Right Direction

So we've settled into life here in a new town, with new jobs, and a new mindset....so now it is on to putting our lives heading in the right direction.

Money has always been tight and a bit of an issue during our marriage....so let's start at the beginning...

September 2008 - August 2009 we get married in September of 08 :) - we both bring debt to our marriage in the form of student loans from undergrad and credit cards.  My husband was working retail and I was a full time grad student. (going to school an hour away from where we lived). His salary was generally enough to cover our living expenses - I had a monthly stipend (from my assistantship) which was able to cover my gas & car payments and student loans covered tuition and books. So we did ok...we did accrue some credit card debt due to paying for our wedding and some of those items that are involved with setting up a home together (dishes, bedding, etc etc)

September 2009-December 2009 - Hubby is still working his retail gig and covering most of our living expenses. My assistantship runs out, which means no more monthly stipend. Instead I'm working a part time gig in one of the library's on campus getting about 15 hrs a week - along with taking my full load of courses, a couple extra for my certification. This means I took out even more in student loans to cover tuition (both at my university for my grad classes and at a local community college for those couple extra random ones I needed), books, gas, and car payments. Money gets really tight some months and the credit card gets used more than it should.

January 2010-September 2010 - Hubby is working the retail gig but a whole lot of issues arise with leadership and economic stress and whatnot - so he is demoted. This results in a $4 an hour pay cut. Thankfully he at least still has a job & insurance. So he goes and gets another part-time retail job - so my poor husband is working roughly 40 hrs a week at retail gig #1 and anywhere from 15-20 hrs a week at retail gig #2 - and is still bringing in less than before. I by this point am not working at all from January - April...I have to take a 40 hr a week unpaid internship in order to finish my degree. My student loans still cover my car & gas & tuition....but we are barely able to pay our bills and have nothing left to purchase food, gas, etc...so we use the credit cards so we can survive. My internship is done in the middle of April and I start working part time for the same organization the next week (i completed my internship Friday and started working for the Monday). But this was at a community center so I was getting ~10 hours a week teaching fitness classes & swim lessons. This didn't really help our financial situation at all. I graduate in May. I have been applying and looking for a full time job since March. In May I add another partime job working as a therapist for children who have autism. I work my way up to working about 20 hrs a week with this job, on top of my hours (which now average 7 per week due to kids dropping swim lessons for the summer) at the community center. This helps out my poor hubby - but it still isn't enough. We are still using the credit cards to pay for things (and cringe when doing so).

That brings us to September 2010 - I finally get a full time job offer!!! I start in October - so I put in my 2 weeks at my jobs so that I have enough time to pack etc before I start. This job offer is in a town 2.5 hours away....this means a big move. I will be making more than my husband and I have made jointly prior to this which is a benefit.  A move we have absolutely no $$$ to pay for. We have to break our lease, rent a truck, get a new apartment (with deposit), Oh and we will go over a month without a paycheck (I will not get paid until the end of october - I start oct 1 and we only get paid once a  month and the with the hubby having to transfer to a new retail location leaves him with 2 weeks of no pay due to the move & new start date). By this point we have maxed out 2 cards, and the 3rd does not have enough to cover all these new expenses. We get a loan from family to help carry us through this move and first couple months. And of course after the move there are a million unexpected expenses that come up which equals credit card use.

I finally have a good full time job, my husband transferred to another retail location so he could keep his full time job - sadly it is an hour away which means we spend a lot in gas. But it is full time and as long as he is full time with this company they provide tuition reimbursement - so he started back at school in January to finish his B.S. :)  We are in a good place, with a stable life (at the moment) so....

...that brings us to today....we're tired of the $$$ situation we have been in and gotten ourselves into. I was raised to avoid debt and that debt is bad so it is particularly hard for me. We're sick to our stomach's with the debt we are in. 2 car loans, 3 credit cards maxed, 2 loans from family members, 3 student loans (our respective undergrad loans and my grad school loan)... it is too much. And we are done. Credit cards are gone - they are cut up/locked up/put away.

We are making it a priority to get debt free. We figure at our current rate if we stick to a budget (and no crazy huge unexpected expenses come up) and try to keep expenses at a minimum, we can pay off the credit cards, cars, and family debt within 3 years. (maybe faster if my hubby gets a better job after graduating next May!). We really want to buy a house and start a family - but we dont' think that is the wisest thing to do while we are in so much debt. We hope want all (or at least most!) of this debt to be gone before we do that. Then it will be on to paying off the student loans and mortgage! I dream of being debt free so that we can save for our children's future (college is only going to get more expensive) and for our future - to be able to not just survive but live well and experience life well with our families. Once we are totally debt free from everything - I want save enough to take a special celebration trip!

So this is the start of the right direction.....


I'm desperately HOPEFUL for this change in our life....

Changes

Changes in the seasons, changes in life....

Summer is winding down, the garden isn't giving me much anymore, just some lingering tomatoes and cucumbers...this morning the weather is glorious fall weather...rainy in the 60's....perfect for a quiet morning of hot chocolate, baking blueberry muffins and reading a good book. I love fall!

Life is changing very drastically....I finally got a job! As of October 1 I will be a 4-H Extension Educator! With this crazy awesome new jobs, means a move! We will be moving to Warsaw, IN a nice seeming small town. It is 2.5 hours away from where we are living now! So from when I was offered the job to when I start I have 4 weeks to find a place to live in a town I've been to once, pack up our whole life, and move! Not only that but we were just in FL for 5 days on vacation taking care of our nephews, and will be gone 2 other weekends in September, leaving this weekend the only weekend we're around! And we are both trying to finish up all our work here!

But I am so excited for all the changes, I know they are for the best (as crazy at it seems now!) My heart is at peace with this move and excited for the future....

So bring it on fall! You're a time of endings and new beginnings and I love it!

I just created a totally awesome dinner.... Penne Pasta in a Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce with Mushrooms, Garlic, and Pine Nuts (and spices).....it was sooooooo good! Served it with homegrown garden tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper hummus, and white wine. I love to cook and create!

My garden is going great! I picked tomatoes, peppers, and an eggplant today! My tomatoe plants are taller than me with tons of fruit on it, the peppers are going great guns, bush beans are starting to get pods on them, runner beans are growing, eggplants have lots of fruit on them, cucumbers are growing! The herbs are doing great and the onions are getting picked :)

My tomatoe plants are taller than me!!!!!!! Got our first tomatoe off of one of them....the rest have lots of green fruit on them!!!!

Planted another round of beans - runner beans this time!

I can't wait to start eating stuff from my garden!

And preserving it!

Maybe I'll can some relish today....cabbage & peppers are cheap...and it would be a great thing to bring to the upcoming BBQ's for the weekend....yes cleaning and canning - sounds like a great afternoon!

Tomatoes are huge! And have lots of baby fruit on them! Peppers (both hot & bell) are starting to flower. Eggplant is flowering. Beans are getting huge! Herbs are growing awesome. Cucumbers are doing decently....yea for my garden!

Still looking for a full time job...working 2 part time ones!

Purging stuff out of my life.

Looking for ways to save $$$$

Got cable for the World Cup....and have been watching the Food Network & Cooking Channel like crazy :)

Maybe I should go back to culinary school.... i love to cook :)

So Grad school is over....I finished my internship April 16....graduated on May 7th!

I am looking for a full time job....I am working 2 part-time ones right now....but full time is needed...

Plants are going mostly well....head lettuce is done & eaten (until more is planted late summer), Brussels Sprouts are growing still, leaf lettuce didn't make it (i think the random late frost/freeze we had at the beginning of May did them in), Kale never got past the sprouting stage - not sure why. Chard is growing, Onions & Radishes are doing great....can't tell with the carrots yet. Spinach is going slow but still hanging in there! Herbs are all doing great!

Transplanted tomatoes today....going to prepare the beds for the sweet peppers & hot peppers this week...and get my eggplant, peas, & beans in.....

Best friend got married yesterday! I was a bridesmaid - so it has been a crazy fun experience - throwing bridal showers, bachlorette parties, and helping with wedding planning/executing! It was a beautiful wedding & lots of fun!!!!

Now hopefully for a low key week with work, errands, coupons, gardening, and cooking in it! (I've starting making all our own bread again :) )

4/13 & 4/14 - My carrots, Kale, & Chard started to sprout!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everything that was already sprouted is continuing to grow! I love my garden!!!!!!!!!!

Once I'm actally home & awake when it is light out I'll take pictures of my crazy garden and all it's sprouting nature....but that might not be till this weekend or maybe even Monday!

My life is crazy! I finish my internship this friday - have a recreation workshop that I am on the board for this weekend, and then start 2 part time jobs next week!!!!! Did I also mention I am in the final interview stages for 2 other full time jobs, plus thesis, and my Rec Therapist Certification Exam....and graduation and 500 million (ok 7, one of which I'm in & one that i'm the photographer for) weddings in the next 1.5 months!!!!!!!!