Debt Accountability - Our Debt as of November 1, 2013

It's that time again... Time to confess to the world what my family's current debt situation looks like. As you may recall from my posts in August, and September, we have the following debts, and our ultimate goal is to be debt free. Our first step in doing so is to pay off the debts in Group A, which will then allow us to work on an early pay off of the remaining debt in Group B (our mortgage).

Group A:
A Student Loan (Natural maturity of March 1, 2015)
Credit Card 1
Credit Card 2
Home Equity Loan (Natural maturity of June 1, 2017)
Car loan (Natural maturity of May 15, 2016)

Group B:
Land Payment (Paid in full September 2013)
Mortgage (Natural maturity of July 1, 2039)


Unfortunately, I missed posting our progress as of October 1, 2013, but I was a little stressed out when I woke up that morning only to find myself on furlough due to the Federal Government Shutdown.

So, how did we do at reducing our debts in Group A in September and October? Honestly, we didn't do very well at all. I'm quite dismayed comparing November 1st's figures to that of September 1st. I was hoping to have made greater strides at this point.

In August our total debt owed for the accounts in Group A totalled ($24,531.17).

The value of the debts in Group A, as of September 1, 2013 was ($23,557.45)

The value of the debts in Group A, as of November 1, 2013 is ($23,467.43)

We paid down our debts by a severely deficient amount of $90.02 in the past two months. While it is forward progress, it's not nearly as much of a change as I would have like to have seen.

In reviewing our accounts I can see that there were a couple of things that played into the small reduction in our debts over the past two months. In September we took a small family vacation, and that reduced the amount of funds we had that month to put towards or debts. The memories that we made with our children during that weekend out of state are far worth the monetary expense though. October brought forth the furlough, which caused a pinch in our budget prior to being reimbursed for the time that was missed at work. I was fortunate in the fact that we were reimbursed, and it had no affect on the payment of our bills. In October we did a small home improvement project that involved resurfacing our deck, again this reduced the amount of funds we had available to pay down debts; however, it preserved our deck and will hopefully prevent us from having to replace the deck in the next few years.

I'm already anticipating that December and January will have little progress as we head into the holiday season and requisite shopping/gift exchanges.

365 Day Declutter Challenge Week 9 and Week 10

The Government shutdown threw me off my game, and I've been neglecting my blog for far too long. Excuse me as I take a few days/weeks to try to bring you up to speed on the Minimize This! activities that have taken place since October 1st!
Week 9: September 18, 2013 through September 24, 2013

Day 57:A pair of my daughter's shorts

Day 58:A plastic toy ironing board

Day 59:Yet another baby blanket

Day 60:A plastic bucket

Day 61:The photo is upside down, but a coat that my daughter has outgrown

Day 62:A bib - Given to daycare

Day 63:An assortment of plastic items from the "kid cupboard" no longer needed - recycled

Week 10: September 25, 2013 through October 1, 2013


Day 64:A pair of sunglasses the my daughter has outgrown - packed away for my niece

Day 65:A pair of hubby's socks that were too far gone to warrant folding - trashed! Shhh, don't tell him!!

Day 66:A pair of my daughter's pajamas that she's out grown - set aside for my niece

Day 67:Expired sunblock and diaper rash cream, removed from my son's backpack - trashed

Day 68:Tupperware salt and pepper shakers

Day 69:A stack of summer clothes that my son has outgrown - set aside for cousin

Day 70:A stack of shirts I no longer wear - donated via a "planet earth" yellow collection box

The Threat of Government Shutdown - What it means to me...

As the minutes tick by today, we come closer and closer to the threat of a Government Shutdown. Nationally, this is a scary possibility with ramifications that spread from coast to coast. Personally, as an employee of the Federal Government, it's a terrifying possibility. Should the Senate and the House not come to an amicable conclusion within the next 13 hours and sign a bill funding Government activity, I'll be placed on immediate and indefinite furlough. My fate is in their hands.

If Government Shutdown does occur, I won't be at work tomorrow, or perhaps even the next day. My return to work rests solely in the hands of Congress. The last Government Shutdown, in 1995, resulted in a 21 day furlough!! I pray, that in the event that the shutdown becomes reality, that it will be for a much shorter term.

In the meantime, I'm in a full blown panic mode. If we're furloughed I won't be paid for those days during shutdown. Even one day of shutdown would have a grave affect on my family. Our expenses would remain the same, and our monthly income would be reduced. Our mortgage would still need to be paid, our daycare contract requires that we pay even if our children are not there, our insurance premiums would still be due, and our real estate taxes don't just disappear because the government is shutdown.

In the immediate future we would be okay. Our pantry is stocked, we have food in the freezer, and thanks to my compulsive need to NEVER run out of household essentials, we could survive for a few weeks without needing to go to the store. However, what happens if the furlough lasts 21 days as it did in 1995? Three full weeks without pay would be detrimental!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my fears don't become a reality, that Congress will find a resolution and in the very least sign a Continuing Resolution that will give us level funding until a "real" budget can be passed.

365 Day Declutter Challenge - Week 8

Week 8: September 11, 2013 through September 17, 2013

Day 50:

Day 51:

Day 52:

Day 53:

Day 54:

Day 55:

Ahhhh! I'm missing a picture. Imagine a stack of my daughter's clothing here. I'll update with a picture.
Day 56:

Purging the Playroom!

Had I thought, I would have taken before and after pictures of this room. However, I didn't have the foresight to see this purging/organizing effort as a blog post, so all I have are the "after" pictures.

Welcome to my children's playroom. Please note, that I only have two incredibly spoiled children, I do not run a daycare (though we definitely have enough toys in our house to do so). Prior to December 2012, this room served as our guest room. After Christmas last year, we removed the "real" furniture, and moved the majority of the kid's toys to this room. It served to clear the toy clutter from the living room, and concentrated most of the toy mess to this one area of our house. At that time, we purchased the cloth bins and sorted the toys by category into the bins.




There are two bins filled with playdoh and playdoh accessories. There are two bins filled with various cars and trucks. A bin full of coloring books and crayons, another bin that holds play dishes and plastic food. A bin filled with little animals, a bin filled with Little People and their accessories, and a bin that holds various bottles, diapers, and other items for my daughter's dolls. Tucked underneath the train/lego table are three plastic bins full of legos. The toy box (which you can't see in the pictures) holds all the random toys that don't fit into one of the binned categories.

Organization of this room has been an ongoing battle for us. It seems that every time we get this room organized, someone has a birthday, and another influx of toys takes over. Last weeks purge resulted in a stack of items to be recycled, a trash bag full of broken toys to be disposed of, and another trash bag of toys that my children have either outgrown, or simply don't play with, to be given away.

The huge difficulty in cutting back on the amount of toys in our house comes from the fact that I can't seem to find time when my children aren't home to go through their toys without them. In their minds EVERY toy in our house is their FAVORITE toy, despite the fact that they haven't played with it in months or even years.

As discretely as possible, I removed the two-plus trash bags full of toys from the room. I could easily remove an equal amount again if my children hadn't been present.

Unfortunately, even though there are a ton of toys in this room, there are still toys in other areas of our house. At present, the kids share a bedroom, and that too is over run with even more toys. There are still toys in our living room, and the outdoor toys are stored in the garage. My goal, is to continue to pare down the amount of toys that they have to a more manageable amount.

As their interests become more defined, I'm trying to remove those items that are no longer used, and focus their toys more around their interests. My daughter's interests are primarily focused on her dolls at this time, as well as craft projects. My son's interests are primarily focused on cars/trucks, and the Fisher Price Little People.

I'm quite resigned to the fact that battling the amount of toys in our house will be a never-ending process until their teen years, but until that time I'll continue to wage war on the toy clutter!

365 Day Declutter Challenge - Week 7

Week 7: September 4, 2013 through September 10, 2013

Day 43: 9 cloth diapers, and 13 inserts - Sold on Craigslist - $35

Day 44: A wolf shadow box/night light

Day 45: A basket full of alphbet blocks - given away

Day 46: A wooden peg board with hammer - given away

Day 47: A stack of used coloring books and work books - recycled

Day 48: A trash bag full of broken toys - trashed

Day 49: A trash bag full of toys to be given away - given away

Baking Soda and Vinegar - An Unbeatable Combination

We've talked about the many uses for vinegar and we've talked about the many uses for baking soda, but they are even more amazing when the two are combined!

Combine vinegar and baking soda for the following uses:
1. To clean tile - combine 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1 cup of vinegar, and 1 cup of ammonia to a gallon of warm water.
2. To clean your bathtub - wipe it with vinegar, and then scour with baking soda.
3. Clean a showerhead by pouring 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar into a sandwich bag and tying it around the shower head. Allow to soak for 1 hour after the bubbling stops.
4. Remove carpet stains by making a paste with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Rub the paste on the stain, and allow to dry. Vacuum up the powder.
5. Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent, and just enough vinegar to create a creamy texture.
6. Clean your drains/garbage disposal by pouring 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then 1 cup of hot vinegar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then run hot water down the drain.
7. Clean pet accidents (or bedwetting accidents) by first blotting the area, then applying a vinegar and water solution, blot again until almost dry. Sprinkle with baking soda, allow to dry, then vacuum up the powder.
8. Remove stains from plastic and fiberglass by applying a paste made up of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts baking soda. Wipe off with soapy water, and rinse clean.

Free Parking! How it's saving me $56/month and more...

The building that I work in does not have parking available for staff. This isn't surprising, as the entire city is severely limited when it comes to parking in general. In our prior location we were privy to use of the parking garage attached to the building; however, that came at a cost of $5/day just to park there (equating to an astronomical $100/month). When our office moved this spring, I was delighted to find that the parking lot across the street from our new office cost merely $2.80/day to park in! At $56/month, I was elated to have an extra $44/month in my bank account.

As luck would have it, my "new" parking lot was in the path of impending road construction. For a week I was greeted daily with signs warning me that the parking lot would be closed the next day. I would seek out alternative parking only to find, upon arriving at the office, that the lot had not actually been closed. After repeating this process near daily for over a week, I decided to park on an unmetered side street across town, and walk to work from there.

What started as an effort to find suitable parking while "my" parking lot was closed, soon turned into a habit and I have since been parking across town and walking the half mile to work each morning, and back again in the afternoon. The inconvenience of parking that far away was rewarded though, I didn't spend anything on parking in the month of August!!

Granted, it's not quite as convenient as parking across the street, but the weather has been gorgeous and the walk has been quite enjoyable. I'm not sure that I'll be able to say the same thing when the cold winter months hit, but in the meantime I'll be parking across town until Old Man Winter makes a fierce appearance here in Vermont.

365 Day Declutter Challenge - Week 6

Week 6: August 28, 2013 through September 3, 2013

Day 36: Two grocery bags full of clothes that my little guy has out grown - Sold on Facebook



Day 37: A stack of baby blankets - Given to cousin expecting baby




Day 38: Two hooded towels that my children have outgrown - Blue one given to cousin expecting baby, Pink one passed on to my niece



Day 39: Partylite stand with 3-wick candle and hurricane vase



Day 40: A bunch of junk cleared out of a drawer in my nightstand - Trashed




Day 41:A bookmark, and a wish token




Day 42:Yet another book...

Debt Accountability - Our Debt as of September 1, 2013

It's that time again... Time to confess to the world what my family's current debt situation looks like. As you may recall from my post in August, we have the following debts, and our ultimate goal is to be debt free. Our first step in doing so is to pay off the debts in Group A, which will then allow us to work on an early pay off of the remaining debt in Group B (our mortgage).

Group A:
A Student Loan (Natural maturity of March 1, 2015)
Credit Card 1
Credit Card 2
Home Equity Loan (Natural maturity of June 1, 2017)
Car loan (Natural maturity of May 15, 2016)

Group B:
Land Payment (Paid in full this month!)
Mortgage (Natural maturity of July 1, 2039)


We're making the final payment on our land this month, and as of today's payment the loan is PAID IN FULL! WOOHOO!! Excuse me while I celebrate that milestone for a moment! WOOOHOOOO! With that debt paid off, the only remaining debt in Group B is our mortgage, which has a natural maturity of July 1, 2039; however, with the small amount of extra money that we have included in every payment (about $23/month), we've already cut that maturity back to October 1, 2037. Ideally, we'd like to have it paid off well before that time though.

So, how did we do at reducing our debts in Group A last month? Not quite as well as I had hoped, but we still made progress.

In August our total debt owed for the accounts in Group A totalled ($24,531.17).

The value of the debts in Group A, as of September 1, 2013 is ($23,557.45)

We paid down our debts by a meager $973.72, but it's forward progress so I'll take it!

30 Uses for Coconut Oil

I’ve mentioned Coconut Oil in a couple of different posts this week, and it really is an amazing substance. So beyond Making Your Own Deodorant and oil pulling, what are some other uses for this incredible oil?

1. Coconut oil is great as a cooking oil. It has a high smoke point, and can be used in baking, stir frys, and deep frying.
2. It can be used as a dairy free replacement to butter/margarine.
3. It can be used in place of vegetable oil in any recipe.
4. It’s an immediate source of energy when eaten, and isn’t stored in the body as fat.
5. Coconut oil can be used to season cast iron skillets.
6. Soothe a sore throat and cold symptoms by dissolving a tablespoon in warm tea.
7. Consuming a tablespoon of coconut oil before each meal can help improve digestion.
8. It can be added to smoothies to give them a nutritional boost.
9. Daily ingestion of coconut oil can help alleviate allergy symptoms.
10. Rub it into your skin as a basic lotion.
11. As mentioned above, it can be used in homemade deodorant.
12. Can help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy when rubbed on the belly.
13. Coconut oil can be used as a night time moisturizer.
14. It can be rubbed on your lips as a natural chapstick and to clear up cold sores.
15. Coconut oil applied to the skin acts as a natural SPF 4 sunscreen.
16. It can help heal a sunburn (after the initial heat of the burn is gone).
17. It can reduce the itch of insect bites, chicken pox, or poison ivy.
18. It can soothe irritated skin caused by eczema or psoriasis.
19. It can improve general oral health through oil pulling.
20. Coconut oil can be used by itself, or combined with baking soda, as a naturally whitening toothpaste.
21. Mix a small amount with salt and rub on feet to remove dry skin.
22. Consumption of coconut oil can improve insulin levels.
23. It has been shown to increase the level of absorption of calcium and magnesium.
24. A tiny amount rubbed on hands, and then run through hair can help reduce frizz.
25. When mixed with an equal part of sugar it can be used as a body scrub in the shower.
26. Nursing moms can take 3-4 tablespoons a day to help increase milk supply.
27. Coconut oil can be used in place of lanolin cream for nursing mothers.
28. It can be used on mom, and in baby’s mouth to treat thrush.
29. It can be used as a cloth diaper safe diaper cream, simply rub on baby’s bum.
30. Coconut oil can help remove cradle cap – massage the oil into baby’s head, and rinse with a warm washcloth.

There are numerous other uses, but this will give you an idea of how truly versatile this oil is! Try it out for yourself!!

925 Ideas to Help You Save Money, Get Out of Debt and Retire A Millionaire So You Can Leave Your Mark on the World... - An eBook Review

925 Ideas to Help You Save Money, Get Out of Debt and Retire A Millionaire So You Can Leave Your Mark on the World...

By, Devin D. Thorpe

Amazon Kindle Price: $0.00

This book is large compilation of articles written by Devin D. Thorpe for Familyshare.com. The reviews on Amazon were mixed, some people seemed to love the book, while others seemed to find it useless. Since the book was a free kindle download, I didn't set my expectations high, but I figured for the price I had nothing to lose. After reading through the first few articles, I was impressed with the content of the book. The 177 pages of this book are divided into the following segments:

Your Family
Frugal Living
Your Home is the Centerpiece of Your Financial Future
Your Car is Just Transportation
Your Money
Managing Your Career
Increasing Your Savings
Entrepreneurship
Getting Out of Debt
Saving for College
Planning for Your Ideal Retirement
Investing Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Money
Leave Your Mark on the World


Each segment of the book is comprised of multiple articles relating to that segment. Some of the articles were pertinent to my life, and some weren't. The titles of the articles are clear and indicative of what you will fine within the text, and the content is concisely written. In many cases, the articles follow a progression, for example there are a series of articles written regarding saving for retirement; these articles are broken down by the age of the reader. If you're a 30-something, then the article about saving for retirement in your 30's is suiting, but you may not be interested in the article about saving for retirement in your 50's.

The author offers sound advice on a broad spectrum of personal finance topics. While I don't believe that you'll become a millionaire simply by reading the articles in this book, I do believe that there is helpful information in this book regardless of what your current financial situation is. I definitely recommend reading through this, and seeing what you can learn from the articles. I'm quite certain that there will be at least something of value in here for everyone, and since it's free you really have nothing to lose by checking it out!

365 Day Declutter Challenge - Week 5

Week 5: August 21, 2013 through August 27, 2013

Day 29: a tote full of baseball uniforms, returned to the rec department.

Day 30: A rocking horse, and a bouncy horse

Day 31: A diaper bag - given to a cousin that is expecting

Day 32: A cosmetic bag, and an insulated lunch box

Day 33: A stroller - given to the cousin that's expecting a baby

Day 34: A scented oil warmer

Day 35: My poor purse that finally decided to break beyond repair - trashed :(