Becoming Debt Free

I love this time of year.  Just last week it was Jesus' Birthday a time of rebirth and new life.  Feels like you've just pressed the reset button for your new beginning.

2012 for me will be becoming debt free.  That is one of the few goals I have for myself.  Here's an update from my last post about my debt. In the last 3 months we've been able to pay off $1,550.  That's about $500 a month towards debt reduction.  That's not bad considering we're living off of Jaime's income plus my unemployment, for now. Below are a list of lifestyle changes to not only accommodate for the income loss, but also lean into paying off as much debt as possible. Every dollar counts.

• Match coupons with sale items for groceries
• Thrift stores for only good quality clothes (like blouses or Jeans)
• Buy accent furniture or home decor at Moving Sales / Garage Sales
• No restaurants
• Take care of what we already own
• read labels before washing clothes
• Use the sewing machine to repair or hem clothes
• Spray stains immediately
• Accept hand-me-downs
• Don't upgrade cell phone, rather do a phone swap with someone who is upgrading. (Make sure you add insurance to your line before swapping to repair, if needed, then cancel insurance after swap)
• Wear old glasses, Don't buy contact lenses  :(
• Stay healthy and brush teeth :) (Doctor or Dentist visits aren't cheap)
• Drive with caution (Tickets suck!)
• Pay all bills on time (late fee's add up)
• No cable (Television is targeted to consumers, meaning you will feel the need to buy)
• Try to DIY as much as possible
• Live below our means
• Don't use credit cards, have at least $1,000 in savings for emergencies 
• Give myself a weekly allowance of Gas, Groceries & Misc.

I'm sure there are a lot more things I can list off, but these were the ones off the top of my head. To stay motivated, I have to remind myself that this is only temporary.  Later on I will be able to vacation and spend like it was my business.  Can't wait to break the chains and become debt free.