Saturday, February 1, 2014

February 2013 Debt Update

Elsie woke up this morning, and the first words out of her mouth were, "Yay!  It's FEBRUARY!!"  And here we are!  The beginning of a new month. We're halfway through our fourth debt thermometer (of five and a half-ish) and things are looking up!

Fourth 10K Chunk, started 9/24/13
fundraising ideas

Fundraising Thermometer


I must start by saying, though, that I'm happy it's finally February because January was a bust all around.  Even Eli will tell you this.  We ate out too much, we (I) spent too much, we didn't save what we wanted or planned, we only put a smidge extra into paying off students loans.  It was bad.  And it's over now.  A new beginning awaits.

We've been adding up what kind of extra income we will be getting between now and December 31 (the [semi-realistic] goal for debt-free!), between Army work and training and all my extra work.  I'm somewhere like 26 weeks into this growing a baby thing, and have I mentioned that I'm a workaholic??  I'm looking to the summer and how crippled I will be by not having the time or situation to work all my favorite summer extras, like writing camp and strategy games club, and the only thing I can say is Thank You, Lord, for giving me this wonderful reason to slow down and actually enjoy my shortened summer.  You know, if I even remember any of it between sleep deprivation--I almost forget what that's like--and how it will go by in the blink of an eye.

This month, I will be able to add just a drop more income into the bucket.  I have been asked by the Alabama Learning Exchange technology people to facilitate a training for teachers called the PC Podcast Camp.  I attended the camp as a participant in October, and I must have just been a natural, because by the end of the year they asked me to come be the trainer.  The training is down on the beach, near the in-laws and favorite friends, so my only expenses that I foresee (after I bum some sleeping arrangements) will be gas to get there and back.  I guess I could stay in the hotel, but remember we're trying pay off our debts this year, so a little hassle will go a long way.  The whole experience is paid-for, so I will deduct the gasoline from the stipend and put the rest toward student loans.  It won't be a ton, but it will be something!

So, February is looking up.

Cheers!

1 comment:

Lauren said...

When are you headed this way? For how long?