I got it started

I finally woke up enough to get the bills together. I still have some work to do regarding sorting them and coming with a total figure.

Past due bills will be around 8,000.00 I think. Then my student loan of just over $8,000.00. Medical bills total around 1000.00.

I feel sick. Literally feel sick to my stomach over this. I feel so overwhelmed right now. I am beginning to doubt myself and doubt that I can accomplish this.

But I also know that I can. It will take some major changes in my lifestyle and a lot of determination (and anger) to get it done but I can and will get it done.

Once I finish the final total of the bills I can then sit down and figure out what bills are priorities (Current monthly bills and the like), get my baby emergency fund started (1000.00), and then start snowballing my debt. I am hoping that within a year and a half to two years I will be completely debt free.

I own my car outright so there are no car payments to worry about, car insurance is relatively inexpensive but I am going to ask about raising my deductible to see if that will lower the cost even more, renters insurance is almost laughably cheap (12.50 a month) but a necessity as one never knows what will happen right?

My 12 yr old is going to scream like a banshee when she finds out I am cutting cable to the bare basics (thank God for Netflix!). I figure with summer coming and her going to camp for 1 week and hopefully spending a lot of time outdoors she won't miss the TV all that much. If that is the case when it turns cold again I won't need to up the package at all.

Food isn't much of a problem now that I am divorced. When I was married I was spending over $200.00 a WEEK on food. My ex ate. A lot. Way too much. But that is then and this is now. We spend maybe $150.00 - $200.00 per month if that. I buy in bulk as much as I can and then don't need to shop for that item for at least 2-3 weeks. The only thing that is really expensive for us is milk. We are both lactose intolerant on different levels. I can only handle soy milk (at almost 3.00 per HALF gallon) while she can tolerate lactose free regular milk (At almost 6.00 per GALLON). We have to buy the lactose free ice cream. coconut milk ice cream for me on the rare occasion I can justify spending over 4.00 for a small pint of it. So that is our biggest expenditure.

We were going to the laundromat to do our laundry since our apt doesn't have room for a regular sized washer. I was spending upwards of $25.00 per WEEK to do laundry. I bought a small portable washer for $240.00 (my cost at work - I am lucky that way there) and pay $25.00 more per month for rent instead. We do still wash blankets/comforters at the laundromat as the 10lb portable will not fit king sized blankets in it. We try to do this every other week instead of every week now. So we are finding big savings there also. We hang the laundry on racks around the apt to dry them. Saves on money for drying clothes and gets much needed moisture in the apt too.

I also think that when my 1 yr contract is up with Fairpoint I will discontinue my landline and just keep the internet. That will save about 30.00 per month there as well. We have cell phones (if my kid could find hers sigh) so that should be sufficient I think. Not sure though. I am kind of torn on that one.

And Panera Bread. I am going to have to say goodbye to them or at the very least cut back on going there 5-6 days a week. That will save almost 10.00 a day. Quite a bit when you add it up and even more if I bring 12 yr old with me. I will really miss Panera. Love their Chai Tea Latte's with Soy milk and spices.

I must say that I do love that Dave Ramsay's plan builds in "blow" money. I think that is a very important part of the success of the people who follow his plan. Yes it is a harsh plan but when you build in "blow" money it does allow for special things (like PANERA!) so you don't feel totally deprived.

Hopefully tomorrow I will post the rest of my bill amounts etc and get to post a breakdown of the "plan".

Right now - it is time to get back to work. Lunch break is almost over.