Debt Diet

I have off for awhile because we have been very busy with work but also with my latest obsession-the economy and reducing our debt. I am news junkie anyway but I don't know too many people that enjoy watching the Fed Chairman testify at a hearing looking for any sign of economic recovery!

We have been on a debt diet made easier by the changes that this economy has brought on. I wrote in an earlier post about magazines being too family oriented and the positive outcome of that was that I could easily dump subscriptions to save money. We dumped the Chicago Tribune because it had gotten so thin it was hardly worth the effort. You can read it online for free! I found that we were not using our cell phone minutes so I could reduce our cell phone plan. With gas prices down and airfares up , we are going to drive on vacation this year. All of these things are made quite easier with no kids. The dogs will cost a fortune to board but our long term goal is now to move back to Atlanta and buy an RV so the dogs will travel with us.

I just bought a vacuum sealer so I could take the ridiculous huge meat portions from Costco and freeze them. I have been making my own spaghetti sauce and planted tomatoes and strawberries for fresh stuff this summer. I have also adopted a concept called "snow flaking" when comes to our debt. We sold our boat and I received a small inheritance this year so we were able to reduce lots of debt this year. With snow flaking, you pay any extra funds you receive to your debt each week. I refund alot, apply for class action money and coupon like crazy and I snowflake all that money into our debt. My goal is to retire by 7/11/11 on my 5th anniversary with PetSmart. I will be fully vested in my 401K and hope that I can talk the Hubby into it!!

Our debt diet is all made easier without children at home. No college, no weddings, no gifts to buy. Some of the hurdles with society being children oriented are working in our favor during this tough economic time!