Comments on: Two Down, $2,000 to Go

By: Cyndi

Cyndi — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:53:25 +0000

First time reader here. Guess I’m a little jealous of the choices you’ve made – I’m dreaming of getting a Mac mini and I’d love to have a vacation. But I’m busy funding an emergency fund in case of unemployment next year.

Paying off one credit card and building up debt on another means you’re in exactly the same place you were before. The things you bought you could have waited for – they’re wants, not needs.. How long would it have taken you to finish paying off your debts and saving up to pay cash for the things you just placed on your credit card? Mind you, this is partially my jealousy talking – I want a new couch, a Mac mini, etc., etc. And granted, it actually hurts me a little more to take money out of my savings account to pay cash for something rather than pulling out the plastic — sure makes me think twice about what I’m buying…

But as long as you feel like you’re making progress, that’s the important thing – but don’t give yourself a false sense of progress – make sure the total amount you owe is less every month.

By: Evan

Evan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:48:12 +0000

Scott,

Smithee is a GREAT blogger I’d recommend checking out his previous posts

By: Smithee

Smithee — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:23:21 +0000

Fear not, Scott. I’m not the only author, here. Flexo has been much smarter than me about money, and blogging about it for six years. I have problems with saving and growing money, which is one of the reasons I’m blogging about it, to keep myself honest.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:21:00 +0000

You’re telling me that you used a credit card to finance a paranormal investigation? Why am I reading this blog? What could a person who chooses to do this possibly have to teach me?

By: KC

KC — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:18:11 +0000

Good luck! My first computer (a graduate school graduation present from my folks) was a 1997 Gateway laptop – it was $1500. I still have it and it still works. I occasionally play blackjack on it. My friends laugh at that clunky thing, but honestly I’m not sure what to do with it, so its my blackjack machine – LOL!

By: Evan

Evan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:56:42 +0000

I am not judging at all…just seems odd that in one paragraph you say,

“Now I just feel mostly guilty. I’ve still got a balance on what I call my “legacy credit debt” – the debt that’s been in various states of huge for over a decade, and which gets consolidated and moved around but never fully wiped out.”

and then the next one you say,

“I bought a Mac Mini to use in the entertainment center, and we got tickets for a comedy convention next year, and a paranormal investigation”

A quick google search showed that the mac mini is $600ish and a similarly powered PC would be $300 to $400 – that $200 is 10% of your debt that could have been gone with the same benefit of a new computer (which may or may not have been necessary).

All I am saying is that for me the guilt wouldn’t be worth it.

By: Blake

Blake — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:45:37 +0000

“I just have to keep reminding myself that all progress is good progress, and kicking myself accomplishes nothing.” -True that.

Best of luck to you Smithee! Do you by chance keep track of your progress in a spreadsheet, chart, etc? Visually tracking progress on a goal like this seems to do wonders in maintaining the self-discipline to keep going.

By: Smithee

Smithee — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:18:01 +0000

For us, it’s a little mini-vacation.

By: Evan

Evan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:12:24 +0000

Smithee, while I am pumped you paid of the credit account…what are you doing?

“bought a Mac Mini to use in the entertainment center, and we got tickets for a comedy convention next year, and a paranormal investigation, and we started a corporation”

Corporation I understand…but a paranormal investigation? Mac Mini?

Your posts are so informative, and I am not one of those frugal extremists, but maybe a paranormal investigation?

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:26:39 +0000

We just paid off a computer debt that has been hanging over our head for about a year and a half. It feels great to finally “own” that thing even though it’s probably almost obsolete. We cut up our credit cards a few months back so we have been unable to continue to accumulate debt. It would be a hard pill to swallow if we paid off the computer debt and then added debt to another card. Good luck paying it off!