5 Truths About Being Debt Free on A Low Income
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ค. 2024
- It's time to talk about 5 truths about being debt free on a low income. Debt free living does give you peace, greater flexibility in your budgeting, and more control over your goals. However, it does not mean that you can go out and buy whatever you want.
We've been debt free for over twenty years and raised four sons on a less than average income. So, we understand both the joys and realities of what it means to be debt free on a low income.
In this video, we give you hope and a healthy dose of good old fashioned common sense when it comes to financial freedom and how it feels to have no debt.
00:00 - Introduction
01:00 - It Builds Patience
02:50 - Less Stress
03:40 - More Options
05:15 - Easier to Budget
06:55 - Better Communication
08:50 - It's Hard Work
11:11 - Free Debt Tracker
12:01 - Bloopers
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We're Hope and Larry and we raised our four sons, debt-free, including paying cash for our home (when our salary averaged less than $40,000). For tips on saving money, budgeting, paying off debt, and setting goals (while living with a spirit of joy and abundance), subscribe to us here on TH-cam and visit us at our website and on social media.
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12am here and have been feeling so much anxiety tonight. SOOO glad to have you guys to watch to calm down. You both are the types of people I look for in real life. So positive and calming natures. You are a light in this world x
Ace, we're happy to have you with us. We trust that you will rest well tonight.
You really do appreciate things more when you pay cash. There’s just nothing like being debt free!
Exactly!
Shepherd your dollars, they represent the hours of your life you spent earning them. Because I buy good quality classic clothing, I don’t put them in the drier, but air dry. Just the other day I received a compliment on my favorite sun dress. That dress is 21 years old but I get compliments on it every summer.
It's amazing how timeless clothing can be. You just can't beat a little black dress.
My x husband cleaned out our bank accounts and left me and the country, leaving me with all of our debts including our mortgage. It’s taken me a few years, but I am very close to being debt free. I sleep better at night now, so yes less stress! I am no longer living on nothing, but have kept my frugal habits and my life is better for it.
So sorry for your experience, but happy that you persevered and paid it all off.
I show my family how much I love them by being debt free. "She will do him good all the days of her life."
.
I just appreciate you sharing your experience and your encouragement. I'm 5 months into my debt free journey and I am impressed how well I am doing especially when I have chosen to continue to save along the way and not stop at $1,000 like some suggest. I am just doing what is comfortable for me. Budgeting and journaling seem to help me stay on track the most.
Good for you, Angel!
We’re debt free. But at 73, a person really really should be
Yes - we so agree that when you retire you should really be debt free!
Completely agree
Right on😀
I would have put “lowers the stress level” as number one. The relief was enormous. 12 years and still going strong. Staying debt free was hard the first year-it seemed like so many odd things happened that year (yes, even the fully paid for car-the one that should have had another five years on it -really did choose that year to die early).
Writing goals helps you recognize that this moment or that event can be an opportunity to meet your goals, if you hadn’t refreshed your recollection recently you might not see the opportunity.
You may want to do a video on post debt free-I’ve known so many people who stop paying car and house insurance when they’re paid for, not really understanding the implications.
I actually keep a cash envelope I always fill with the same amount every month, I just let it build because this way the money is there, not needing to switch anything around in our budget.
Still flying high on $35 a week on our groceries ❤
You rock on your grocery budget!
Larry, my grandad, born in 1892, put in oak flooring using a hand drill for every hole in every board. He was about 5 feet tall and tough as they come. Thanks for the memory.
Your dad sounds like a great guy! (and hard-working). Thanks for sharing.
You asked in your video at the end - 'what can we do to help you?' . Well I have to say it- ALL of your videos have helped me and many others. Your videos are very inspiring. I think being aware of what one is spending money on and writing it down is the beginning of making good financial decisions. Thanks for all your brilliant videos. You're both amazing.
Thank you, Michael. You made our day with your special comment. We are grateful to be able to help.
Spot On to everything you said! You 2 are great! A written budget is absolutely key. I have several months of pay periods all spelled out with everything accounted for down to hair cuts, cat food and furnace filters. That's how I got out of debt, created a fully funded Emergency fund, and how I am saving to pay off my home while contributing more to my retirement savings. I got a very late start to this debt-free living concept and felt exceptionally overwhelmed in the beginning. But I decided if I didn't start then- it would only become even less achievable. It's amazing what diligence and personal responsibility can overcome! I find I am in want of relatively nothing anymore... when I used to want so much. Amazing how that works! It's so very comforting to be satisfied with what you already have 😊
I so agree!. Deft free is liberating! So enjoy watching you both! Brings me much joy!
Thank you, Val! So glad to have you with us!
Larry, Carly Simon sang "Anticipation," not Carole King.
Keep the wonderful advice coming!
LOL! So true. Thanks for the correction!
Love how your channel gives me PBS vibes. Still my favorite station on TV.
Thanks, Nancy. We love PBS vibes.
A wish for future videos: I would like to see some more grocery and produce hauls, including how you plan before shopping, how you revise your plans in the shop when finding things on sale and what you plan to cook with it at home. (You don't need to film in the shops to do this, only tell us about it.) I find it very inspirational to get the full picture, not only the usual hauls you find on TH-cam, and it also gives ideas for meals. I have loved the hauls you have made before! 🙂
Thanks for your vote for more info. about groceries.
Great point about saving up for the next thing. To be honest that is almost the hardest thing.
We agree. Always looking down the line and continuing to save keeps us from spending money that we shouldn't really be spending now.
Equally yoked in marriage 👩❤️👨💯‼️ Helps so much.
It does! I wouldn't want it any other way.
I love this. 18 months to no mortgage payment. Thank God
Thank you guys; always good to see you !! Take care
Monique! Good to see you!
I really enjoy your channel. You guys are such a great couple and you guys work so well together. I love your passion for saving money. It’s contagious!
Thanks, Melissa. We appreciate your kind words.
Thank you 😊 💓 ☺
Love you guys!! Thank you
You are welcome, ubwaterman!
I love all the videos...but gotta admit, the bloopers are a hoot!! That truck is dope and my granddad had that SAME hand drill...😄...boy, oh boy...where do the years go? Lol
So glad you like the bloopers! We love turning our mistakes into a few laughs. Those hand drills were very popular. These - of course - were made before the invention of cordless drills. In fact, Dad's probably predates corded drills. I used this some when I lived at home. And - yes - the years are just flying by!
Thanks for sharing. Really good. Greet from Malaysia. Debt free is life.
Love your channel!
I think the idea of written goals, is the best piece of advice you give. When it is in black and white, there can be no excuses or confusion about knowing the intended outcome and seeing a plan come to fruition, is rewarding.
Have a blessed day. 🙂
Great thoughts, Janet. You're right. When they are written you can't erase them from your mind.
Written all my debts n it makes so much difference
100% on the ease of budgeting (and saving)! Once we were debt-free, we had so much more we could save, and of course, we could cover unusual expenses more easily.
Thanks for sharing, Nae. You are right. So much easier.
I watch your videos for inspiration to continue to budget, to thrift shop and cook vegan dishes, and they help me to stay on track!
Glad to hear it, Trandans. Thanks for watching. We appreciate it.
Haha. I love you guys.. I lov etge bloopers sooo much.. We are on our way of attacking our last debt, our mortgage! Thanks for being such an inspiration 😘
Yay! Rooting for you as you attack that mortgage!
I would love to hear more about budgeting and how you paid off your home in 5 years. Also would love to see a shopping excursion - food and thrift store - and how you furnished your home and prepared for emergencies on an income that was under the median income.
Brenda, thank you for the great suggestions for future videos. We did a video on how we paid off our home, here: th-cam.com/video/sSv65hw69bk/w-d-xo.html
I'm a new subscriber been watching for a while. Love your tips and your channel
Hi, Elizabeth! Welcome to the Under the Median family. We're happy to have you with us.
Hi Larry and Hope!!
I was late again but enjoyed it anyway.
Nice follow up from the Five lies!!
I chuckled out loud watching the bloopers!! 🤣
Also love it Larry when you have a little nostalgia at the end of some videos. ♥️
Hope you guys are doing well!
Regina! I just saw this comment. We were just talking about how we hadn't seen you in a while.
Like that you share family items.
So appreciate your videos! I would love to see a video about preparing (saving) for retirement. Thank you!
This has been a popular request. We are going to see if we can get our investment planner to come on with us.
Love watching your bloopers and hearing Hope laugh!
I have been debt free since I retired about 15 years ago. I'd like tips on how to save up for big items and emergencies . thanks!
Thanks so much, Janet. We appreciate your input on future programs.
Loving all of your videos! Thank you for the quality information. We are in the suburbs of Chicago so Illinois, but in the more expensive part. We have a 12 and 7 year old who are in school activities and sports. I know you homeschooled your boys but I would love to hear some tips that you may have used through the years when it comes to paying for kid related items such as sports and activities. We are currently debt free working towards getting the mortgage paid off in the next 8 years. We have college funds going and put $200 a month towards activities for the boys but with school registration and supplies alone costing over $500 and house league sports well over $1500, it's getting tighter and tighter as they get older. Thanks!
Hi, "neighbor" - well, sort of. You definitely are in the expensive area of the state. Our boys never did sports and I know it can be quite costly. They did do 4H for several years. When they were young, we limited their activities. We took into account not only the financial cost, but also the cost to our time together as a family. After the boys turned 16 and had part-time jobs, they helped fund their extracurricular activities themselves. For instance, we paid the fee for them to be in the fall play through our homeschool co-op and they paid for their own costume When the class took a trip to Navy Pier to see Shakespeare, they paid for their own ticket and we gave them money to pay for food. We liked to make sure that they had "skin in the game" by that age. It helped them decide what was most important to them, because they had to work to pay for part of it.
Yes indeed Patients, then you absolutely take care of what you bought and keep it for many many years 🙋🏼♀️
I agree it is hard work, but it worth it.
Yes!
Great video as always.
Thanks so much for watching. We appreciate your kind words.
So true about the goals in front of you! We have a “thermometer” on our white board, to track savings in CASH account.
Great idea, Pia!
Oh, I like that idea! Thanks!
Hi Larry & Hope, I would REALLY love if you could do a video on how you’re both preparing for retirement. I started preparing for retirement really late and would really love some tips. Thank you so much 😊.
Several others have asked that same question. So, we'll definitely plan a video. We plan to seek the input of our personal financial planner for the video. He has helped us quite a bit. We began investing for retirement late in the game, too. So, it's been a lot of playing "catch up".
I was wandering about the toy truck. What is 3 things to do if your in your sixties trying to save? Thank you enjoy your videos.
Ty for the video. When you seriously began paying off your mortgage, how long did it take? Was it a 30yr mortgage? I'm single and retired and having someone else in the household has got to make all of this much easier. I have a good budget and I'm on my journey to a debt free life 😃. Thanks.
We payed off a 15 year mortgage in 5 years. We were both working through most of the payoff. We started working towards that almost immediately. It helped that our first house was only $38,000.
We have to fix up the house and we are 100k in debt. We try to throw 5k a year on our date but with covid-19 we couldn't . Hope to one day be debt free like y'all.
Keep working towards that goal and you'll make it!
Wait, how did you know our mortgage payment is exactly 490 a month? 😳 that was breaking the fourth wall 😂 loved this video!
That is totally cool. Clearly, the message was meant for you.
Hope and Larry,, won't you discuss how you are preparing for retirement.
And for all your very informative, inspirational and educational videos, we thank you so much, my family and and I get alot out of them. We are in Illinois too, but more towards the Naperville area.
Hi, Maegan! Someone else asked about retirement savings. So, we'll definitely schedule a video on this topic. I am planning the schedule for the third quarter right now. I think we'll talk about mistakes we made (many) and how it could have been done more effectively.
Great video! What I would like to hear from you is how you got your children on board? I’m a single mother of three on a low income and I would love to give my children everything they want and still stay debt-free, but they want so much!
We gave our kids responsibility to help around the house and a lot of opportunities for us to talk about how to make wise purchases. Then, we gave them more responsibility to pay for their expenses as they got older.
It is very bad for children to be given everything they want.
They need to learn to want and be ok with NOT having.
After all, I am sure there are things YOU want, but do not have.
Teaching them about REAL life is better for them.
You are putting pressure on yourself that is unnecessary.
Can you do a video talking about your current financial goals, and then do regular updates about the progress you're making towards them? That would be fun!
We are planning a video in the next couple of weeks about doing a mid-year budget check up. We'll share our goals on it.
Can you give us more nuts and bolts? You gave me a clue when you talked about sub-accounts to your main bank account at your credit union, but can you go further? Do you have a sub-account fir each category? Do you group them? What do you recommend if your bank doesn’t do that? Do you have a method for specifically how you manage as if the money is divided into envelopes, without using envelopes? Do you always use debit cards in order to have a record of all expenses? All the details, please!
You both are such beautiful people inside and out... I would love to see you guys at The Makeover guy... I can see you guys looking 20 years younger after a shave and a haircut but if not no worries... You still look marvelous
Well, thank you, Lisa. We feel marvelous, too.
Just keep giving advice on ways to save on daily expenses and of course food ideas!
We will. Thanks so much.
I know the toy, but can't recall the name. 🙃 Another thought. Having debt has incedental costs besides interest. Take out a car loan? Your lender wants full replacement cost insurance. Have a debt, lose possible interest or investment increases as well.
Good thoughts, Olivia.
Love your videos. My question is how do you plan to cover health care costs when Larry retires since Hope isn't old enough to be on Medicare? My husband and I both feel we need to work until we can each qualify for Medicare because the premiums for either of us being on the other's employer-sponsored health care plan would sink the budget. We have been debt free for a long time and have saved for retirement, but our retirement budget assumes Medicare is available to us. We both have good health care through our employers that charge almost nothing in premiums for the employee, but the cost to add a family member is prohibitive. Health insurance and medical costs are estimated to be our largest retirement expense.
Healthcare is definitely the problem for us and keeps Larry from setting a retirement date. He will be eligible for Medicare next year. However, since we had our last two sons really late in life, when Larry retires we will still have two sons at home. Right now we are investigating companies and policies. We could continue his work policy, but it would cost 33% of his pension just to pay the policy - and that doesn't take into account any deductibles.
I went to a financial planner about 5 years before retirement. I asked if I was on track to retire because I also made a low income! He said yes because I was 💯 debt free, house and all. He mentioned that the hardest part of his job was getting people to where they could be debt free to retire. If you can’t pay off debt while bringing in your largest dollar amount, you sure won’t be able to on a fixed income!
Wow! That is very encouraging and a great endorsement for the importance of becoming debt free before retirement.
I’m dying to know what Larry puts mustard on! I love mustard but hardly eat meat so I’d love to learn what he puts it on so I can too!
He loves it so much. I think he needs a mustard budget. He puts it on top of casseroles and a lot of sandwiches. If I make barbecue sandwiches, he puts mustard on top of the barbecue.
The struggle between me and my husband is that I'm a natural penny pincher and enjoy looking for ways to save a dollar here and there. Paying off debt would be a huge relief to me. To my husband, the penny pinching and saving dollars is stressful and he would rather spend those; it feels like he doesn't understand the accumulation aspect in the same way. As to paying off debt, he prefers doing minimum payments and investing any extra money that comes in. I see the wisdom of investing and at the same feel uneasy about it. I try to trust him, but it's hard when we're thinking so differently about money.
I am a saver and Larry is a spender. Over the years, we've worked together to find a happy medium. He has learned to listen to me when it comes to saving for future needs (because I'm good at it). I've learned to listen to him when he tells me that a vacation is something that we can freely enjoy after we have saved up for it. For instance, this year, we took along $340 of "blow money" on our vacation (I earned it selling books). He reminded me that we could spend that money on experiences like a cave tour and eating out (and not feel guilty for spending money.) Finally, we never refer to (or consider) money to belong to either one of us - It's our money and we have pledged to work together to budget and spend as a team. I hope that helps.
"Wiggle room" - my mom called it robbing from Peter to pay Paul. 😊
Great video. I know in the Bible it’s great gain to be content. How did you manage to stay content.? Especially when the meals are basically the same week after week. The days are for the most part are the same. Did you get frustrated because your budget was so tight? Just curious. Have a wonderful week. 😁
Menus dont have to always be the same. There are so many thousands of recipes on the intetnet that will fit your budget. A lot of you tube videos on eating on a small amount of money by shopping specials, seasonally, ect. Find free entertainment, such as concerts in the parks, even kids sporting events, walking, biking, the library, cheap crafts, ect. So many things to do for free or almost. Make your local library your friend, free videos, music, programs. Life is boring only if you let it be! A take it yourself picnic in the park is a lot more fun than a 40 dollar restaurant meal. Thrift shop for a few "new" things for a new look, give yourself a manicure, polish is cheap, and I often get mine at the Dollar Tree. Find like minded friends who enjoy a free afternoon. A little imagination is a great thing!
Bonnie, those are great questions. We found a lot of fun things to do that didn't cost us any money. So, we did find a lot of enjoyment. You're right. There were times when it was frustrating. I think it helped me to write down the things I was grateful for. It helped me realize that my house may not be the biggest or our car the newest, but we had a lot for which to be thankful.
What if my spouse and I have different ideas about budgeting, saving, or being debt free?
Love you both and I would so like to be there. I can’t get my husband on board 😞
Very happy to be credit card debt free.
Yay! Good job!
Great video. What an obvious equal and fun relationship you share...talk about goals! And really enjoy the bloopers and Larry's commentary at end recently about whatever is in the background "today". Super additions, Hope and Larry. Thank you for bringing us along on your ride!
In the next couple of weeks we're going to discuss sinking funds (and how to save up for them) and how to evaluate your goals at mid-year.
Debt free.
Hubby and i do not owe anyone.
We have bills,obviously,but we have more money to work with.way less stress.
Keep in mind,people will talk ish about you for being frugal,paying off debt,etc.there is a reason luxury sports cars have 2 seats.busses have 30.everyone is not going on your journey
So true, Rochelle. And we let those who are not riding with us go their own way.
I know I’m a week late but could you do a video about being vegan.
I’m not asking for a vegan promotion video. Just practical info. and about how to do it on a budget.
*When did you decide to become vegan and why?
*Which supplements do you take.
*What do you do for calcium. Especially for growing kids.
*What difference do you feel healthwise between eating meat and vegan. Have your health improved?
*When I watch vegan channels it seems pretty expensive. You have to eat a ton of greens for calcium and berries for health. Greens and berries are expensive. Oh and everything organic due to pesticides.
*Also I worry about kidney stones because of all the oxalates especially in greens and some in berries.
*How do you keep the cost low? Do you just not eat organic? Organic produce is so expensive.
*I am seriously considering becoming vegan, but have been held back because of the above mentioned.
Thank you for making all these videos. I find them very helpful and you guys are a jou to watch.
*kindly talk about planning for retirement
* Kindly address the single people too
* Thanks for the videos
Pam from Kenya Africa
Pamela, thanks for your suggestions. We appreciate them.
After I was debt free I have to focus on saving taxes and insurance. Every year before I had it included in house payment.
That's a valid point and something easy to overlook when figuring out how much money you are freeing up by paying off the mortgage. If those costs were in your mortgage, then you have to put them back into the monthly budget.
I would really enjoy some ideas in what games to play in the house that are free. Im in the UK so um interested in finding out new things to do with my five year old. Im going to introduce him to a scavenger hunt and noughts and crosses.
Great question. I know with my boys, it was challenging in winter especially when it was so cold that we were stuck indoors for days on end. Building a blanket fort was a favorite. If I wanted to do it simply, I draped blankets over the top of the dining room table to create the fort and they could sit under the table. Audio books, "art" days, and board games were favorites, too. We just did a video on free summer fun, here: th-cam.com/video/2Sm4KmdcDWU/w-d-xo.html You might also want to request our free eBook, "60 Free Activities", here: underthemedian.com/60-free-activities/
Carly Simon not Carole King wrote Anticipation.
❤️
I have been happily debt free for about a year now, but I really struggle with other people not understanding, they think I am miserly it’s not a great feeling
Yep me too. But when an aquaitance came to visit my family with loud proclamations about staying in a good hotel and ( staring at me) taking everyone out for treats but then, when snow caused them to unable to get home as planned - I put them up in my humble home, I loaned them the train fare two days later because they were flat broke and maxed out on all credit cards. Amazing! I'd like to say it was a learning curve for them, but no, they still co tinge to spend cash like water.
@@lynnoorman2144 , wow! Thanks for sharing your story. Things are not always as they seem, are they?
I think people assume that you are "rolling in the dough" when you become debt free. But, generally, after people have worked hard to pay off debt, they continue to save money toward future goals. People don't tend to understand that.
Can you talk about your plans for retirement?
That has been a super popular request. We are working on it and putting it on the video schedule.
Good video, folks! I remember seeing Dave Ramsey talk about how dangerously close he and his wife Sharon came to losing their marriage to money issues. I'm glad for the two of you that you're mostly of one mind where it comes to being frugal and enjoy the fruits of your labors without having to go "luxury" style to do so. Apart from needing frequent repairs to a big tractor that's needed to maintain my land, I'm content and at peace, though I still have "mortgage" at the top of each month's budget page. I'm a patient person, though, and feel grateful that I stuck it out as long as I did working two jobs before retirement.
Sherry, thanks for your kind words. Now I'm gonna picture you just riding along on your tractor, enjoying being in the great outdoors. We appreciate you being such a faithful viewer.
I like you wearing bright colors
Thank you.
So do you have funds allocated for an emergency hospital visit and paying an extremely high deductible or is your deductible in your sinking funds already? I am doing ok financially but I feel like I am medically poor paying old hospital bills on a payment plan month after month. Eventually would like to own my own home.
Our insurance covers emergency care. However, our yearly deductible is $4200 per person and $8400 for the family. So, the deductibles are very high. We have a HSA (health savings account) which we contribute to every month and keep enough money in the account to cover at least one person's deductible.
Were you always both on the same page, goal-wise? I'm lazer focused, but my husband is luke-warm. It's very hard.
In all fairness, there are times when we have to talk through differences. We try to end up on the same page on financial matters. Like any married couple, Hope and I differ on other things from time to time.
I bought windows on a 0% credit card. It has to be paid in 18 months. I plan on having it paid in 12 months. I do have that amount in my emergency fund. I rather leave that alone and continue paying as I have been
What do you think? What are your thoughts on 0 % cards?
I am debt free, it was a difficult journey. I am a widow who had to stop working because of medical reasons. I am living off a pension and SSDI. If I had debt, when I stopped working, I would have moved, sell my home and rent instead. It would have been a different kind of life.
how to start a budget, I find it hard to start from 0, and where to put the money
That's a great topic, Marisel and one we haven't really discussed.
Carly Simon "Anticipation" .
Thanks, Janet.
Once the house is paid off it’s not free money, because you have to use the money to keep the house repaired, as well as pay the insurance and taxes, but thankfully the biggest burden of owing a mortgage is over.
You are absolutely right.
Is there a way to send you guys an email? Sorry, I’m just not very tech savvy. I just had a possible idea for a future show.
You can teach them at hope@underthemedian.com
Question, did you pay or help pay for your kids college education?
We gave them $1000 a year to pay for books. That's it.
How much extra did you pay on the mortgage per month or per year?
We didn't pay extra regularly. We made a bulk extra payment applied toward the principle every time we saved up $2000.
We've decided it's best for me to stay home while my husband works as a carpenter. We want to pay off the house in 8 years and save up for vehicle replacement. We also tithe. He has a small pension with the union but not much and we have no investments. What happens if two 40 year olds have no "savings" but are debt free and educated? Should we be setting some aside now for retirement even though we really want to focus on the house?
I'm home with kids and by the time I pay for daycare and account for reduced child benefits it doesn't make sense for me to work. We have a 3 month emergency fund.
@@amywoodard2852 , I stayed home with our children, too, because it didn't make financial sense for me to go back. I'm not an investment professional, but we focused on paying the house mortgage first and then tackled retirement. I will say (in retrospect) that I wish we had started on retirement far sooner than we did. With retirement funds, a small amount of money invested over a longer period of time is better than larger, lump sum investments later in life. Find an investment planner that you can trust and have him or her help you run the numbers. You may find a happy compromise in beginning to fund retirement now with a few thousand dollars each year, while still knocking off the mortgage. It may mean paying off the house in 12 years instead of 8, but you'd be tackling both goals at the same time. The other thing you need to do it list all of your goals so you can see the impact of the mortgage prepayment and retirement funding on the other goals.
Did you the envelopes system ?
We've done them off & on. We mostly track expenditures through Dave Ramsey's on-line software and use debit cards to pay for items we need.
I keep getting debt free and then doing zip pay instead of saving how do you get rid of the feelings of panic in being debt free as its new and I am not accustomed to saving my body and brain think something is wrong
That's a great question. Our money is more tied to our emotions that we think it is. I remember it feeling very surreal when we paid off the mortgage. It was almost like a panic and I felt like I was forgetting to pay something. I will say that after a while you get used to it and that feeling of freedom becomes your new normal.
Slide puzzle?
Thank you. For the life of me I couldn't come up with the word for it.
Glad I am debt-free owing money gave me a headache and anxiety
Yes, it's far more peaceful.
I guess it will be ok to go ahead and post it in the comments section. I was just curious if you had thoughts on how the droughts and wild fires are going to be effecting the rest of the US and what your thoughts are on how we need to prepare now?
We haven't thought much about it except to be sure that we have a full pantry and freezer. Whenever you see a natural disaster (even if it's not in your vicinity) it can affect the supply chain and raise prices and lower availability of goods.
I am debt free though.
I know people who have mortgages of 4000 dollars a month. Yes I live in California.
That's probably not unusual for that neck of the woods.
I played that game at Cracker barrel.
Yes. They have several old fashioned games, I think.
Luckily we are debt & mortgage free for nearly 2 years. I'd love to know about your goals for Retirement and plans etc.
Thanks, Ruby. Retirement planning has been a popular request. We're going to put the topic on the schedule.
Slide puzzles
That's it! Thank you, Retired!
Thank you! I simply could not come up with the term no matter how much I thought about it.
This sounds very silly!!!! What do with money you save? I mean if you decide not to buy something, do u immediately put the money you saved in a separate bank account? Or something like that
Hmm... not sure which of our five points you are disagreeing with. However, I think I'm getting the gist of your question. Several of our budget categories are sinking funds - meaning that we start the year with them fully funded and then spend them down. So, if we don't spend everything in that specific budget category, then at the end of the year we have the option of rolling the money over to the next fiscal year or applying leftover money to another goal. Most of the time we fund a different goal with the money. Thanks for asking.
@@UndertheMedian thank you so much!!!! That’s exactly what I wanted to know! Your channel has helped us tremendously. Please keep going!
@@UndertheMedian by the way I wasn’t disagreeing with any of your points. I think the advice you both give is tremendous👍
@@sep6229 , No worries. I didn't take offense.
Exactly but your marriage is unique in its closness
Sliding puzzles.
Thank you! I absolutely could not think of the name of them.
Have you to be V organised