Debt Dumpers - 2016

[DisneyMandC]

We are Mac people and for some reason online coupons don't always print for us. And a lot of my local stores don't take them anymore, which is a pain.

Weird, I'm a Mac too. But I can definitely understand if your stores won't take them anymore. Mine have never said anything about them, but I know some places require you to print them in color and whatnot.

 

[Eureka]

Home delivery is definitely expensive when you just end up recycling the paper anyway. Small victory was I canceled gift subscriptions to two magazines my DH had been providing for my cousins husband. Although cousins hubby enjoyed the mags, they make enough to buy if he wants and they are definitely "tight" when it comes to spending their money. Don't get me wrong, love them dearly but after a couple years of this it's time they take over if he wants to renew.

We saw a deal online for new subscribers that is half what we are paying now. I am going to try to negotiate to get the deal, thinking that if I threaten to leave, they might give it to me. I know I could just buy the Sunday paper, but we also want digital access, so we'll see what they will do for me. The Sunday Washington Post gets kind of pricey anyway, I think it's $2.50 or $3 now.

 

[Eureka]

Regarding the paper for coupons...

As far as I am concerned...I save more by shopping the sales than I do by using coupons. And yes, I know that you can combine the two to save even more but most of the time, I just don't save enough with coupons to justify the cost of paying for the newspaper. And lately, the coupons on offer in my area have been useless to me anyway. For me...it's just not worth it.

I think if you look into it and you are losing money or just breaking even...you may want to consider cancelling your subscription.

I definitely use more than $2 in coupons every week to justify the price of the Sunday paper. Combining sales and coupons is even better, as I'm sure you already know .

 

[Colleen27]

Thanks for the info on collection. I am sure things were sent to old addresses. But what do I do if more than one agency is on my credit report for the same bill?

I would contest them both as duplicates, and contact both agencies for verification of the debt to see who currently holds the account as active. I've noticed companies are much more diligent in reporting negatives than in removing them so odds are one of those entries is simply outdated information.

I need to call about our paper. The price is going up. DH said he wouldn't mind going digital only but I want the Sunday paper for the coupons. So I need to price things out. I have tried to do the same with our cable since we have a lot of streaming services (I've posted about this before) but I've been met with resistance from my family bc dropping down a package doesn't get them the sports channels they want.

Sports have been the bane of my efforts to cut the cable too. DH is a huge sports guy, especially MLB which isn't available at all without cable in our market. And our cable company is so ridiculous that eliminating the home phone would cost us money (cable + internet is more expensive than the bundle with all three products) and dropping down to internet only would only save about $25/mo before accounting for any streaming services we might add to fill the gap (we already have Netflix, but would probably add at least one more). So we stick with the absurd Comcast bill and call to renegotiate our price every time our current offer expires.

We saw a deal online for new subscribers that is half what we are paying now. I am going to try to negotiate to get the deal, thinking that if I threaten to leave, they might give it to me. I know I could just buy the Sunday paper, but we also want digital access, so we'll see what they will do for me. The Sunday Washington Post gets kind of pricey anyway, I think it's $2.50 or $3 now.

The paper is one of my vices that I haven't figured out how to do more cheaply or go without. I can't subscribe to the print edition of the Detroit paper because we're technically about 20 miles outside their coverage area, so I just buy it on Sundays. Their website stinks so I can't bring myself to go full digital for that one. But I also keep up subscriptions to the NY Times, Washington Post, and our county paper (all digital as part of my "paperless" decluttering crusade) that I keep finding ways to rationalize as professionally helpful.

 

[bcwife76]

I definitely use more than $2 in coupons every week to justify the price of the Sunday paper. Combining sales and coupons is even better, as I'm sure you already know .

Yes but the amount of coupons offered in Canada just not anywhere near the amount offered in the US. I think @stayhomemom77 saves quite a bit just doing price matches with her local flyers/stores. All the coupon inserts we get come in our free weekly papers as we do not subscribe to a newspaper. But the inserts we'll get, honestly I'm lucky if there are two useable coupons lol We use far more print at home and mail at home sites than cutting them out. Plus I have 4 coupon apps - including Checkout51 and Zweet - to get cash back. I think there are just more coupon inserts offered in the US than Canada.

 

[stayhomemom77]

Yes but the amount of coupons offered in Canada just not anywhere near the amount offered in the US. I think @stayhomemom77 saves quite a bit just doing price matches with her local flyers/stores. All the coupon inserts we get come in our free weekly papers as we do not subscribe to a newspaper. But the inserts we'll get, honestly I'm lucky if there are two useable coupons lol We use far more print at home and mail at home sites than cutting them out. Plus I have 4 coupon apps - including Checkout51 and Zweet - to get cash back. I think there are just more coupon inserts offered in the US than Canada.

Yep!!

 

[hollybearsmom]

Colleen27, thank you for that info. I would not have done that. I was never taught money management growing up and I have not been proactive in educating myself at all. Taking the DR course was an eye opener but with no backbone I didn't implement it.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I am currently on step three of my plan
Looking for ways to spend less......................Hmmmmm, struggling with this one.
The morning coffee has to stay!

Would you consider buying your own drip style coffeemaker or percolator for home? I'd by psychotic without my morning joe so I get it set up the night before. Then have it set on a timer so that at the same time when my alarm clock starts to buzz, the coffee begins to brew. I stagger to the kitchen with eyes half open til I get a cup. While I sip my 2nd cup, I pack my lunch. Double the savings!
Seriously, if I had to wait until I was showered & dressed for work, getting kids up and out the door, etc. THEN go get my coffee, it would be a no good, horrible, very bad day for me.

Then again, I'm a plain ol' Folgers/Maxwell House kind of girl.

Mmmm.... Just talking about it makes me want some.

 

[gracie1]

Count me in, I know I am in debt and have a rough idea of how much but I won't know the totals until I sit down and and put it all down on paper, then I know how to tackle it! I am looking forward to reading more tips on how to accomplish goals and to see how people make progress, I hope to be able to post some success on my debt too!

Welcome!! Just remember once you sit down and write it all down do not get overwhelmed! I'm not sure if it's just a tiny amount but I know when I first wrote everything down and saw it all on paper it at first felt overwhelming! Glad you have joined us!!

 

[bababear_50]

Would you consider buying your own drip style coffeemaker or percolator for home? I'd by psychotic without my morning joe so I get it set up the night before. Then have it set on a timer so that at the same time when my alarm clock starts to buzz, the coffee begins to brew. I stagger to the kitchen with eyes half open til I get a cup. While I sip my 2nd cup, I pack my lunch. Double the savings!
Seriously, if I had to wait until I was showered & dressed for work, getting kids up and out the door, etc. THEN go get my coffee, it would be a no good, horrible, very bad day for me.

Then again, I'm a plain ol' Folgers/Maxwell House kind of girl.

Mmmm.... Just talking about it makes me want some.

Well ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I am an early riser and usually have tea and toast before heading out each morning.I drive over to McDonalds and pick up two medium coffees (one for the drive to work and one for mid morning break). I am spending on average $4 dollars a day x 5 = $20 a week x 4 = $80 a month.
I am not sure I could cut out both but I could try cutting out one.
I am off work till Jan 4th but I will give this a try, a co-worker of mine runs the Child and Family Learning Centre in our school and she always has fresh free coffee available,,thanks for the suggestion.
I have never been able to pack a lunch in the morning and end up buying fast food in the past--This year I have been doing great making my lunch the night before and it has saved me alot of money,,and I'm eating better.
Hugs Mel

 

[Angeejoe]

So I woke up to a call from a different neighbor that a tree fell on my shed!!! Omg. The contractors still working on my house from another neighbors tree. I'm ready to move on a boat, but I'm sure I'd float into a hurricane at this rate.

 

[gracie1]

Would you consider buying your own drip style coffeemaker or percolator for home? I'd by psychotic without my morning joe so I get it set up the night before. Then have it set on a timer so that at the same time when my alarm clock starts to buzz, the coffee begins to brew. I stagger to the kitchen with eyes half open til I get a cup. While I sip my 2nd cup, I pack my lunch. Double the savings!
Seriously, if I had to wait until I was showered & dressed for work, getting kids up and out the door, etc. THEN go get my coffee, it would be a no good, horrible, very bad day for me.

Then again, I'm a plain ol' Folgers/Maxwell House kind of girl.

Mmmm.... Just talking about it makes me want some.

Lol! This is me! When I get up I don't even want anyone to talk to me till I get my coffee. Bababear - are you a Starbucks fan? I was just thinking your splurge could be to buy their coffee to make at home. I've always been a folgers/maxwell fan as well but have branched out to the seattles best coffee. I get it from Walmart - they also sell it online. Around here the store carries the 12oz but online they have the 20oz bags.
Also - do you have smartphones? I just cut mine out and went back to the basic cell phone - saves a lot of money

 

[gracie1]

Well ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I am an early riser and usually have tea and toast before heading out each morning.I drive over to McDonalds and pick up two medium coffees (one for the drive to work and one for mid morning break). I am spending on average $4 dollars a day x 5 = $20 a week x 4 = $80 a month.
I am not sure I could cut out both but I could try cutting out one.
I am off work till Jan 4th but I will give this a try, a co-worker of mine runs the Child and Family Learning Centre in our school and she always has fresh free coffee available,,thanks for the suggestion.
I have never been able to pack a lunch in the morning and end up buying fast food in the past--This year I have been doing great making my lunch the night before and it has saved me alot of money,,and I'm eating better.
Hugs Mel

How about buying the McDonald's coffee and a nice size thermos - you could make it at home and fill the thermos for the mid morning break and use a travel coffee mug for your drive

 

[bababear_50]

Scdak
When I first wrote everything down I was thinking WHY am I living like this?
lol the shock does wear off though.
Hugs Mel

 

[bcwife76]

So I woke up to a call from a different neighbor that a tree fell on my shed!!! Omg. The contractors still working on my house from another neighbors tree. I'm ready to move on a boat, but I'm sure I'd float into a hurricane at this rate.

Noooo!!! Did it completely crush the shed or the roof? Speaking of, how is it going with getting your house fixed from the first tree?

 

[bababear_50]

How about buying the McDonald's coffee and a nice size thermos - you could make it at home and fill the thermos for the mid morning break and use a travel coffee mug for your drive

Hi Gracie
Well to be honest we have two great coffee makers and use them on the weekends but the coffee just doesn't taste as good.
We have tried Starbucks ,Mc Donalds, Folgers,Maxwell House, Nabob and they just don't taste as good as the restaurant perks.
I do collect starbucks money via my airmiles rewards for use at Disney---this trip I have saved $350.00 CAD.
and have started saving them for my 2017 trip.
I'll see how cutting down to one goes next week.
Hugs Mel

 

[bababear_50]

So I woke up to a call from a different neighbor that a tree fell on my shed!!! Omg. The contractors still working on my house from another neighbors tree. I'm ready to move on a boat, but I'm sure I'd float into a hurricane at this rate.

Oh no,I am sorry sorry this happened to you.
Sending hugs your way
Hugs Mel

 

[LinderInWonderland]

How about buying the McDonald's coffee and a nice size thermos - you could make it at home and fill the thermos for the mid morning break and use a travel coffee mug for your drive

I, too, am a coffee addict. I live in Tacoma and work in Seattle, so I am surrounded by excellent coffee everywhere. So, to combat what was becoming a $10+/day habit, I bought an Aeropress, which is portable and makes a strong few shots of coffee - almost espresso like. This way I can buy the really good coffee beans and still pay $100s less than I was.

 

[myhoney]

Joining in! I want to pay down our cc debt (~$9k) and save for our Disney trip in November. Our cc is at 0% til June 2017. I will take $3000 from our tax return to drop it down to $6k, and our trip will cost about $6k. In my head it will all go swimmingly, but when I look at these numbers written down, it's a bit daunting. We talked about pushing the trip to January 2017, so we would have another year end bonus check and another tax return before we go, but we really want to go in Nov. So we can always use the bonus and next year's tax return to pay off the final balance on the cc. I think we finally have a good handle on our expenses, and DH is due for a raise, which will help, too. So, any extra time I get or DH gets we can put toward the plan because our monthly expenses are now covered by our income. Baby steps!

 

[clancy3]

I am in! We need to dump debt this year. I am looking forward to working through this endeavor with all of you!!!!