Debt and solutions

So I'm 23, almost 24. Married. Make $7/hr, and am $9,000 in debt. Debt sucks.
Want to know something ridiculous? A few years ago, I was 22 and had NO debt. Want to know how it all got started? I bought a camera. I LOVE photography, I LOVE taking pictures. I saw a ad for a circuit city sale where the camera I had my eye on was on sale from $400 to $365. Not bad, considering some places were selling the exact same camera for $500+

I had a decent job, a ok income (certainly more than I make now...) and if I waited two or three weeks, I could have paid cash for the camera. The problem with this in my mind was that once I had the cash, the sale would be over, and it'd cost $400 for the camera. So, in order to save the $35, I went ahead and financed the camera with their 90 days same-as-cash offer. Lucky me, because I had a great credit score, I was approved for $3,000 and 120 days same-as-cash. Now, my plan was innocent. Buy the camera, pay it off. No biggie, right? Had I actually done that, no, it wouldn't have been a biggie. But then other expenses happened. I ended up letting the camera go past the 120 days, and ended up "needing" to use the credit card for other things, and ran it up to $3,000. At 18% APR. Crap. So, I opened up another credit card, this one $3500 and MUCH lower interest to transfer the balance. I now had two credit cards. Not bad, total limit of $6500. I got an offer from Chase (the $3,000 card) to raise my credit limit to $3500. What harm could that do? So I did. Oh yea, by the way, this is all pre-recession.

Next, I got promoted to $11/hr, get married, etc. In there, we start falling (the whole world, not just me) and my hours get cut from 50+ to 20-25/week. Tuition and such keep coming due, I don't know what a budget is, we shop when we need stuff, we go out to eat, I blow through thousands in our account partially by stupidity and partially by not paying attention to money. My car continues to break down, and I don't have the money to re-register it, So I go and finance a used car (which in all honesty has been a major blessing, we got an amazing deal - actually below blue book, amazing financing - 6.9% , ridiculously low monthly payment $140/month. I would do it again, I just never plan to finance anything else.) We run both credit cards to their limit, then... I get laid off in January. double double triple crap. I spend one day at home in tears, wondering what is next, how I'm going to get us out of this horrible mess I created, how we are going to buy food, how we are going to pay rent, how we are going to survive. Fortunately, by some foresight, I'd dropped out of school like two weeks before to try to save up some cash so that I'd stop financing my education.

Let me tell you. There are few things in this world that can compare to getting laid off. It feels like you are useless, it feels like you are stupid, it feels like somethings wrong with you and your bosses didn't want you anywhere close to their business anymore. Especially getting laid off from upper management (which I was)

Anyway, through some luck/blessings, I was able to find a job and start just five days after getting laid off. Slight pay cut, huge increase in commute, not a biggie. The only problem with this job was I was sharing a full time position with someone, which really hurt my hours. A month in, the recession is REALLY starting to slam into everyone, and our sales drop so dramatically that our boss is forced to cut our pay. I am now making $6/hr with $6 delivery bonuses... but that's only good if there are deliveries to make. Ouch. Dang. I just got kicked somewhere painful again. I thought getting laid off sucked, this hurt almost as much, if not more! I lost 10lbs because we simply could not afford food. Kimberly lost 5lbs. (and she only weighs 107-111!) My parents find out, and suddenly we go home with a huge box completely full of food. We ate dinner at their house and were not hungry for the first time in two or three weeks.

Because of all of this, and during it, we start a weekly ritual of looking through the ads and circling all the deals, finding the best deals, and shopping at three or four stores just to get all the steals. Kimberly is an amazing ally/leader in all of this. Because of her, our grocery trips cost about $70 and we buy about $140 worth of food. Dang.

Things improved slightly as sales went up and a couple of people quit. I was offered a position as a salesman with $7/hr and part commission (I get half the commission the other guys do, but I actually get paid hourly...) But even with all of this, our finances still suck. I start to notice how much I'm still eating out and wasting money. I also did an experiment (noted in an earlier blog) and stated saving lots of money on gasoline as a result. I sold my sports car, paid down most of the balance on one of the credit cards, and refuse to touch it until it's to shred the sonofa... (not mentioned, but very true- we have had TONS of issues with Chase credit card services. remember that camera I bought? yea, it turned out to cost closer to $1800 between the interest, late fees, and stupid charges that were tossed on their by the sly writings of the credit card agreement)

Now, I'm driving home from work one day, and happen to have my radio tuned to 570AM... and hear this guy who sounds like a baptist preacher, but he's talking about money. I'm intrigued, so I start listening the whole way home. Can we say, dang? This guy knows what he's talking about. His whole show is based off of people calling in, telling him their situation, and he gives the best advice of how to improve it. I keep listening and find out that this guy has a 0 credit score and has for the last 20 years. His theory is simple: debt is not wealth, it is slavery. You do not need a credit score, you need money. Even the most modest income can become a massive source of wealth.

From listening to him, I finally decided to break down and write a budget last night. Uh... why the hell didn't I do that a year ago?! How about two when I was making real money, had no debt, and was paying $0/month in rent?! On what I'm making right now, I figured out that I can pay off ALL of my $9,000 in debt and have $6,000 sitting in my bank account in 1.5 years. One and a half years. That's it. He suggests "snowballing" your debt, which I'm figuring out means this: list all your debts, smallest to largest. Attack the smallest with all the ferocity possible, and pay minimums on everything else. Once that one's gone, hit the next highest and so on. By planning like this, I am seriously looking at destroying $9,000 of debt in 1.5 years making $18,000 a year. That's our total income between Kimberly and I.

The bottom line is this: if you do nothing but pay minimum payments, you will literally NEVER pay any credit card off. Auto financing and mortgages are different, you will pay those off eventually, but credit cards will n e v e r go away on minimum payments.

Anyone who bothers to read this far, please please PLEASE listen: YOU are responsible for YOUR finances. DO NOT look to the government, your job or anyone else to take care of it for you. NEVER use a debt reducing agency, they don't work, and they usually end up with you taking care of the mess anyway. You don't need a lawyer or a firm to get out of debt, settle your debt or anything similar. YOU can do that.
GET OUT OF DEBT and the recession will go away. The government can't do anything but make it worse. That's right, I didn't say Democrats or Republicans. I said the government as a whole.

Fuel efficiency

So, for a while now, I've been keeping track of how many miles per tank I get. On average, since I commute up to Salt Lake, I've been getting between 300-320 miles out of each tank. When I fill up, generally about 14 gallons goes in. 23mpg in a mid sized sedan with a 2.4l engine isn't bad at all. I drive about 85mph on the freeway, which cuts a lot of time off my commute.... or so I thought. One day, right after filling up my tank for the second time in a week, I decided to try an experiement on the way home: I'd drive exactly the speed limit and use cruise control. I thought it'd take forever to get home going 65mph... but when I pulled into provo, I glanced at the clock... 8:40. When I drive 85mph... it's .. 8:38... When I drive 65mph... it's 8:40. I guess the reason is 65mph, I go that speed the whole time. When at 85mph, I have to slam on my brakes every now and then, as well as slow down majorly when I get behind a big truck. So, with that in mind, I decided to continue my experiment. I just filled up my tank today... 414 miles, and still only 14 gallons... Holy crap. I just went from 23mpg to 29.6mpg. Now I want to try all the other mileage boosters, like fill up that low tire that I always think about when I'm getting in my car in the morning... and balance all four tires. And change my oil. And check my O2 sensor... yea, I'm a believer....
Thank You, Come Again!
-Brian

FREEEEEE* HEALTHCARE FOR ALL!

FREE*!
THAT'S right folks,
FREE* HEALTHCARE FOR EVERYONE!!
Doesn't it sound great? Going to the doctor and NOT paying him?!
In just a short few months, our government system will have changed the way we do medicine!
You won't have to worry about hospital bills piling up, 'cause healthcare will be FREE* for everyone!
Next, we'll be working on FREE* houses, FREE* food, FREE* auto repair, in short, you'll never have to pay ANYTHING again!

Thank You, Come Again!
-Brian

* "free" does not apply to those who make over 1,000,000 a year, nor does it apply to those who are gainfully employed, nor those on welfare or those who die. nor does it apply to those who eat, those who drink, or those who own or rent or otherwise occupy property. In short, free is not actually free, it is only a gimmick to get those who want to take over your life in office, and to enslave you to their will by taking away your freedom to spend as you will.

Dream last night...

So I had a most incredibly awesome dream last night. I was in a classroom, and there was a really really cute girl I didn't know, but wanted to meet. I knew I had a girlfriend, but who she was, I just couldn't place. I started talking to this girl, and I could tell she liked me too, and it was starting to feel like love at first sight. The more I talked to her, the more I liked her, the more I started to feel like I could love her. We went off together to talk some more, and again, as I talked to her more and more, I just felt like I knew her, and nothing else in the world mattered. Then I woke up, rolled over, and she was laying right next to me.

Kinda a random dream, but dreams where you fall back in love with the one you love are kinda freaking awesome, realizing it was my wife in the dream all along and because of dream magic I didn't know just made it all the more special, 'cause I got to meet her for the first time again.
I love my Kimberly sooo much!

Thank you, come again!
-Brian

infomercials

Infomercials. Commercials + Information meant to take us down a path starting with an item with a funny name, which the only second glance it'd get from us in a standard store would be to mock the stupidity of it's name, to the end of the infomercial feeling like we can't live without it, but wait! There's more! Order in the next twenty seconds and we will DOUBLE the offer! Just pay twice as much! That's right! Only 2x the price for twice as much garbage that will never work!!! Comparable products go for $1000!!! But order now, and you get this for ONLY 12 EASY payments of $99!!! that's right 12 EASY payments of $99.95! (serious voice speaking fast:) order now, operators are standing by, only 12 easy payments of 99.959595 plus shipping and handling order our overpriced useless item today!
pllllllttthpt :P
Thank You, Come Again!
-Brian

Heil America?

So, I'm not trying to be an alarmist (ok, maybe I am) but I am hearing about some taxes, and some government programs that are leaving me saying: "Dude? Where's my freedom?"
I know, I know, people are probably going to call me a crazy right wing conservative fascist... but wait a minute, doesn't it sound fairly fascist/nazist to have the government basically require you to eat certain foods? Tax hikes are being considered on such things as sugary drinks, fast food, and generally, junk food. Now, who defines what as junk food first of all, and why the hell should the government care what I eat? Well, with the huge push right now by both the legislative and executive branches of our government towards socialized healthcare (being called "healthcare for all" or "affordable healthcare" or "fix our broken system!") there is now also a push for making us be more "responsible" by policing what we eat by increasing taxes on certain foods in order to make a more fit America. If that doesn't sound like Naziism, you're not paying attention to history or whats going on right now.

So yea, I'm fat. According to the government charts, I'm morbidly obese.... but also according to their charts, my lean body mass of 190 at 6' is overweight... So... even if I had absolutely NO fat on my body, I would still be considered overweight. To me, it would not be a huge jump to have a "fat tax" (I've even heard rumblings of one) that would tax people extra according to how much over the "average" Body Mass Index. The problem with this to me is... I'm "supposed" to be 150-170 at 6'0"... The thinnest I can ever hope to be (with my huge viking build, being of norse/german descent) is 210-220. So... would that make me get taxed for my genetics? I know the immediate answer will be "oh, you'll get a specific exemption because of your muscle mass" Two problems with that theory:
1) If/When our medicine becomes socialized, do you think they're actually going to give specific physicals for the 150,000,000+ people who are overweight, most of which will try to claim they have the body type I have in order to not have to work as hard to lose the weight?
2) Even if I were to get an exemption, has anyone else had an experience with our government, how they'll have you pay now, then put it to comittee, then maybe eventually (like 6 or so months later) they'll get back to you with a decision, then in 6-10 weeks, you'll actually receive your money back. So that being the case, I would theoretically in perfect condition with 10-20lbs of body fat be taxed as someone who has 70-80lbs of body fat for almost an entire year before I receive the refund, If I were to receive it.
I'm all for people being fit. I'm all for people being able to afford health care, but what the hell are we doing trying to put the GOVERNMENT in charge of it?! Since when is the government actually good at anything, other than taking our money away and squandering it?
Thank you, Come Again!
Brian

Car Company

So... I've been having this itch for the last couple of years. Not the kind of itch you can scratch mind you, but the kind of internal itch, the desire to do something great, to do something amazing, something unique that everyone thinks will fail: I want to start the next American car company. I know it sounds crazy, and I know that it's going to be hard, nearly impossible most likely, but I have this love for and understanding of cars that surpasses most people I've met. I have designed mentally, and partially on paper a sports car (and I'm not talking just a picture of a car, I'm talking engine, suspension, transmission, exhaust, steering, electrical, intake, etc..) that would far surpass the power and performance of any out there, a commuter car that would be nothing special, but cheap, a off-road performance vehicle with a unique suspension system allowing it to be truly all-terrain... and my brain is feeling ready to explode, my heart aches to drive my designs in reality, my hands quiver with the thought of potentially making these. I want to make cars that anyone can work on and understand, affordable to anyone, yet durable and lasting long enough to be on the road for 10,20, 30 years with very little maintenance. I want to make cars with such simplicity that there is simply very little room for anything to break. The money? I honestly don't care. I want my company to make enough profit to keep itself afloat, and that's it. I don't want to become one of these multi-billion dollar companies which are sinking right now, I want to take their place in this country and show America that we STILL ARE THE KINGS OF THE AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS.
thank you, Come again!
Brian

Wife

I thought it may be kinda fun to do an entire post devoted to my wife. I love her so much, and am so lucky to have her. As was mentioned earlier, she is the most beautiful girl in the world, and I honestly have no idea how I got her. Not only is she pretty, she's beautiful deep inside too. I know that she loves me for me, and nothing will ever change that. She is an amazingly hard worker too, last night she pulled an all-nighter just to make sure she got her homework done, after she went on a walk with me that took 45minutes of her evening, without even telling me that there was a possibility of an all-nighter. She rubbed my back after we got home because I was sore from the exercise and the day for almost thirty minutes. Since we've gotten married, she's redoubled her efforts in her second senior year (she's double minoring and going for graduating with honors from BYU), and last semester, she got a 3.89 taking 15 credits plus working part time plus spending lots of time with me and with friends. She is absolutely incredible. I am the luckiest guy in the world, and anyone who'd like to challenge that, feel free.
Thank You, Come Again!
-Brian

Day 2

So this morning, I took a little hike for my exercise. it was nice, nothing special... just for some reason when i'm out exercising, I get this look from people. Kinda a mix between amused, helpful, worried I'm going to die, surprised, and shoot-me-if-I-ever-look-like-that. I honestly don't know how to react to those looks, whether to feel encouraged, insulted, or saved... I really don't know. I definetly feel a mix of emotions, ranging from "shut up, you'll look like me someday, and I'll look like you, then we'll see whose smiling" to "oh that's nice, I really appreciate the support of other people who are actually good at exercising and in good shape."
Why do I have to live in Provo, one of the fittest cities in the US? I mean, before I started working out again, it was killing me every morning driving to work since all I ever saw was hundreds of in shape people running outside, now it's killing me to be the only fat guy outside running... oh well, I'm sure it'll all get easier.
On a lighter note, major props to my beautiful wife, she went walking with me last night to assist in my weight loss goals even though she doesn't have an ounce of fat on her body, then she even listened for me going for the banana bread late at night and asked "Are you eating?" then told me "You're welcome" when I put it back. It seems to me the most important part of weight loss and accomplishing anything major that takes a lot of effort is a good support group, and she is the best.
Thank You, Come Again!
-Brian

Fatso

So, today is the first day of weight loss. I'll tell ya, it's only 10:39am, and it sucks. I got up at 8am (not early, but I could have slept in till 9:30) and finally got up the gusto to go running at 9am. Well, running isn't the right word for it. I intended to run, but two things prevented it: I live in an extremely hilly/mountain region, which caused this fat man to have to walk as fast as possible, and I am 300lbs. The pace I took would have been scoffed by a younger, faster, thinner Brian, but as I am now, it was about a 8 on the effort scale (1-10).
A few years ago, I had great success with the Body For Life program by Bill Phillips, and that is exactly what I am doing now. When I was running, I had one thing coming to mind over and over again: "5 years of chips, cheese, pizza, ice cream, tacos, greasy burgers and any other terrible food I've eaten is so NOT worth this..."
I guess one thing I can take comfort from is that since I have been fairly active over the last five years, I am not as out of shape as I thought I was. I've even had some fairly valiant attempts at weight loss, probably the best of which was last year, when I dropped 30lbs before plateauing for a freaking month last March. I gave up, and gained it all back plus a little. Has anyone else noticed that? If you lose weight, but then don't do all you need to in order to keep it off, it comes back with friends. It's almost like it has an attitude problem or something, and all you manage to do by losing it is to piss it off enough to really come back at you and smack you down. Examples of this:
Me, 15 years old, 235lbs. Through a lot of effort and time and running and biking and lifting and eating very healthily, I got myself to 173 at 17. 173 for me was perfect. I had less than 12% body fat, was able to run a couple 6'35" miles, and lift a decent amount for my weight. Pull ups, push ups, sit ups, and any other ups you can think of were quite simple for me. Now, because I was for the first time in my life a fit individual, I stayed within 10lbs of this for the next two years, enjoying the new fun activities which were once impossible for me, but were now easy and amazingly entertaining. Then I graduated from high school, took a trip to France, sat on my butt for two weeks eating the best Paris had to offer as far as cheeses and sweet treats, and gained 20lbs. Now just over 200lbs, I wasn't too horribly concerned, I stayed fairly active, but didn't go on an intensive diet/workout program. Later that year, I had some quite traumatic emotional events happen, and the next year is very hard for me to remember because I've honestly shut most of it out, but over that year, gained 30lbs. Now I was right about where I was when I started at 15, but I was 19. This is when fat's friends came... I got a new job on a drilling crew in the dead of winter, so of course, to "keep warm" we'd eat the highest fat foods available to man, and bravado was proved by eating more than the next guy. Add to all of that I had $75 a day given to me for living expenses alone, which of course translated into delicious, fatty food and lots of it. What made matters even worse was the horrible loneliness I was feeling from the prior year added to the fact that we were living in hotels for 28 of the 30 days of each month, so as soon as we were done for the day (at 6pm) I was truly alone until 7am the next morning. Loneliness has always been my weak point and point of fear, so to cope, I ate. After two months, I now weighed an additional 30lbs, 260. Now, barely three years after losing it all initially, I was almost 100lbs more than my healthy low point, and 30lbs above my initial starting point. Over the next year, I got my first girlfriend, got dumped by my first girlfriend (10lbs) started a new job as a CNA, decided it was unhealthy for me because of the emotional strain (up 10, down 10) decided to work my butt off for weight loss (down 15) met my next girlfriend, starting dating her (goodbye fitness program, plus 15) got engaged to her, broke it off (up 10!) started a workout program in january '08 (-30) got sick of fighting with no success in march, stopped program, started dating same girl, got engaged, stressful engagement (her family hates me) (+30) got married, had holiday season (+10) lost my job, found a new one, got a pay cut (-10lbs) got more hours, learned to shop smart (+10) and now... I'm here. 300lbs.

I guess this is a ridiculously long post, and that'll probably make people less interested, but hey, the future ones'll be shorter. I'll continue to update daily my weight as well as my efforts in weight loss, so if anyone's interested, I'd love a support group, and if you need to lose weight, I'd love to be part of your support group.
Thank you, Come again!
-Brian