The beginning

I started this blog to talk about one of my favorite topics – budgeting. People who know me know that I’m crazy about two things – budgets and Boston Terriers. I try to sneak at least one into most of my conversations. My hope is that this blog will keep me honest when I feel like cheating on my budget. The closer I get to paying off everything, the more relaxed I’m becoming about spending extra money here and there. This is the final push I need to stay on track.

If you ask me, budgeting works. I don’t make an obscene amount of money and yet I have paid off slightly over $20,000 in debt since 1/1/10. I’d like to share how I did it in case anyone out there is looking for a little direction. I didn’t read any Dave Ramsey books, I didn’t take any classes. I just sat down one day and made a plan for myself.

It all started on 9/14/09. I had just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. And if that wasn’t scary enough, I was also facing $2,499.85 in medical bills from months of diagnostic testing. My career and future earnings all of a sudden became uncertain. Sometime after the hopeless feelings were replaced with anger, I had a moment of mental clarity. I decided that if I didn’t have control over what was happening to my body, I would instead take control over my finances.

I plan to share the strategies I’ve used to pay off my debt and give some random tips on how to spend less. I don’t have all of the answers and of course everyone’s situation is different. All I know is what worked for me. I am single and don’t have any knowledge about kid-related expenses.

Some questions I’d like you to think about: do you have a budget? Do you know your income vs. your expenses? Do you balance your checking account? Do you know how much total debt you currently owe? Do you know where exactly your money goes every week/month/payday?