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12 down....48 to go!!

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    12 down....48 to go!!

    Just made our 12th payment and what a learning experience it's been, for the better. The first 6 months were rough but now we have found our groove and are looking pretty good. We got militant on this thirteen thing early on, eat at home (helped us lose weight too, 40 flipping pounds by giving up fast food 5 days a week and soda), only buy at bargain/bag your own grocery stores, make our own soaps and cleaning supplies (clothes, bathing, dishes), planted a garden (already have fruit trees) make our own jellies/can apricots and peaches, cut coupons, pack lunches, second hand (no brand name) clothes for the kids, dropped satellite TV (replaced that bill with a gardener), ask for clothes/gift cards for birthdays/holidays instead of stuff, dropped the smart phones (data plans are expensive) which is really nice because no ones face is buried in their screens, etc.
    Took the kids to Disneyland in February, (cheap hotel rates right across the street), we purchased on sale Mountainhouse dehydrated meals and ate those along with a packed ice chest with drinks and sandwich makings, so absolutely no purchase of food or drinks (smuggled water) in or out of the park. We were able to keep our tax refund which we received before we filed but with the money we put away this year didn't even touch it, had to purchase 4 new tires for the travel trailer and it was nice to have cash. On day trips with the kids we pack an ice chest and make our own meals, it's amazing how much you save by not eating out. Our kids are young 7, 6 and 4 so the occasional chick-fil-et is a nice treat for them. My wife and I use Groupon deals for our rare nights out. Being an electrician helps with bartering for things, now we set aside for trips, holidays and birthdays, I know that's a no no, but have to do what I can to survive. I actually work less side jobs than ever because our payment is set in stone and we aren't bogged down with ever increasing lines of credit. For the past 10-12 years we barely had a couple hundred dollars in savings.
    My wife was absolutely stellar on thinking of every conceivable outgoing expense we have, our attorney (he was great too) told her in 25 years of doing this only a handful of people have gone into his office as prepared as her, she had Excel spread sheets, bills, receipts and lord knows what else she had in that big old binder. I can't wait until the end of this thing and not have that 1,700 dollar a month trustee payment and no bills. I can't believe how much we conditioned ourselves to rely on credit constantly. I've learned so much about how to save and be a tightwad and more to come. I KNOW a big hurdle will come, we have 3 kids after all, but 'bring it on' and hopefully I won't post again for another year. Communication is key, we never used to talk about our purchases, if we wanted it, we bought it. If it's something personal (over 25.00) we tell one another, let me tell you we have talked ourselves out of so much meaningless crud it's crazy. Good luck to those just starting and anywhere in between, not an easy road at first but it can be done.

    #2
    Oh my gosh' I am so proud of you!!! I don't even know you but I can tell u are doing this right!!! Keep up the good work!!!!!
    Discharge date: October 2017 (will it ever get here?)

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      #3
      Inspiring if not a bot over the top, but that's a good thing. One thing that helped me was to make small realistic goals to help gain motivation.
      11/23/'10-filed ch 13. 1/6/'11-341, confirmed. Below median. Plan completed 11/30/2015. DISSCHARGED 4/4/2016.JP

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        #4
        Good for you...very impressive...a lot of good ideas....you're showing how to make your situation work!!!!!
        Filed Chapter 13 - 07/20/12
        Discharged 8/2/16

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          #5
          Extremely impressive. It's amazing how much credit becomes a way of life without even realizing it. It's so easy for me to look back in history and realize I would be fairly well off right now if I simply lived the way I'm forced to live now. They should tell our stories in high school personal finance classes, it's a critical lesson that parents don't always teach and life teaches you too late.

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            #6
            I am actually at the inverse of where you are. Right now, I'm at 48 months down and twelve to go. In much better and stronger shape financially. Won't talk about it much until I'm discharged. Just keeping my head down low while I pass through this phase in my life.
            Final Payment 7/2016

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