DebtBgone

Our current totals, since it is so incredibly rewarding to look back and see our progress. 403b: $41,500 Old IRA: $7,100 Dh Roth: $21,600 My Roth: $17,800 Total $88k Mortgage balance $57,000 Retirement went up $34k and the mortage decreased by $32k. Amazing the difference a year can make! Thank you, Dave.

I was having a bit of a pity party for myself the day before Mother's Day, knowing I wouldn't see my 3 older kids and we haven't seen each other since Christmas. They all live 4-6 hours away and normally would come home for that. But we saw each other via Zoom and sat around talking for 4 hours Mother's Day! It really lifted my spirits. I've been listening to a lot of music via Spotify. Just "discovered" some amazing music by the symphony Two Steps From Hell (creepy name, I know). "Victory" is amazing, so is "Blackheart". They compose a lot of background theme music for movies.

The budget! Have you tried Every Dollar since you've been gone? It is so easy. I use the free version.

Thank you for sharing. Are you working towards recovering from your anxiety? I hope this won't become your "new normal" and you can overcome it. I thought this link sounded helpful when I scanned through it. I don't know much about irrational fears but it did seem to have some good advice: https://www.anxietycoach.com/agoraphobia.html

Oh, and do you like to read? Of course the libraries are closed but there are online options for borrowing books and audio books. Anything you need to organize? Decrease clutter? Unused clothes? I feel much better at the end of my day if I've accomplished something. Learn a new recipe, clean something neglected, etc. I have cousins that normally go to the gym, so are doing video workouts with each other from their homes. My to-do list today is go for a walk w/the dogs, clean windows, and bake cookies. I have not made cookies in probably over a year. I wish I could get a hair cut!

Our family has been using "Zoom" to for group video chats. It's very easy to use and really fun! We had a 10 person session yesterday with my grandmother, mom, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins. I have friends who are playing a long distance trivia game using it. It's as close to sitting around a table with friends as you can get right now.

Out of a 9 man crew at my son's electrician job, they have 4 guys working. My 18 year old is one of them, so we are grateful he has an income right now. He and I both have letters from our employer's stating we are "essential". Employees are wearing masks at work.

They shut down the job site my son works on as of today, which is fine with him because two people yesterday were there sick and wearing a mask. He is 18 and was pretty freaked out about it, not that he worked near them, just the fact that he didn't know what they were sick with. Dh has a couple remodeling jobs lined up, was able to get paint for one, windows were already delivered on another one, and the store where he buys crown molding is doing curb service with limited hours. So we shall see how much he can do in the next few weeks. "Commercial" businesses are allowed to be open according to Gov. Hogan's list.

For most people it is an inconvenience, but for others life and death. I will happily be inconvenienced to help not make someone sick. I really feel for businesses and employees financially hard hit. We will just have to ride it out.

Just updating some numbers for reference since I sent $2k in contributions to dh's Roth: 403b: $25,673 (just increased my contributions to $300/paycheck up from $270, + 2% match) Old IRA: $7,219 Dh Roth: $12,710 My Roth: $8,828 Total $54,430 Mortgage balance $89,597

Years ago I was driving around a $1k Craigslist-mobile that needed an a/c compressor. The cost to repair it would have been almost half the value of the car! Seriously, I think it was $400-500 dollars for a new one. My husband found one on ebay for $30! And then he and his brother fixed it themselves. I was one happy camper! Maybe a deal like that could come along for your car.

I completely agree with the opinion that budgeting is the key. Climbing out of debt doesn't happen by accident - it takes a solid plan and being accountable. Living on last month's income has been a tremendous help for me since both my dh an I have irregular incomes. Come on, vacation! You did it!

Thanks for the encouragement! I am off work today and spent some time playing with calculators this morning. If we can manage to up our principal payment by $200 more/month ($1,800) our payoff would be March of '22. Three years. Wow. Sure has my wheels turning! ETA: I realized I made a mistake about the $1,800 - I knew something wasn't right! $1,800 is my total principal payment, not my snowball. Our principal and interest payment is just over $1,200, and right now when I pay $1,200 more, my principal payment is $1,800. Anyway, if I continue a $1,200 snowball, the payoff is December of 2022. We will see what this year brings.

Some updated numbers. So far in 2019: 403b: $24,376 Old IRA: $6,925 Dh Roth: $10,517 (will contribute before April 15th) My Roth: $8,660 Total: 50,478 We hit $50k!!!! Mortgage balance $91,530 We're under $100k!!! And back to the amount we bought our house for ($91,700 in 1992). Two milestones for us in the same month. And next month we'll be out of the 90's. It will be so cool to see it go down in 10k increments and the retirement go up. It seems like we should be able to put $1,600 towards the principal and $1,600 towards retirement each month the rest of this year. Overtime has been my best and worst friend. I'm tired, but it's a rewarding, satisfying tired.

What a great rate! Good for you!