Earning Well but Drowning in Debt...how to dig out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^Good for you pp! You paid off $7500 in CC debt and 60K on your second mortgage in ONE year?? That is amazing!

God willing, yes, we will be at that mark come March. Then we can refinance the first mortgage and hopefully drop our payment quite a bit which will, in turn, allow for a lot more money to be spent towards the remaining debts. I just remember having the epiphany, about 18 months ago,wondering why we were making $265K per year and still living paycheck to paycheck, with little savings (emergency fund) in our account. It was a wake-up call. Never again!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Good for you pp! You paid off $7500 in CC debt and 60K on your second mortgage in ONE year?? That is amazing!

God willing, yes, we will be at that mark come March. Then we can refinance the first mortgage and hopefully drop our payment quite a bit which will, in turn, allow for a lot more money to be spent towards the remaining debts. I just remember having the epiphany, about 18 months ago,wondering why we were making $265K per year and still living paycheck to paycheck, with little savings (emergency fund) in our account. It was a wake-up call. Never again!!!!!!!

Can you link to your post from last year? I'd love to see all of that advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Good for you pp! You paid off $7500 in CC debt and 60K on your second mortgage in ONE year?? That is amazing!

I want to second this! You've done a wonderful job! When you make your final payment, let us know before you call Dave Ramsey. I want to hear him yell FREEDOOOOOOOOOM!!!! to you!

Ha ha, you can bet your bottom that I'll do that! Almost halfway there, and it really hasn't been nearly as painful as I thought. (Though I do miss our cleaning lady SO MUCH!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Good for you pp! You paid off $7500 in CC debt and 60K on your second mortgage in ONE year?? That is amazing!

God willing, yes, we will be at that mark come March. Then we can refinance the first mortgage and hopefully drop our payment quite a bit which will, in turn, allow for a lot more money to be spent towards the remaining debts. I just remember having the epiphany, about 18 months ago,wondering why we were making $265K per year and still living paycheck to paycheck, with little savings (emergency fund) in our account. It was a wake-up call. Never again!!!!!!!

Can you link to your post from last year? I'd love to see all of that advice.

Will do, it may take me a while but I'll find it and post it for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Good for you pp! You paid off $7500 in CC debt and 60K on your second mortgage in ONE year?? That is amazing!

God willing, yes, we will be at that mark come March. Then we can refinance the first mortgage and hopefully drop our payment quite a bit which will, in turn, allow for a lot more money to be spent towards the remaining debts. I just remember having the epiphany, about 18 months ago,wondering why we were making $265K per year and still living paycheck to paycheck, with little savings (emergency fund) in our account. It was a wake-up call. Never again!!!!!!!

Can you link to your post from last year? I'd love to see all of that advice.

Will do, it may take me a while but I'll find it and post it for you.

Here you go. Seems like a lifetime ago, but we've made tremendous progress. God willing, we'll be able to continue dedicating every extra penny each paycheck towards the remaining debt, and should be out of our hole in just about two years from now.

So, OP, just remember. The first step is realizing the problem, the second step is mapping out the root causes of the problem, the third step is creating a strategic AND tactical plan for wiping out the problem. You're at step one. Steps two and three shouldn't be too far behind. Best of luck to you. Your kids are so young, they won't even realize you've hunkered down with your money.

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/446553.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:400k poster here who tried the consignment route because I'm a cheap bitch. There is NOTHING out there for boys over 7yrs old. Stuff gets worn way too hard. NOTHING. Beieve me I tried. One day I went to FIVE consignment or thrift stores simply looking for pants for my 9yr old. It makes sense because I actually normally have to throw away my boys clothes after they wear them out due to holes. Not sure why I thought I'd find clothes for my 9yr old boy ad if other families don't experience this.

Not completely true. You absolutely can get snow boots, snow pants, winter coats and jackets. Hats, mittens gloves. You can get shorts. Dress shirts, dress pants, dress shoes. Ties.

Casual pants and tops there is usually not a great selection.

I have two boys and my oldest wore the knees out of most of his pants before he could pass them down.

That's not been my experience. I could not find a single article of winter clothing for my 5 foot tall 9yr old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Good for you pp! You paid off $7500 in CC debt and 60K on your second mortgage in ONE year?? That is amazing!

God willing, yes, we will be at that mark come March. Then we can refinance the first mortgage and hopefully drop our payment quite a bit which will, in turn, allow for a lot more money to be spent towards the remaining debts. I just remember having the epiphany, about 18 months ago,wondering why we were making $265K per year and still living paycheck to paycheck, with little savings (emergency fund) in our account. It was a wake-up call. Never again!!!!!!!

Can you link to your post from last year? I'd love to see all of that advice.

Will do, it may take me a while but I'll find it and post it for you.

Here you go. Seems like a lifetime ago, but we've made tremendous progress. God willing, we'll be able to continue dedicating every extra penny each paycheck towards the remaining debt, and should be out of our hole in just about two years from now.

So, OP, just remember. The first step is realizing the problem, the second step is mapping out the root causes of the problem, the third step is creating a strategic AND tactical plan for wiping out the problem. You're at step one. Steps two and three shouldn't be too far behind. Best of luck to you. Your kids are so young, they won't even realize you've hunkered down with your money.

I remember your post! Way to go

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/446553.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^Good for you pp! You paid off $7500 in CC debt and 60K on your second mortgage in ONE year?? That is amazing!

God willing, yes, we will be at that mark come March. Then we can refinance the first mortgage and hopefully drop our payment quite a bit which will, in turn, allow for a lot more money to be spent towards the remaining debts. I just remember having the epiphany, about 18 months ago,wondering why we were making $265K per year and still living paycheck to paycheck, with little savings (emergency fund) in our account. It was a wake-up call. Never again!!!!!!!

Can you link to your post from last year? I'd love to see all of that advice.

Will do, it may take me a while but I'll find it and post it for you.

Here you go. Seems like a lifetime ago, but we've made tremendous progress. God willing, we'll be able to continue dedicating every extra penny each paycheck towards the remaining debt, and should be out of our hole in just about two years from now.

So, OP, just remember. The first step is realizing the problem, the second step is mapping out the root causes of the problem, the third step is creating a strategic AND tactical plan for wiping out the problem. You're at step one. Steps two and three shouldn't be too far behind. Best of luck to you. Your kids are so young, they won't even realize you've hunkered down with your money.

I remember your post! Way to go

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/446553.page

Ha ha, I'm infamous! Thank you, PP. I don't want to hijack the OP's thread here, I do hope the OP is following these recent posts from me, and the hurrahs from you all. It can be done, you just have to buckle down and stick to the goals. We're all human, we make mistakes. Hopefully, we learn from them. I know I have, and I hope this encouragement to the OP shows her that she can, too. You can do this, OP!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:400k poster here who tried the consignment route because I'm a cheap bitch. There is NOTHING out there for boys over 7yrs old. Stuff gets worn way too hard. NOTHING. Beieve me I tried. One day I went to FIVE consignment or thrift stores simply looking for pants for my 9yr old. It makes sense because I actually normally have to throw away my boys clothes after they wear them out due to holes. Not sure why I thought I'd find clothes for my 9yr old boy ad if other families don't experience this.

Not completely true. You absolutely can get snow boots, snow pants, winter coats and jackets. Hats, mittens gloves. You can get shorts. Dress shirts, dress pants, dress shoes. Ties.

Casual pants and tops there is usually not a great selection.

I have two boys and my oldest wore the knees out of most of his pants before he could pass them down.

That's not been my experience. I could not find a single article of winter clothing for my 5 foot tall 9yr old.

No Boots? Hat? Mittens/gloves? Where did you look?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Our house is extremely modest and too small for a family of 5" -- yet it's worth $800K.

I don't understand this. How can something be "extremely modest" and cost $800K? We are a family of 5 living in a 3BR condo in Columbia Heights like this one, on the market for $325k, and we're doing ok.
https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1429-Girard-St-NW-20009/unit-305/home/96098202

I can't wrap my head around the numbers the OP is saying. Holy moly, you earn more than three times what we do and you burn through SO MUCH every month.

Where do your kids go to school? OP wants good public schools, has three kids (two elementary aged), and also has two dogs. Somehow I don't think an apartment in Columbia Heights is going to cut it. OP said they bought their row-house when they were first engaged, before the kids, daycare, maternity leaves, etc. I get the sense that they are in a close-in suburb like Arlington or Alexandria, where a 3 bedroom rowhouse with a yard would easily fetch $800k, and they have good public schools. Good thing they aren't in Columbia Heights...they then would need to pay for private school as well!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Our house is extremely modest and too small for a family of 5" -- yet it's worth $800K.

I don't understand this. How can something be "extremely modest" and cost $800K? We are a family of 5 living in a 3BR condo in Columbia Heights like this one, on the market for $325k, and we're doing ok.
https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1429-Girard-St-NW-20009/unit-305/home/96098202

I can't wrap my head around the numbers the OP is saying. Holy moly, you earn more than three times what we do and you burn through SO MUCH every month.

I agree. This is exactly the kind of place OP should be living in given her childcare costs and debt. it would afford her to pay off her student loans. The extra 1-2n a month she would save in housing could go to the cc debt. She could take transit to work for free since she's a fed and sell her car. She could save a good 750 a month there.

Even better - she could hire a nanny and improve her quality of life by not having to do drop offs and pick ups for the kids.

Repeat, what school would the kids go to in Columbia Heights?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Our house is extremely modest and too small for a family of 5" -- yet it's worth $800K.

I don't understand this. How can something be "extremely modest" and cost $800K? We are a family of 5 living in a 3BR condo in Columbia Heights like this one, on the market for $325k, and we're doing ok.
https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1429-Girard-St-NW-20009/unit-305/home/96098202

I can't wrap my head around the numbers the OP is saying. Holy moly, you earn more than three times what we do and you burn through SO MUCH every month.

I agree. Our house cost $640k, has four bedrooms, and is metro accessible. We have a smaller mortgage payment than op and one car. Similar income but no debt. One sacrifice we made was living on a busy road - for us it was worth it. But op does not seem to want to make any sacrifices.

Do you have any pets? Can your children play safely in your yard? What are your public schools like? OP's home seems to be somewhere they are going to stay, and I don't blame her. It may be small, but with three kids and two dogs, I certainly wouldn't recommend living on a busy street or giving up a good school district for busy dangerous streets with toddlers and elementary aged children and pets!

[Anonymous]

For those of you criticizing the OP, saying she is living beyond her means in her current housing situation (small rowhouse with 2-3 bedrooms, kids doubled up, two dogs, in a good school district, and presumably safe neighborhood).

Can you please point OP to some listings for a 3 bedroom rowhouse or condo unit, in a good school district, that is metro accessible, and would be a place acceptable for two dogs and three kids for under what she is currently paying in mortgage ($3400/month)?

Please go ahead.....put the proof where the mouths are. Columbia Heights? Dicey area safety-wise. Public Schools? Forget it. Takoma Park? Maybe...but how are schools and is it metro accessible?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regarding family size, did anyone see the Oprah years ago when Suze Orman was on with the Octomom? Suze said something along the lines of, here we are all judging Octomom, and yet how many people have a third child when they can't really afford the two they have, or have two when they can't afford one? Having more children than you can afford is irresponsible regardless of how many you have, but MANY people don't look at it that way. If dh and I bought a mcmansion, given our finances (even though we would qualify for the mortgage we'd be hanging on by a thread), people would think we were insane. If we had another child, no one would bat an eye.

eye roll. Seriously, what is she supposed to do, send two back? This is so unhelpful. You must have fertility issues and feel very bitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Our house is extremely modest and too small for a family of 5" -- yet it's worth $800K.

I don't understand this. How can something be "extremely modest" and cost $800K? We are a family of 5 living in a 3BR condo in Columbia Heights like this one, on the market for $325k, and we're doing ok.
https://www.redfin.com/DC/Washington/1429-Girard-St-NW-20009/unit-305/home/96098202

I can't wrap my head around the numbers the OP is saying. Holy moly, you earn more than three times what we do and you burn through SO MUCH every month.

I agree. This is exactly the kind of place OP should be living in given her childcare costs and debt. it would afford her to pay off her student loans. The extra 1-2n a month she would save in housing could go to the cc debt. She could take transit to work for free since she's a fed and sell her car. She could save a good 750 a month there.

Even better - she could hire a nanny and improve her quality of life by not having to do drop offs and pick ups for the kids.

Repeat, what school would the kids go to in Columbia Heights?

Two of my kids go to a charter school and one goes to a public school. Please don't belittle someone posting at DCUM for living in DC and using DC schools.