Kara's Debt Free Fund

[usmcwifex07]

I started this fund when Kristen came back from Disney almost a month ago (has it really been a month already?!) The idea behind it is to have a little cushion in case we run short on budget or to help pay debt off.
We had just over $50 in the fund and had to pull from it last week to get a haircut for hubby and gas.
I was little disheartened, but that is what it is there for. All of the money was from rebate, survey and research checks that I had recieved over the course of June.
I just recieved $10 from Kraft yesterday, so that is in the fund. Total as of today, $15.xx

[martha]

Good luck. I need to do the same. Actually, I need to pay off my debt - (private) school bill and credit card. Once those are paid, I feel like I'll be able to save for a "fun' fund.

[megs193]

I noticed you mentioned surveys. If you are not signed up for pinecone, they are a great survey company. You can only sign up when they have open enrollment but a lot of the money saving blogs post when open enrollment is going on. They send you surveys in your email so you don't have to go check the site. Also, if you get them in your email, you are automatically qualified for them so you don't have to waste 10 minutes only to be told that you didn't qualify. They pay $3 for each survey and I usually get about 10 a month. It's not a ton of money but $30 a month adds up. Good luck!

[shmily1]

Congrats on working on being debt free! I'm doing the same and hope to get there soon. I know it will be atleast a year though.... UGH! I signed up for pinecone a couple times when I was sent a referral but never heard back from them. I must not be in their demographics.

[dsilva51]

Go borrow Dave Ramsey's book from the library. He is fantastic! He will give you all the steps you need to be debt free. Also, start watching "Till Debt do us Part" on CNBC. It's about couples who are in severe debt and she sets them up on a plan. Most of the time, I don't feel bad for these people as they make well over $100K and just have made STUPID choices. Knowledge is power and you can do both!

[kim]

Great idea on having money set aside. Have you thought about cutting hubbie's hair at home? My dh has cut his hair at home for years and it saves us a bunch of money. Just a suggestion.

[usmcwifex07]

I'm going to hit everyone's replies all in one.
I do get surveys from Pinecone, LOVE THEM!!!!
As far as cutting Dh's hair at home, no go. I can't do military hair cuts to save my life. As of today, we only have to pay for 8 more hair cuts and then he deploys. It is something that we have always had to do.
I think I have seen Till Debt Do Us Part a couple of times. It is neat to watch.
I just got a deposit from school today for $639.xx money that was left over from my Pell Grant! $141 is going to my mom to pay her back for my books (only taking 2 classes, I was notified the week before school that I was admitted, nothing I could do) and the rest I have already transffered to our other account that we don't use very often. I will be getting another $600 in the next couple week. That will pay off the credit card!!! The $30 from the credit card payment I will do an automatic transfer into our other account and just let it build. Brittanica is next, that will be paid off by the end of the year.
My car will be paid off when we get our tax refund. The rest of the tax refund will sit in the other account and build. The truck should be paid off by next December!!!! Minus my student loan $6,xxx.xx will be only thing on my credit report. And we will start saving for a bigger vehicle for me (small SUV, Ford Escape type). That is our goal!
Dh is heading out for the sandbox later this year. As of right now, our budget when he leaves is $900 every two weeks (that will cover, bills and groceries). Any extra money will go into the other account and build.