It feels so good....

[Fit_mommy]

I just paid off our 2 major credit cards.

With the holidays approaching and lots of gifts yet to be bought, I figured it was a good time to bite the bullet and just pay off those darned cards! We've never had "alot" of c/c debt by america's standards. Actually, compared to what they say most credit card totals are, ours was barely a drop in the bucket. Still, it feels good to know they are GONE and we can start holiday shopping on a clean slate.

With that said, every year I TRY to shop for the holidays with just cash. I even have a Christmas Club type account but never seem to sock enough away. In the end there ends up being SOME kind of "bill" coming in January that makes me want to gag and starts the new year off on the "wrong foot" so to speak. I guess we just have to either set lower limits for gifts or put more away during the year.

Anyone else have a hard time setting and sticking to spending limits or saving enough for holiday shopping?

 

[banslug]

Oh, Wendy...GOOD FOR YOU!

I've done something different this year. Every time I used my credit card for a purchase, I IMMEDIATELY took the cash out of my Christmas Envelope and put it in a separate one and marked what that money was for. I just bought (almost) the last online gift this morning and I tucked that money away. EVERYTHING will be completely paid for when the bill arrives. I will simply deposit the money into my checking, and off goes the check.

I never carry a balance on a card..in fact, I rarely use one. But Christmas was always the exception. NOT THIS YEAR! This really worked well for me this year!

Gayle

 

[darli ann]

I know what you mean. Every year I try not to "charge" Christmas but with internet & catalog shopping it's inevitable that something's going on a charge card. And, every year after I swear I'm DONE buying, I still keep buying. It's like a disease!x(

 

[Fit_mommy]

>I know what you mean. Every year I try not to "charge"
>Christmas but with internet & catalog shopping it's inevitable
>that something's going on a charge card.

I have a check card to solve that issue but inevitabely end up using a c/c more often then not. x(


>And, every yearafter I swear I'm DONE buying, I still keep buying. >It's like a disease!x(

LOL! Yes, I know what you mean. I have been DONE shopping for son 3x now!

 

[Fit_mommy]

Oh Gayle you are better then I!!!!

I try not to use the card but I have alot of monthly stuff going on it that I don't want to have to worry about being taken out of my checking account when I'm "not looking" and screwing me up. I also use a c/c if I am making a purchase that will cause my checking balance to go uncomfortabley low. I know...unless it's something I absolutely need to buy at that moment, I should just wait until I have the cash but sometimes I'm like a kid and well...I just can't wait! Lastly, since I handle the finances, I have asked my DH not to use the check card for anything but gas. He has cash on him at all times for his normal expenditures but if he is buying something out of the ordinary and doesn't want to use his cash I tell him to use the c/c. Again, it's because I don't want any surprises. He is terrible about telling me about stuff and always forgets to give me receipts so I can keep track. If I let him use the check card at will, Lord only knows what would happen!

My mom is great with her c/c. She never carries a balance either. She DOES use it often but because she is so good about paying it off every month it hardly matters.

 

[3kids]

Wendy,
I'm so jealous. I wish I didn't have to use the c/c this year, we usually use cash. I just hate that revolving credit. Unfortunately these past 6 months have eaten at our savings and DH was just in an accident the other day so there went a huge deductible to repair his truck:-( And my DH is exactly like yours, he CANNOT have a checkcard or c/c or it's dangerous

Gayle,
You are stronger than I am! I set a limit and have already reached it in one day:-( Not because I went overboard but because these toys are so expensivex(

Well Happy Holidays to all, tis the season! The bills will wait until next year, right:+

 

[RunninTeach]

Congrats on eliminating those debts! That's a weight off.

Would starting your shopping earlier in the year help?

I do tend to overspend...and I have the worst setup in that my car insurance is always due in January! x(

[font face="heather" font color=black size=+2]~Cathy[/font]

http://s228.photobucket.com/albums/ee296/runninteach/holidays/th_tomtebart2.gif

 

[Reese777]

Hey,

Congrats - you are living a dream I've wanted to have come true for years. My hubby and I are probably right on the normal stat when it comes to credit card debt and then earlier this year the interest rates shot up and we were struggling in a horrid way. We finally went to a credit counselor and had things consolidated. It wasn't really what I would have wanted to do, but things were starting to get away from us and now, we'll have them paid off in full in about 4.5 years.

I can tell you without hesitation, I'll never have another card again as long as I live and breathe. }(

So congrats to you! I feel this is a fantastic Christmas present all by itself. I'd be dancing a jig right now if mine were paid off.

 

[cheval]

http://www.daveramsey.com

My husband and I have been debt free (except the house; which has more than 60% equity in it) for about 20 months now. We will not borrow money (other than our personal residence and that under specific restrictions). We made that decision about 5 years ago when we embarked on our journey to get out of debt. If we don't have money for Christmas presents, family will just have to understand. And if they don't, that's their problem, not ours. I refuse to go into debt. If we didn't make that decision, we'd be on a cycle that never ends.

Congratulations on paying off the credit cards. The only way to keep that great feeling is to cut them up and never use them again.

April