Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Inflation

How are you doing financially? A pretty personal question, I know. Has the price of gas caused you to stop running here and there? Have you made any cutbacks? Have you noticed the price of groceries? $100 doesn't go far anymore. I got a really good deal on life cereal at Target yesterday. It was $.08 per ounce. Anything under $.10 an ounce gets me pretty excited. So I bought seven 51 ounce boxes. I may even go back for more.

The one cut we have had to make is in buying organic. I still prefer organic, and if the price is close I will go with the organic product...except with leafy greens...I won't give in on that one. Thank goodness Costco has organic greens at an affordable price. I actually like this new challenge: To feed my family as healthy as I possibly can, as affordably as possible.

I was not raised to be debt free. In fact, somewhere along the way, I learned that if you had a balance on your credit card you could make a minumum payment, not the full amount owed. I brought this mentality, along with student loans, into our marriage. It was a number of years before The King and I realized that we didn't want to live this way. It took us quite a few more years to work our way out of the hole we were in.

Now we are trying hard to not acquire debt. And no, we are not totally debt free. But, we have been able to pay cash for our last few vehicles. They may not be the newest, most perfect vehicles, but they are ours, free and clear. It's our thing. If we can't write a check for the car or any other major/minor purchase, then we can't have it. It's a very simple concept. One we are teaching to our children.

Oh, how easy it would be to continue to live like prices were not increasing by just using plastic....and making minimum payments. I wonder how many people are.

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9 comments:

  1. Oh, Michele, I've missed you so!

    We've cut back on organic, too, until Amanda started eating table food. I try to buy organic for her first foods. I'm getting closer to having a garden, too.

    We've also started buying more stuff at the local store instead of driving to the big town 1/2 away.

    We're working on being debt-free too and we were pretty proud to buy Mike's truck with cash. The dealership kept asking, "Are you sure you don't need finacing?" The next day we had to call them to warn them that the check we wrote might bounce because the bank has deposited the proceeds from the sale of our home into the wrong account!

    I had to laugh because I was so glad it wasn't our fault!

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  2. My life is debt! You can't farm without having debt!!!!!

    We have MADE our kids take out loans for their cars and learn how to pencil it out and pay off debt in a timely manner. I think that is one of the keys.

    Good thing for you to teach your children to try to live debt free....a life lesson they will not forget.

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  3. I love the picture! :)

    I wonder too how many make just the min. Our only debt is our house and car (we got an excellent financing deal that made it worthwhile to pay a little more slowly.) It's a crazy world out there that lets people get in so far over their heads! Add that to people who have medical, etc... that they can't help - it's not a good situation.

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  4. I am driving around less, trying to think about what else we can hit in that same route.

    I actually am enjoying my time home-I love the simplicity of that.

    I am not worried about gas prices, I pray over my gas tank and thank God that He is my provision.

    We are tithers and givers (Malachi 3) So we live in eager expectation that the windows of heaven will be open over our lives (and our finances.)

    He is good.

    We do have mortgages, one for business, one for our home. Otherwise debt free.

    Kimmie
    mama to 6
    one homemade and 5 adopted

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  5. Wow, I just read through your last few posts. You have had a lot going on.

    We try and be debt free also, we cancelled our summer vacation because the money we had saved had to be used for something else. We aren't perfect but we are trying our best to not aquire debt.

    I loved the picture of all the kids at the birthday party. That one was priceless.

    God Bless,
    Julie

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  6. Hey Michelle....the little girl who died was Roger Smith (Waynes brother) and Roberta (Kopman), Renee's sister.

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  7. Great thought filled post - Inflation just plain stinks - try going overseas, where your dollar is pretty much worthless compared to their money - embarrassing.

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  8. Michelle,

    The price of groceries is killing the budget!

    We are actually considering moving to another state to lower cost of living!

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  9. We are working our way out of debt, but it is hard. School loans are a biggie now. Credit cards are not a big portion of our debt anymore.
    Our problem comes when a necessity breaks. You can't not have a fridge. If it goes out and you are beyond broke, well, you have to find a way to get one. That kind of thing is what blows us out of the debt free line.

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