Start Planning for a Debt Free Christmas

    

     We all love to get a bargain at the stores and online, but are you putting all of your savings to work for your family? Are you learning to live for the future instead of the present?  As you ponder the stacks of gifts you are hoping to give to your children this holiday season start to think about giving them the ultimate gift.  What is that you might ask? How about a college education when they are older? How about a home filled with love and time spent together instead of excessive material possessions, stress and fighting over unpaid bills and debt.
     I love to shop as much as the next girl, but I really do use my savings to pay off our family's debt.  In fact, in the past 2 years we have paid off about $76,000 worth of consumer debt.  It has been a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but I assure you that it is well worth the effort!  We paid off $26,000 in credit cards first since our interest rates were too high and were draining our extra money each month.  Coincidentally, right after we paid off the credit cards last April my husband's mother died suddenly of a brain aneurysm quite suddenly (she was only 53).  She died without any life insurance and none of the family had money to contribute to a proper funeral and burial for her.  Luckily we had space open on our credit cards for the almost $7,000 of extra expense.  I was so happy to do it as it meant a lot to my husband to be able to do this for his mother.  So after paying off our credit cards once, we used our tax return last year and additional money to once again pay off our credit cards. 
     After completing this goal we set out to pay off our mini van, on which we owed $19,500.  Our monthly payment for the van was $475 which was killing us.  We were extra thankful last Thanksgiving because we met this goal the week of Thanksgiving last year.  I can't tell you the joy of driving this van without having a payment on it.  It's even still under warranty! 
    Our current goal is almost completed.  We are very close to paying off my husband's student loan.  When we began this goal (after Thanksgiving last year), we owed a little over $30,000 on this loan.  As of tonight we owe $2,632 on this loan (yipee).  I am hoping to make this one of the things we are thankful for at the dinner table this year, but stay tuned...
I have to admit that this one has been the hardest for me personally, because it has been the biggest one we have tackled.  In addition, my silly husband informed me that he had scholorships through college (he's 6ft.10 and played basketball) and basically used the scholorship money for fun money each year.  Don't worry, he's paid for it this year because every time he has wanted to buy something extravagant I replied " I'm sorry didn't you have a lot of fun money in college?" 
     This is one of the main reasons that I started this blog.  I have learned a lot about getting debt free and I wanted to share all of my tips with everyone.  We will keep talking about tips and methods to getting your family debt free.  Please share any ideas you have or things that have worked for your family.  If you are struggling in this area don't hesitate to ask specific questions and I will try to help you. 
     For now I challenge you to try to keep Christmas debt free this year.  In other words, don't incur any additional debt this holiday season.  Use all of the great deals you find here and on other sites and put the extra money that you save towards reducing your debt or at least paying cash for whatever you choose to buy.  Believe me when I tell you how freeing it is to have less debt.  We worry less, we argue less and we have more freedom.  I can't wait to be completely debt free! Please join me on this journey...