December 2008 Net Worth: IN THE BLACK Oh So Close!

Posted on January 05, 2009 by Him and tagged net_worth

EDIT
Apparently I can't use spreadsheets correctly and messed up the net worth number. I guess we're almost in the black and have a little more to go. Hopefully we can get to zero by the second quarter of this year.

Wow, I can't believe it. We're ending off the year in the black. Positive net worth. Woo. I even removed the insidious "household goods" category. Our car is still listed because it is an asset that we could sell quickly and still live out normal everyday lives.

Of course, if it weren't for the über-generous gift from Her's relative, our net worth would look much more dismal than it does now. It is also interesting to note that the current market conditions didn't help too much, either.

You'll notice that the student loans have been broken down into more detail. We currently have ~$13,000 on 0% balance transfers to be paid by this time next year. Another ~$8,000 is on a lifetime 1.9% balance transfer credit card.

But let's face it, our main goal this year was to exit 2008 married and hopefully not have any new debt to show for it. We succeeded in doing that and ended up still having a little cash in the bank.

Am I totally happy with these numbers? Well, it definitely could be better. We've got some great plans for 2009 that we will be detailing in the next few days.

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My DIY Plumbing Success!

Posted on January 02, 2009 by Her and tagged housing

Our bathroom drain has been clogged for about a year. We have been pouring gallons of Drain-o (and money) down the drain. I tried to remove the drain stopper (the little thingy that goes up and down) but couldn't. Recently, the clog got so bad that it would take hours for the sink to drain. Gross! We figured it was time to call the plumber. But before we spent any more money I decided to go all-out and try to fix it myself. I spent this afternoon reading plumbing websites. Considering my massive New Year's hang-over, it didn't really ruin my day.

I tried several approaches and after a few hours - SUCCESS!!! The drain is clog-free! And it didn't cost us a cent to fix it. Now I just have to clean up the giant mess I made pulling everything out from under the sink. I'm super proud of myself because this wasn't something I initially thought I could do.

Have you ever saved money by DIY'ing a home repair?

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Our 2009 New Year's Resolution: Save Like Crazy!

Posted on January 01, 2009 by Her and tagged savings

Today we sat down and had a discussion we've been putting off for a while: family planning. We both want to have children, although we hadn't sorted out the timing yet. We have already achieved many milestones that will help us prepare to be parents. We have completed our educations, have steady jobs with benefits like health insurance and family leave, and have some money in savings. We even have our own apartment that, while not ideal for a family, would certainly suffice. And this year, we got married. But there is one thing that would round out our preparations and make us feel really-for-reals ready...a home of our own!

We want to be responsible and put a big down payment on a home so we can minimize our mortgage liability. Right now, we don't exactly have big piles of cash laying around. So, we decided that our goal for this year is to save like crazy. Like, balls-to-the-wall crazy savers. Our plan is to cut out unnecessary expenses like dinners out, and help keep each other on track. Our hope is to have enough saved for a down payment by spring 2010, and then start thinking about kids. Wish us luck!

What is your New Year's Resolution?

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Out With the Old, In With The New (Year)

Posted on December 31, 2008 by Him and tagged fun

We at Make Love, Not Debt, wish you a safe and Happy New Year!

Like every new year, we have a bunch of ideas and posts we'd like you to see in the upcoming weeks.

Oh yeah, and we're even going to update our net worth. It's coming next Monday, so hold on to your socks.

Peace out, see you in 2009!

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Bye Bye, Money, Time

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Him and tagged fun, gifts

<pause>

Deadly.

That's how I would describe one of the gifts that Her gave me for Christmas.

It was a Nintendo DS Lite.

I have already spent $20 at a local GameStop to buy myself a game. At least I bought used. In fact, I don't think I'll ever buy a new game. Only used for me. In doing so, I'll end up "saving" much of my money.

But I want more.

I crave more.

But for now, back to playing Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift.

(Hey, look at that! I saved 50% buy buying used!)

<unpause>

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