool day with all the cooking...we couldn't decide what pies we like so we made 8 and chose our fav so we could just make them next year....so is going to become a tradition I think (and yes my hubby is american).

Not much else going on I have been ill the last couple of days so have been on bed rest and no appointments this week so next week I have the neuro pysiotherapist so hopefully can get some answers on exercising etc...I just want to be healthier again...

Well none of my goals were met this year and won't be met by the end of this year due to life getting in the way...so have written the rest of this year off...we will start over next year and hope life is a bit kinder to us.

On the upside I have lost 12 pounds this year (without trying) hoping next year I can exercise again and lose some more weight

We will start out with some savings but not sure how much yet but will update next year...

also doing thanksgiving this year (sat) as our youngest wants to haven't done it in years so should be interesting...we don't celebrate here...hope everyone has a great thanksgiving

When we started trying to save for a house these last few months I made up a white board to show our progress but so many things have happened the last few months and we still don't have anything marked off...my lowest amount is only $2500 but just wish I could sign it off everytime we get close we have another specialist appt...so I am disappointed but here's hoping next year we get some signed off...anyone else ever feel bad for not reaching their goals each year...

I set pretty realistic goals so get disappointed when we don't reach them...but there is always another month and I am happy that we we still have no debt except another laptop (which is a DD x-mas present) but that will be paid off next month..so will start the new year debt free

Paid off the CC today hadn't used it in 8 months (was paid off) but wanted to pick up some christmas gifts that were on sale so used the cc but couldn't deal with having the debt so paid it off. Don't have much left in savings but thats ok we still have some...my goals are way off from where I want to be so will have to work on my 2019 goals instead and just write the rest of this year off and just save what we can

I have never used the CC for christmas and I had to use today to buy a couple christmas presents as savings is so low due to medical bills...UUUGGGHHH I hate debt so I am hoping to pay it off real soon...not the way I want to start the new year off...

Here's hoping for a miracle that we get everything sorted and start the new year off fresh and debt free

Have had 3 specialist appointments this week, the first 2 said they couldn't find anything..but today I saw a neurophysio therapist and I think they might be able to help me..so that is what we are focusing on right now...so hopefully it will help...they said it will take some time as they have to retrain my brain in several areas so here's hoping...but been an expensive week and its only tuesday...now need to figure out the rest of christmas and how to pay for it...spent so much money on specialists.

On a better note my brother paid for the boat today so hubby has that for his interests...and we still have some savings...just need to sit down and rejig the budget....mom is coming downs this week or next week so can go over next years budget with her and finish up setting up her banking.

so far a good week and expensive week but we are getting there...

Saw another specialist today (neurologist) cost $305 and they basically said that sorry but it's not neurological it's something else...so more savings gone and no answers!!....a little frustrating...still see another one tomorrow and one next week then our savings will be almost gone...maybe one day we will have answers and saving...

I hate debt, we haven't had debt in awhile but I needed to update my computer so we got a 25% deposit 12 months interest free about 3 weeks ago....it was frustrating me having debt so we paid it off today...so we are debt free again only had debt for 3 weeks but that was 3 weeks to long...I'm now on happy camper!!