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 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!