Another Bump and Lesson Learned:

Always Read The Small Print and
Always Double Check   

This is not the blog post I planned to write this week.  But life is full of bumps.   Right now I swear if I were taking a test in life I would fail.  Just to recap, we started our debt free journey on April 4, 2017.  In just those 15 days we have experienced:

1. Storm damage to the house (new fence needed)
2. A job loss
3. A car wreck
4. iPhone going dead and subsequent purchase of a new one
5. Emergency dental work

Yes, I know number 4 seems small, but when you have to have a phone, and you are stuck between a rock and a hard spot, a new iPhone is not what we wanted.  We had just paid off the one that broke.  That being said, number 4 was nothing compared to number 5. 

Okay so number 5 is new.  And this one was going to be a $2,700.00 bill.  With this new bump I can tell you first-hand the test in life is not multiple choice. 

With an impending $2,700 bill we now have to figure things out.  Yes, I cried all the way home from the dentist office.  Bawled was more like it.  All the experts say the same thing, the key to getting out of debt is no new debt.  I get it!  Tell that to the tooth I fractured. 

I needed a plan.   So I set out on a plan with the help from my husband.

1. Calm down and take emotion out of the picture.
2. Assess the estimate
3. Talk to insurance
4. Call the dentist to see about options
5. Look for money
6. FIGURE IT OUT

Looking at the plan helped tons.  To that point, the 2nd and 3rd items on the plan really made a difference.  Thus the “Lesson Learned, Read the Small Print.” 

I set down and with my husband to look over the estimate.  He noticed right away that the dentist had a benefit cap of $2000.  We have MetLife, we looked up the information online and started to read the small print.  My husband seemed to be correct, and there might be additional savings as we would have a lower deductible and better coverage amounts. 

I am truly grateful that MetLife hired a wonderful woman by the name of Jo-Ann (not sure of the spelling).  Jo-Ann walked me through each of the codes, the max fees, the percentage they would pay and my other benefits.  With Jo-Ann’s help I was able to figure it out.  We were right. 

A quick phone call to the dentist and Susan (the sweet gal at the front desk) was on it.  More, she was able to offer some non-credit options for payment options.  I could break up the payments in to four installments (while it wasn’t on a credit card, I still owed the money and well, it was still debt).  She also offered me CareNow credit, with zero percent for six months.  I politely thanked her and let her know I would make a decision after she was able to get me the new estimate.

Susan rocked!  She had me the updated estimate in 20 minutes.  (Seriously that’s customer service.)  More importantly I went from $2,700, to $2,100.  That is a $600 savings!  Heck yeah! 

That night I was looking on my American Express statement and noticed that I had $500 in “cash back.”  I reduced the amounts that I was going to pay towards two of our other current debts by $250 each, and there was $1000.  My husband and I looked at our “vacation fund” and decided that we could do our next vacation on a lot less money.  And poof there was the other $1000. 

The plan worked! 

I started to wonder if double checking other things and reading the small print might make an impact on other items.  It did.  Our final electric bill came in and there was a “monthly charge,” and a higher rate.  Mind you I changed services the day after my contract ended.  A simple call to them and well, that was gone.  Poof! 

At the grocery store, pay close attention to your receipt.  Some places will actually give you the item free if it “rings up wrong.”  We looked at our receipt and poof one item rang up wrong.  Thus we got the item for free.  Now, I grant you it was just $2.  But, $2 is $2. 

This week alone, just by reading the small print we saved $612. 

Till next time.  I’m getting out of debt one dollar at a time.

Progress:
Start:  170,000
Paid:       3,853
 Remaining:  166,147
NOTE THOUGH NOTHING NEW!

More bumps with a side of progress

As if last week couldn’t get any worse, it did.  My husband wrecked one of our cars.  Thank goodness that he is fine, but well, we now have a deductible and higher rates coming.  All said and done though, this week has been more productive.

Last week we looked at where we were and what we could do to make positive improvements.  Dave Ramsey said in one of his radio shows, “Sell everything you can.  Make the kids think they might be next.”   While we don’t have kids, the dogs are worried. 

We sold stuff, and we’re not done.  Next week’s blog will have a significant update with some of “sold items.”  What else did we do?  We looked at all our expenses and how we could we have a positive impact.  Specifically we looked at:

• Insurance
• Subscriptions
  •   Magazines
  • Pet Wellness Plans
  • JustFab VIP Membership
• Utilities
  • Water and Gas (though you might not be able to change providers, you can be more conscious)
  • Electric – BOY, HOWDY!  We did some research and discovered we can cut our bill almost in half.
• Phone Plans
• Security System
• Home phone, internet and TV

I canceled my JustFab VIP membership and we switched electric companies.  Just those two items put more than $100 back in my pocket a month.  I’ve set a reminder on my phone to look into the other items that we’re locked into right now.  Those reminders could result in additional savings.    

 If you are looking to do the same, it’s a simple call.  Sometimes it works.  Also, look into canceling gym memberships, and calling your credit card companies and requesting a lower rate.  It works. 

Next week we hope to have a big update.  I’m also going to discuss point programs. 

Till next time.  I’m getting out of debt one dollar at a time.
Progress:
           Start:  170,000
            Paid:       3,853
 Remaining:  166,147

 

 

 

Off to a Bumpy Start

My husband and I already had the complicated talks and we were willing to start the steps to becoming debt free.  I started the morning of April 3, 2017 with the first step of any plan, figuring out where we were.  It was the first step and while I had faith, when I got to work my faith would be tested.

“Pack your things up – we no longer need you.  Place your key and your passwords on your computer, and leave.”

Breath left my body.  I texted my husband (whom I had carpooled with) and proceeded to get into the car, and bawl.

While I did have two other jobs, this job was my main source of income.  I dried my eyes, knowing that while I might be down, I was not out.  I went by my second job, and let them know I could take more hours, to which they gladly obliged.  (I have faith.)

I then called my parents.  Who are simply awesome, and we went to the library.  I checked out Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey.  Some of his words hit too close to home, and while I couldn’t relate to all of it, it was enough to keep me going.

Today, I’m on page 108.  The second thing I did, is well, I set out to start a blog about my journey for two main reasons:

1. To vent and have an outlet:  By placing my frustrations, wins and losses here I have an outlet.  Also, who knows maybe someone else can benefit from it.
2. I need you all to help me be accountable:  I’m not looking for trolls to be mean, just support to be accountable.  I have another blog (a_wine_o), and I have found that you can have friends through social media.

The next thing I did, was start laying out my plan.  We are approximately $170,000 in debt.  That’s everything, house, cars and credit cards.

Current steps:

1. We are selling one of our cars (visit http://ow.ly/MiHk30aDV5P)
2. We have listed our debts in order of smallest to largest
3. We are starting to sell stuff.  Lots and lots of stuff, and we’re gearing up for a garage sale.

Right now keeping the faith has been the most important thing.  I found a dime today though, and I know I will make it through.  One of these posts, I’ll explain more about the dime.  Until then…

The desire of peace can overcome the devastation of ruin through faith and a well-conceived plan – Me