Momentum

Things are getting exciting in the Turner household.  We're paying off another loan tomorrow!  This will be the third month in a row with a loan paid off, and I'm really excited about the momentum we've built!  Bryann is even in talks with a friend who's a loan officer at Umpqua Bank about refinancing our house into a 15-year mortgage.

I first brought up the idea of becoming debt free last October (2010) and we went about it halfheartedly through most of 2011, until in October Bryann realized we were way off track of our goals.  So he got serious, made a budget, made a blog (check him out at www.oregondebttrail.blogspot.com) to hold himself accountable, and recommitted our household to becoming debt free.  Since then, we've paid off a loan every month.

Next month is the last month with a relatively small loan attached.  We're gonna push to pay off a $2,800 student loan, and it's only the momentum that we've built up over the last several months that's going to allow us to do it.  We don't really have $2,800 left-over after we take out living expenses and the occasional dinner out.  In fact, even with the extra income of having a roommate live with us, we're still about $300 short...

So we're gonna try to decrease our frivolous expenses this month, and cut back on going out next month in order to get it done.  It's gonna be hard.   With all of the birthday celebrating to do next month, as well as Valentine's Day, we have a lot of good reasons to go out to eat, or grab some drinks with friends.  But we have an even better reason to cut back and say "Thanks for the invite, but we gotta sit this one out."  Thank goodness we have awesome friends who understand what we're trying to accomplish. 

I'm so excited about what we've been able to accomplish with a lot more focused intensity, and a lot of support from our friends and family.  We've been pretty lame for the last couple months.  We've had to say no to a lot of outings.  I didn't even get to go out to a fancy birthday dinner.  So I'm really thankful for all of the support and understanding we get from those around us.  I'm looking forward to seeing what kinds of crazy things this momentum will help us accomplish!