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Getting Out of Debt, Part III

December 15th, 2015 at 07:02 am

First let me apologize for this being so late. Year end client stuff has kept me jumping.

Hopefully by going through the process of reducing costs, we've found some ways to reduce monthly expenses. I'm going to assume that we've reduced our costs by $500 a month. That may seem laughably high or laughably low to you depending on your situation. It's just for illustration purposes. Regardless, executing our plan will be exactly the same.

I'm going to suggest a few things that will go against some of the common wisdom about getting out of debt. What we want to do is pay the monthly minimum for all of our various debts. Then write an extra check for $500, paying all of it toward the debt with the smallest outstanding balance. No, we're not going to worry about interest rates, and we're not going to spread the money around to various debts by increasing our monthly payments.

This will accomplish some important things. By paying off the smallest debt first, we will see some progress. If we just pay a little extra here or there, it seems like nothing is happening. But if we can eliminate one of those debts quickly, there is a sense of accomplishment. This is also where our reward kicks in, time for another brownie! Why write an extra check? For two reasons. First, it's a representation of what we're accomplishing. We can see every month that we are making progress. That will be important months down the line when this all becomes a bit of a drag. Second, we want to establish the habit of writing that extra check. Because when all the debt is gone, we'll be writing a check to go into our savings account, or to the mutual fund company. The process of becoming wealthy starts in month one! We are writing an extra check toward our financial well being.

Paying off the smallest debt has an added benefit. We quickly eliminate a minimum monthly payment. Our $500 a month, becomes $525 (or whatever). We have even more money to pay toward the next biggest debt. By the time we get to the nasty last big one, we should have significantly more money to whittle it down.

Of course if there is a dramatic difference in interest rates, like the biggest one is 20% and all the others are under 10%, you might want to flip that around. But not if you'll get discouraged and quit. Do what works for you.

So that's it. Understand how you work, find places to reduce ongoing expenses, and pay them down one at a time, the smallest one first.

But what if that isn't enough? You went from a $100,000 a year job to a $50,000 a year job after the recession. There just isn't enough money. If that's your situation, you are going to have to make some harder choices. It will require lifestyle changes. A two car family might become a one car family for awhile. Or a one car family becomes a buses and bicycle family, with a weekend car rental once a month. It might include part time work stocking shelves during the holidays.

Much of that will seem pretty dreary. But it's about reframing and re-imagining. What if you always made $50,000? What would that lifestyle have looked like? That's where you need to be for now. Ignore what you had, that's not where you live now. Instead, focus on where you are, and again remind yourself that what is important in life is usually not about money. A day with the family at the beach is just as much fun as a day at Disneyland, but it costs $500 less.

Now as promised, links to help.

Unlimited cell phone service for as low at $20 a month at Ptel
www.ptel.com

Free checking, free bill pay, and ATM fee rebates from First Internet Bank
www.firstib.com

Mercury usually has among the lowest rates for car insurance
www.mercuryinsurance.com

Coupons for everything. Always check before you make a retail purchase
www.fatwallet.com

Find a debt counselor if you need one
www.usa.gov/topics/money/credit/debt/out-of-control.shtml

There are a number of websites and blogs with ideas about living on the cheap. Here are a few:
www.frugalhomeliving.com

www.livingonadime.com

www.livingwellspendingless.com

www.livingrichlyonabudget.com

Good Luck! (and have a brownie).

Getting Out of Debt, Part I

November 11th, 2015 at 06:28 pm

Getting Out of Debt - Part I, Preparing
There is a lot of stuff on SavingAdvice.com about dealing with debt. Here is my take on the process. Many people have found this to be useful.

We can't invest until we have money to invest with. And for many, possibly most people, that's a dream because they are drowning in debt. So I'm going to do a 3 part series on how to get out of debt. My intention is not to make this some dreary thing like going on a diet. What I hope I can do is make it as painless as possible, and maybe even a little fun. In fact getting out of debt is easier than a diet. On a diet, as you lose weight it gets harder. But getting out of debt, as you pay off debts you have more money. It gets easier.

To start you need to be completely honest with yourself about yourself. You cannot deal with debt if you start doing what you 'should' do, rather than what works for you. My analogy for this is as follows. You walk into the store to buy a package of light bulbs. One is $3 with a $3 rebate. The other is $2. Which one is cheaper? The 'obvious' answer is the $3 package of light bulbs. But for most people, it's the wrong answer. Why do they offer a deal like that? Because they know that most people will not send in the rebate. For most of us, the $2 package of light bulbs is cheaper. The key is to know yourself. If you will send in the rebate, buy the $3 package. If you won't, don't sweat it about what you 'should' do, and then feel guilty because you don't. You buy the $2 package and call it a day.

So the you need to know yourself and what will work for you. If you decide you are going to eat at home for the next 3 months, and you're happy doing that, fine. But if you'll chafe at it, and then decide to heck with the whole thing and quit, it's not helped you much. So with every change you make you need to ask yourself the honest question "Will I keep it up?". If the answer is no, find another way. If impulse purchases are a problem, maybe you need to take the credit cards out of your wallet, or just don't visit those stores where you will spend. Out of sight, out of mind. Figure out what will work for you. That's the key.

Ok, now I will reveal to you the great financial secret of the ages. The single rule that can take you from being in debt to being wealthy. All wealth flows from this one rule. If I was doing an infomercial I could probably get people to send me $29.95 plus shipping and handling to reveal this secret. Are you ready? It's this. Live on 85% of your income. That's it! Almost anyone, if you live on 85% of what you make, you will become debt free, and eventually have real wealth. The average NFL player blows through his millions in a few years after he retires. That's because he lives on 110% of his millions. But someone with even modest income can eliminate their debt, save and eventual be wealthy if they live on 85%.

Of course, that's the trick isn't it? It's *hard* to live on 85% of your income when the roof leaks, you need a new cell phone, and you are paying for the kids college. So what we're going to do is this. We're going to try to figure out how to reduce your existing expenses so that you're living on 85% of your income, giving up as little as possible. This is not going to be about eating macaroni and cheese every night be candlelight and playing cards for entertainment. This is going to be about figuring out how to have most (or even all) of what you have now, but just doing it for less money. I think of it as a game, and I think it can be pretty fun.

Now that said, there may be some areas where your expenses are just too high and there are things you need to cut back. And that's always so hard. Luxuries become necessities in a big hurry. But I want to you keep this in the back of your mind "What makes me really happy?". What things in your life have really made you feel good. Your first date? Your time with your best friends? Finally running a mile in under 6 minutes? Now think, how many of those things were about money? Probably not very many. I think money is about security and freedom. And for that security and freedom, we need to get the debt monkey off our backs. And man, you want to talk about making you feel good? Getting rid of the grinding worry about debt is way up on the list.

Next time we'll talk about the process of getting to 85%.

Always Read the Fine Print

September 18th, 2015 at 03:49 pm

Yesterday I received an offer in the mail for a credit card. In big letters on the front it says "0% interest on balance transfers for first 9 months". But read the fine print and it says "5% balance transfer fee or $10, whichever is higher". Well it turns out much to my surprise 5% is not 0%. And in fact that interest rate is even higher than 5%, as you're paying that all upfront on the original balance.

One of the things I truly hate about the industry I work in, is that they feel it's their obligation to trick the general public. Fees only disclosed in the fine print, special offers that are almost impossible to achieve, huge penalties if you make even a small mistake.

Here is the problem. Reading and understand that stuff is a) is boring as hell, and b) makes you feel like an idiot because you can't figure out what they are saying. But you have to do it. So here are a few things I suggest you do whenever you're dealing with any contract related to the financial services industry.

1. Ask them to tell you what the downsides are. Ask them what the fees are, what happens if you make a late payment. Getting it in email is best, it may give you ammunition down the road if they don't disclose something.

2. Get someone else to go over it with you. It really will be 1/2 as much pain if a spouse, partner or friend helps you go over it.

3. Ask in the financial forums like Savingsadvice about what to look out for.

Don't let them make you feel like a victim. You work hard for your money. Don't let the financial services firm trick you out of some of it with their confusing fine print.

Best Banking Deal Ever!

August 28th, 2015 at 04:58 pm

I think the very best deal out there for banks in at First Internet Bank (www.firstib.com).

First IB is a full service bank that provides checking, savings, car loans, mortgages, IRAs, CDs, etc. But they only have a single branch, their primary business is on the web. That keeps their costs way down. Some of the cool stuff:

1. 0.55% interest on checking
2. 0.80% interest on money market savings
3. $10 per month rebates on ATM charges at any ATM
4. Some of the highest rates in the country on CDs
5. Free Financeworks software (Essentially Quicken)
6. Postage paid envelopes for deposits

Altogether that should save you a good $200 a year versus some of the majors like Wells Fargo.

But I think maybe one of the best things is that since they actually do run a physical branch, you are not dealing with some call center based in India when you have a question. You talk to one of the bankers at their branch in Indiana. They answer the phone quickly and they know their stuff.

The downside? Cash deposits can be a bit of a pain, as with any web based bank.

Considering the combination of high rates, full service banking and free services, I think it's the best banking deal out there, maybe the best ever.