Debt Dumpers 2021

[crazycatstacy]

Back from our trip. We had a GREAT time. We went a little over budget but still used cash so it was fine. It was so good to see my nephew and get to spend time with him.

Came home Sunday night and while we were getting dinner we saw our landlord and he mentioned he is ready to sell the place finally. We have always wanted to purchase this rental but were hoping for another year of renting but oh well. Of course, prices are crazy high right now but not much we can do about that!

 

[imbatman]

Back from a working vacation. Took a volunteer position as Asst. Director at a writers conference next year. Writing is my passionate hobby. In 2017, I volunteered on staff at a conference when they realized they didn't have a "gopher" to do the little things. I can't believe I get to help run a conference next year! And I have another book releasing in September and a video chat to go over the possibility of another!

Me: Let's back off on the irons in the fire.
Also me: Do ALL The Things!!!!!!
Me: You have a job interview today.
Also me: YES!!! And I'm designing my dad's service flyer and a cover to my gift book tonight!

Also keeping an eye on the bank balances. Paid off the DD's computer, which she is repaying back a week at a time. I told my DH that if we go into debt again, I'll be a miserable person.

 

[Nettlelondon]

Back from a working vacation. Took a volunteer position as Asst. Director at a writers conference next year. Writing is my passionate hobby. In 2017, I volunteered on staff at a conference when they realized they didn't have a "gopher" to do the little things. I can't believe I get to help run a conference next year! And I have another book releasing in September and a video chat to go over the possibility of another!

Me: Let's back off on the irons in the fire.
Also me: Do ALL The Things!!!!!!
Me: You have a job interview today.
Also me: YES!!! And I'm designing my dad's service flyer and a cover to my gift book tonight!

Also keeping an eye on the bank balances. Paid off the DD's computer, which she is repaying back a week at a time. I told my DH that if we go into debt again, I'll be a miserable person.

Busy, busy, busy! Well done you!

 

[piglet1979]

The week we can go is in August. We went one time in August for two park days when my daughter was about 3, and I remember thinking it was so hot that I would never do that again. However, since we need to use the tickets before end of September, this is our only chance to use them. We are rope drop people, so hopefully that helps. Anyone else here ever go August? Any tips?

We have always gone the week of Labor Day. My suggestions are:
1. Rope Drop -- Short lines and still a bit cooler
2. Take mid day breaks. The lines start to get longer and this is the hottest part of the day.
3. Take advantage of the shows that are in air condition (if they are open). I like Hall of Presidents to cool off.
4. Go back to the parks around dinner time. Lines start to get shorter and it starts to cool off.

Try to figure out how to deal with my difficult / lazy teen. I really want to find a nice volunteer opportunity. I loved doing that as a teen. But she wants to do nothing all day

I have a 13 year old. She can get this way at times. He loves horse back riding and has been riding for several years. She just started volunteering there about a month ago. Now lessons are not cheap. I think this is the most expensive hobby that someone could have. But she loves it. You could look into seeing if barns need any help. It is not always glamorous but with liking animals she might like it. Also, you can look to see if shelters need any volunteers.

 

[nycdisneygal]

I have a 13 year old. She can get this way at times. He loves horse back riding and has been riding for several years. She just started volunteering there about a month ago. Now lessons are not cheap. I think this is the most expensive hobby that someone could have. But she loves it. You could look into seeing if barns need any help. It is not always glamorous but with liking animals she might like it. Also, you can look to see if shelters need any volunteers.

She rides since last summer and was doing grooming (at additional cost!) but they stopped over winter when covid was rising and so she was only riding. Thats a good idea to see if she can volunteer there....Not sure about how many shelters around here. If it werent for Covid I would have her look into senior centers. Will take a look. Have hard a hard time with my online searches I feel like I need to contact someone who knows more about this area we are in.

 

[nycdisneygal]

My daughter and I have 7 day WDW tickets from our March 2020 Spring break trip that got canceled due to COVID shutdown. Disney extended those tickets to September 2021. My college aged daughter finally got her summer plans totally sorted and we were able to figure out two weeks that work for both of us before she has to go back to campus at the end of August. I still have to confirm with my boss for certain that I can have the week off, but I chose a week and had planning fun this weekend—made a resort reservation, grabbed some good airfare on southwest that was paid with travel funds (from cancelled trip last March), selected park reservations, and made a couple of dining reservations. It was sooooo nice to get in to WDW planning mode!

The week we can go is in August. We went one time in August for two park days when my daughter was about 3, and I remember thinking it was so hot that I would never do that again. However, since we need to use the tickets before end of September, this is our only chance to use them. We are rope drop people, so hopefully that helps. Anyone else here ever go August? Any tips?

We are people who cannot take the heat but we did WDW in August 2018 and liked it so much we did August 2019!!!! It was nice since it was not too crowded. Rope drop, indoor ADRs for lunch, relax in afternoon and then back in evening helped. Tons of water and gatorade and we did frog toggs and small battery operated fans with mists. Have a great time!!!!!!

 

[piglet1979]

She rides since last summer and was doing grooming (at additional cost!) but they stopped over winter when covid was rising and so she was only riding.

I am surprised that grooming is an extra fee. As part of riding (the 2 barns we have been at) they have the riders learn how to groom the horse. We still had the lessons over the winter. It was the only thing we let DD do. DS wasn't able to do his sports. We felt that with only about 4 of them they would stay pretty distant and masks were mandatory. She wanted to volunteer last summer but we were not ready for that with COVID so we made her wait. She just started in May.

 

[shawthorne44]

Y'll can relate. Our debt dumping just took a hit. We had to buy a new HVAC system. Live in Texas and the high is 95F today, so we couldn't wait. 10K. That is a lot of money.
We did get a $800 discount for not using a credit card.

 

[barkley]

Y'll can relate. Our debt dumping just took a hit. We had to buy a new HVAC system. Live in Texas and the high is 95F today, so we couldn't wait. 10K. That is a lot of money.
We did get a $800 discount for not using a credit card.

hopefully you will see some savings on your utility bills ongoing b/c of the replacement. we had a major issue with our hvac a couple of years ago and when they did the repair we realized how inefficiently the unit had been running cost wise. even with increases in utility costs over the last couple of years we are still paying less per month than we did pre repair.

stay cool!!!!!

 

[shawthorne44]

hopefully you will see some savings on your utility bills ongoing b/c of the replacement. we had a major issue with our hvac a couple of years ago and when they did the repair we realized how inefficiently the unit had been running cost wise. even with increases in utility costs over the last couple of years we are still paying less per month than we did pre repair.

stay cool!!!!!

I hope so. One thing I've noticed is that I want it 2 degrees cooler than I used to. It is super humid here right now. I have two theories, either it running so much less means that the air isn't drying out, so it feels warmer. Or, the thermostat isn't accurate. Well, third theory is that our old one wasn't accurate, although it was pretty new too.

We live in an exurb so sometimes it can take awhile to get people to the house. The house had central air, but it also came with a couple of window units. One of them has lived on the back porch just outside the big living room window. DH installs it while waiting for an AC guy. I think we can move that to the shed now.

 

[imbatman]

Weird debt/savings opinion question: As DD repays us back in cash for her computer loan do we

1. Put the cash into savings
2. Put the cash into our safe at home

I have our savings set up for an auto $100/week to go there. I also shuffle any extra from checking that way. I'm not a tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist but has anyone benefited from cash on hand instead of in the bank?

 

[afan]

Weird debt/savings opinion question: As DD repays us back in cash for her computer loan do we

1. Put the cash into savings
2. Put the cash into our safe at home

I have our savings set up for an auto $100/week to go there. I also shuffle any extra from checking that way. I'm not a tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist but has anyone benefited from cash on hand instead of in the bank?

Do you live somewhere a natural disater could hit, power etc be out but you could pay with cash? That's one reason and why I should have some but don't.

 

[imbatman]

Do you live somewhere a natural disater could hit, power etc be out but you could pay with cash? That's one reason and why I should have some but don't.

I do. That fire footage from two years ago that coined the ridiculous term "firenado?" That's the area where I live. Thank you! I'll definitely put it in our fire safe that evacuates with us.

 

[pblack]

I would also say put some of it in your safe at home, at least enough to cover any immediate emergency (hotel stay/food/gas/etc). I don't remember if you said how much she is paying you back, but maybe take XX amount and put it in your safe and then the rest of it into your bank.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Dh likes a few thousand in the safe just in case. I use it as an atm because we rarely use cash for anything except to tip my hairdresser.

 

[barkley]

Weird debt/savings opinion question: As DD repays us back in cash for her computer loan do we

1. Put the cash into savings
2. Put the cash into our safe at home

I have our savings set up for an auto $100/week to go there. I also shuffle any extra from checking that way. I'm not a tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist but has anyone benefited from cash on hand instead of in the bank?

some cash on hand can come in handy. we have had a couple of nasty windstorms over the past several years that made it much easier to shop with cash vs. plastic. there were some places that only took cash b/c their card readers were down. in that case it's esp. nice to have a variety of denominations as well as some coinage so maybe have her pay you in different denominations with each payment.

 

[ctinct]

I need to follow my own advice and keep some cash in the house, too. I’m always telling my kids to do it, yet I have not.

Over the last several years we have had two occasions where power has been out for a week, and there was one time we left on a road trip planning on getting cash before we started driving. Inexplicably, all the atms in the area were down. I have a few bank accounts, and nothing worked.

My biggest fear, though, is someone hacking into the banking system for ransom. Imagine what a mess that would be.

 

[slightly_obsessed]

Weird debt/savings opinion question: As DD repays us back in cash for her computer loan do we

1. Put the cash into savings
2. Put the cash into our safe at home

I have our savings set up for an auto $100/week to go there. I also shuffle any extra from checking that way. I'm not a tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist but has anyone benefited from cash on hand instead of in the bank?

I've been trying to decide how much emergency cash to have on hand too. It's a fine line between prepared and over zealous sometimes. We aren't in an area where hurricanes and long lasting wildfires are an issue, but natural disasters like ice storms, tornadoes and huge prairie fires are a concern. I also know you should have a mix of large and small bills, but how many and how much?

For my mid month check in:
- We drove to Grand Teton and Yellowstone for vacation. So beautiful, if you ever get the chance to go, do! I *think* I've attached some of the sunset pictures I took with my phone... definitely was my favorite time of the day!
- Put a bunch more than I expected towards DVC and house repairs. Waiting for the end up the month before I update my totals, I have another payment I think I can make.
- Finally met with our neighbor and got the ball rolling on our trust. Will be excited when that project is done. The price makes me cringe, but I think it's probably the best thing to do.

Hope everyone is staying cool! It's reached 109 here I think. Yuck!!!

 

[princesscinderella]

I've been trying to decide how much emergency cash to have on hand too. It's a fine line between prepared and over zealous sometimes. We aren't in an area where hurricanes and long lasting wildfires are an issue, but natural disasters like ice storms, tornadoes and huge prairie fires are a concern. I also know you should have a mix of large and small bills, but how many and how much?

For my mid month check in:
- We drove to Grand Teton and Yellowstone for vacation. So beautiful, if you ever get the chance to go, do! I *think* I've attached some of the sunset pictures I took with my phone... definitely was my favorite time of the day!
- Put a bunch more than I expected towards DVC and house repairs. Waiting for the end up the month before I update my totals, I have another payment I think I can make.
- Finally met with our neighbor and got the ball rolling on our trust. Will be excited when that project is done. The price makes me cringe, but I think it's probably the best thing to do.

Hope everyone is staying cool! It's reached 109 here I think. Yuck!!!

Wow beautiful pictures! We are going to Yellowstone next month and are so looking forward to it!

 

[Tygerlilly]

Those pictures are amazing! Yellowstone is on our bucket list. Thinking maybe in 2023.