LAST TIME:
We figured out that our DIRT is bad. Now we have to change! We are traveling on an island. We can walk around it in about 16 hours, eight hours of sleep and we do it all over again. It's the cycle of our life. In order to stop the routine and actually get off our debt island we have to change!
How do we do this? The best way to stop the debt, stop the intrest and eventually stop the bills is to stop using our cards. This is where our scissors come in. We are going to perform some plastic surgery. YES!!! We are going to cut up our cards.
The first time I did this, yes I have done this more than once, I panicked! I had actually prayed to the Lord to know what to do about my debt. I wasn't drowning in debt but I wanted out. I felt the Spirit tell me to cut the cards. "What! How am I going to live and pay for this and this and, and." If this is how you're feeling; breath! It will be ok. I know this because after my vacation to see my sister in Hawaii, I did it! I did it for good! I won't say it's been easy, it hasn't but, it's been for the better. The more of our own money we spend the less interest we give our creditors. And the more we drop on our debt the faster we get out!
Now society tells us that we are not an adult without a credit card. In fact, the way we are now, is normal. We are doing exactly what they want. They say it's weird to be ODD. Well I want to be odd- Out of Debt Danger!! To do this I told them (society) NO!
"PICK A CARD ANY CARD!!"
This is not a game! This is real life. This is your life and the lives of your current family or in my case a future family. I don't want to start out a new life with debt. And, you shouldn't want to continue in your life with debt. So I say again, pick a card. Grab your scissors and cut away. TIP: make sure that the pieces are small. You don't need any one going through your garbage putting the puzzle together and getting your number off the card.
I recently had and expericance where I had a choice to make. I was given a new card in the mail. The one I had was cut up and gone but, here was a brand new one. I actually thought about keeping it. "I might need it for this and this and...." It started all over again. It's all maxed out so I couldn't have used it anyway but... No buts! I had the thought to cut it up and I did just that. I didn't even activate it. It's gone! yours has to be gone too if you want to see any change.
CHANGE PART 2
AHHHH!!! Breath a sigh of relief. Our cards are gone. We have told the creditors, "Eventually Your paycheck (interest) will run out and I will be FREE!" Now we need to pay them off, for good! We have determined our dirt and how bad it is. If you're like me, you need more income. This can come in many ways.
1- DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
Make a list, write down how much more money you have if you do with out.......
A- RENT.
Can we find a cheaper place? Would you parents or family let you life with them until you're out. This is probably the largest bill we have and would save a lot of money, especially if you can also eliminate the utilitiy bills too.
$00.00
B- INTERNET
The use of your local public library is free. If you have family or friends that would let you use the one they have. This can save a lot of money a month.
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C- PHONE
If you have a land line and a cell phone, pick one. If you don't need your cell for work- cancel it. TIP: Most cell companies have contracts and penelties for early cancelation. Check this out before you cancel.
$00.00
D- CAR
If it's cheaper to take the bus, park it!! If you have two cars, sell one. That is a large chunk of cash.
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E- CABLE
I know the digital box can be horrible. But, it's a free service for a $40.00 box one time.
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F- EXTRAS
Manicures, pedis, hair apts, tanning and any extras you can think of and I'm not just talking about women. Men have their own extras.
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G- RENEWALS
Costco, Sams Club, Gym memberships, etc. These can be regained after we are out of debt, and that time we will use our own money to have the memberships. Doesn't that make you feel good knowing that we will have our own money for things and not someone elses with their high interest rates?
$00.00
2- TO SELL OR NOT TO SELL?
Do we have any thing we can sell either online, at a yard sale or to a buy back store?
A- EBAY
This is great if you have popular items that are hard for people to find any where else.
Example: A vintage Atari complete with two controllers and games. (I found a complete set, game console, two controllers, and 25 games for $200.00. Some games do better on their own. Math sells for 50 bucks!) Vintage vinal records are also a good sell. Most sell for $25.00 but almost always a Christmas album will fetch $100.00 easy.
B- CRAIGS LIST
Great for larger items you don't use any more like exercise machines. A tread mill in good condition will usually fetch about $100.00. Furniture can sell for $100.00 for a complete love seat and sofa pair. TIP: When you name your price, never ask for retail. Even if it's brand new, never used. If they can get the same or identical item at a department store for the same price, why would they buy it from you? A good rule is to sell about 50 bucks cheaper for newer items and lower for more used items. Ask your self the question, "If I was buying this how much would I want to pay?"
C- YARD SALES
This is where you sell anything and every thing to make a buck. If you live in a circle or hard to reach street find a nice, can be seen from the road, place to hold your sale. If you make signs, a good idea is to put, FREE STUFF. Some items you have you just want to get rid of. We all have this stuff. The word 'free' gets them in the door.
WRITTEN DISCLAIMERS
For all the above sales you'll want a written disclaimer. A written policy that says if something happens after they buy they can't sue you. At my current job we sold a broken piano and our disclaimer was: "Item sold as is. No refunds." This told the buyer that the condition it was in was how we were selling it and they can't come back to us and ask us to pay for a tune up or to fix it. They couldn't ask for their money back either. Whatever your is needs to be on all your internet items and at your yard sale.
E- BUY BACK STORES
Kid to kid or Plato's closet. These are what are in my area. You'll want to find out who buys back items and their stipulations. Remember: There not buying from you; you're selling to them. Some will bargain with you but not by much. They're running a business; you need extra cash. What you don't sell on line or to a buy back store, put in your yard sale.
3- A JOB CHANGE
If we have made our cut backs and have done all the selling we can but, still come up short at the end of the month, a change with our job is what we need. There are many ways we can do this.
A- RAISE/ OVERTIME
If we like our job and don't want to quit and we haven't had a raise in a while, petition the boss for a raise or overtime. If you get either one or both, and after a couple of paychecks, check your DIRT again.
B- NEW OR SECOND JOB
If your job is not what it could be and you'd rather quit. Then you need a whole new job, complete with a larger salary. To get a new job or second job, you need to pound the keyboard. Meaning, you need to look online.
B1- JOB SEARCH
I am currently in this position. Now a lot of people have told me that jobs are hard to find and that there scarce. I can tell you, there not. You have to be actively seeking new employment to understand that there are jobs out there. You just have to know where to look.
B2- START
Resume: You have to have a resume. Most job sites that I have been to that linked me to the company all have asked for an uploaded resume. Now there are options to use there format and write it in or you CAN apply with out one, I don't recommend that. If you don't know how to do a resume you can follow this format:
YOUR NAME
STREET ADDRESS
CITY STATE ZIP
PRIMARY PHONE #
Objective: A brief discription of why and what you want to bring to the company your applying with. You may have to change this for different companies and different jobs you're applying for.
Experience/ work history: What you have done in the last 10 years. You don't need to give a whole work history unless it is less than 10 years.
Company: The name of the company you worked for.
Employment: dates you have worked for this company
Titles/ duties:
Your title with the company: Write that where 'your title with the company' is.
Brief paragraph of tasks you were in charge of and duties assigned to you.
Second title if applicable: If you have more than one title make a seperate paragraph for each one.
Reason for leaving: Why are you leaving the company? Be honest! If you were fired at any job your listing put that you were and give a one sentance reason for it.
Company: The second job your listing.
Service:
Titles and Duties:
Your title:
Second title if applicable:
Reason for leaving:
Training: Any training that you have that could benefit the company.
Skills: Microsoft Office 03-07, Windows Xp, Vista, and 7. Excel spread sheet. Typing: 50-60 wpm. Microsoft works task launcher. (Any and all computer skills and all that apply to the company. These are mine that I can and know how to do.)
Schooling: High school, any college or institute you have attended.
B2- SEARCH JOB SITES
Your local DWS (department of workforce services). For Utah it is: http://www.jobs.utah.gov/
Others:
http://www.ldsjobs.org/ You don't have to be a member of the LDS (mormon) faith to use this site and they help in all states and Canada. You will need to create an LDS account- it's for job seeking only.
These sites have a search engine where you can type in what job you're looking for and it will bring up applicable jobs that are available. Don't be so picky in your search that you only want THE perfect job, you won't find it. If flippin the burgers means more money, take it!! Especially if it's a second part time job.
#1 JOB SEARCH RULE: Never leave your current job with out another one to go to. No money is far worse than not enough money!!!
4- CONSOLIDATION LOANS
This is the last option we have after we have made all other changes. This allows us to have one payment instead of a bunch of payments. Remember, when you ask for this loan the lender will look into your dirt much more than we did so be prepared. If your dirt is to high they could turn you down. I have recieved two and was declined for a third.
5- PAYDAY LOANS
I highlited this red because it is a warning sign. I know I am saying this and I currently have one. I bring this up because I don't recommend this at all! This loan takes and takes. The interest or this companys paycheck is higher than most credit cards. If you have this loan, make them your first payoff. You are only a slave to them. Borrowing money every month because they take your income for the last loan you have. The longer you keep the loan the higher their paycheck. Mine costs me about $27.00 a week in interest. We can't afford this kind of dirt!! Once you can have your check clear and make it without them, it will be tough, you do it!!!
And remember you're not in this alone! We are making changes together.
