get out of credit card debt

Okay, I’ve accomplished my goal and it feels great!

The big day is May 31st. First thing that morning, I’m logging on to my credit card’s website and I’m making the final payment. I can’t wait. May 31st, is going to be a great day. A great day!!

I’m seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I only have $3,100 to go. I’m trying not to go overboard with my spending, I’m spending moderately. I have plans to have a couple of dinners at my house in April, but I’m not going to spend a lot of money, no lobster or anything like that. I did splurge and bought tickets to see Angie Stone at Earthlink, but the tickets were so reasonable and by the time the concert happens, I’ll be credit card debt free. I just have to pace myself. No extras, the two dinners are enough for the month of April. Plus, my sweetie is taking me to see Al Green on April 29th. And, I think we’re going to a cookout on Easter Sunday. I have to keep telling myself that I have enough planned for the month of April. It’s hard not to spend money in Atlanta, there’s so much stuff to do. Enough for the month of April.

Okay, not using the credit card is hard. I guess if I didn’t have the credit card it would not be hard. I had the lunch get together at my house and that cost me over $100. And I still have to take my dog for his physical exam and dental cleaning. I think I have $14 left to pay for my dog’s medical and dental bill next week plus, food and gas, so guess what? I will be pulling out the credit card to hold me over until payday on March 31. Counting today, that’s 11 days of using the credit card. Hopefully, when I get paid on the 31st I can also payoff all the things I charged during this 11 day period. But, I have a feeling that if I do pay the entire balance, then I won’t have any money for April or I’ll have to make a bite out of the payment I’ve budgeted for my credit card debt in April. I was hoping to make a big payment and put a real dent in the credit card debt. I’m just going to have say no to more stuff next month.

Okay, so I decide to put away the credit cards. I was spending too much, so now I’m using cash only. If I don’t have the cash then I don’t buy it. Real simple. So far so good. I’m a little nervous that the money I have remaining will not last until the end of the month. I have some expenditures that I’m uncertain of the total. For example, I have to take my dog to the doctor next week for his comprhensive exam and dental cleaning and I’m not sure exactly how much that will cost. I have about $55 dollars bugeted, but it maybe more, it seems to go up each time I go. I’m also having a lunch get together at my house and I’m unsure how much it will cost to get all the things that I need to make the lunch. So, I’ll have to keep my grocery shopping spending down. Already I see the difference in spending cash versus using a credit card. When I use my credit card I get whatever my heart desires then I struggle to pay it off in full and don’t have any money for the next month. But using cash makes me keep a watchful eye on my spending.

In my efforts to pay off my credit cards I have become dependent on using them. I only have roughly 4K to pay off, but suddenly, I find myself charging my monthly expenses and then paying them off in full, but having no cash to pay for monthly expenses so I end up charging them again. It’s like I’m a month behind. I’ve reviewed my budget and looked at my expenses and it looks like I could possilbly be back on track in April or May. I like using my credit card card for all my monthly expenses and then paying the bill in full each month, but I find that it’s a vicious cycle. I want to go to the cash only method, but I fear losing the cash, overspending, and running out of cash. They say people who use credit cards spend more than people that use cash. And I can see how this is true. I’m trying to develop a method of using the credit card so that I do not overspend. I want to stick to the basics. Actually, I need to stick to a credit card budget and not go over the amount set to spend for the month on the credit card. Okay, that’s the goal: To stick to a credit card budget and not go over a set amount for the month.

I’m really close. Christmas slowed me down but I’m still making progress. In June, I’ll be completely out credit card and car. It’s a beautiful thing.

Okay, so me and my sweetie are going to the 80’s Soul at Chastain. I’m happy to be going. I love Chastain. This will be so romantic. BUT, I’ve been spending more than the amount that I budgeted earlier this year. BUT, I don’t mind, my focus is not as intense, but I will still be able to meet my goal by year end. I think the money that we are spending to do things is an investment in building our relationship. Although I titled this slipping, I’m really just readjusting. I’m gonna get there, I’m still committed to being credit card debt free. Entering this new relationship and losing the weight were both unexpected goals. I did not start the year with the goal of being in a relationship and weight loss was probably in the back of my mind. But, that’s just how life is and that’s also how I am. I’m very spontaneous, not in a day to day type of spontaneity, my daily life is pretty routine, but in a going with the flow or going with what life brings kind of way. I’m influenced by outside or external forces. But the bottom line will be that I still paid off my credit cards. My current credit card debt is $4900.

There’s going to be a 80’s Soul Concert at Chastain on October 29th. I really wanted to go. I almost bought the tickets. I talked to my sweetie last night and he was the voice of reason. He reminded me that we already have tickets to see Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore, plus in November we are going to see the LA Lakers beat up on the Hawks. We’ve got pretty good seats and the tickets were a little pricey. He’s right. We can’t do everything. We are trying to get out of debt. In fact, I’m almost there. If I can control my spending I will be credit card debt free at the end of the year. Chastain is one of my favorite, hell it is my favorite place for a concert. Love it. I haven’t been with someone I’m romantically involved with in years, so I wanted to capture that, but we’ll have plenty of opportunities to go to Chastain next year. I’m glad he helped me fight the impluse.

When I look at the money I pay out each month to my credit card to eliminate the last of my credit card debt, it amazes me how much money I will have for myself. It’s incredible to me that it took this long to wake up and see that my credit card spending was over the top. I have always been a very impulsive person and it is very clear when I look over my spending habits. I use to charge everything because I couldn’t wait, I wanted it then, and damn it, I thought I deserved it. I’m just glad I woke up. But, I’m still impatient cause now I can’t wait to be out of credit card debt. I’m anticipating the feeling is gonna be as good as graduating from college, and that was a great feeling.