Live Debt Free

Pay off debt. Save. Give. Live your mission.

We’re Going Down to One Vehicle

by //

Back in 2008 I wrecked my Jeep and we were forced to become a one car family. My buddy “knew a guy” who could fix it for cheap – you know how those deals go. What was supposed to take “about a month” quickly deteriorated into 8 months, several yelling matches, and a big headache. Finally, I got my Jeep back in working order.

It was a trying time but it taught us a lot and showed us we could get by with only one car, even when we both worked full-time jobs.

Cost of owning a car

Even if they’re paid off, cars cost more than you think.

Using the [cost of owning a car] equation, the true cost to own and drive our paid off vehicles is around $720/month.

This means owning both cars, even though they’re paid off, costs us roughly $8,650/year.

How many cars are needed

We only need one car.

Nowadays we both work from home, have no children, and spend most of our time together. Since moving to North Carolina a month ago, there has not been a single instance where both vehicles were needed so it’s time to say goodbye to one of them.

How many do you really need? Not want, need.

We thought we needed both back when I crashed my Jeep, but turns out we only needed one; and that was when we both had full-time jobs outside the home.

Our plan for one vehicle

Right now we have a 2000 Jeep Cherokee and a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. The Jeep is our utility vehicle; we use it to haul things and drive back roads and bad weather. The Grand Prix is our every day car because it’s a bit more comfortable and gets better gas mileage.

We would like to sell both and purchase a better all-purpose vehicle; kind of like a Subaru but something less expensive with better gas mileage, like a Pontiac Vibe. We priced them out and have test driven a few. We made an offer on one tonight but the owners turned us down (we offered $1,000 less than their asking price).

The plan for now is to sell the Grand Prix, drive the Jeep as our every day vehicle, and continue looking for a Vibe (or something similar, like a used Volvo wagon). If we need to drive a long distance – like our upcoming trip to Michigan – we’ll rent a car with really good gas mileage (like a Ford Focus).

For us it’s way cheaper to own one car and rent a high MPG car for long trips.

God is in the details

It’s easy to think God has better things to do than help us with our car situation; but He does have time for it.

We have to remember that God is in the details! He wants us to come to Him with all our concerns, and buying/selling our cars is a big deal.

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

We have no way of knowing how long our current vehicles will last and cannot tell exactly which used cars are the best to buy. We can make educated guesses and get a CARFAX, which we do, but only God knows what is best for us… so we invite Him to help.

We want to encourage you to remember God in all your decisions – He cares so deeply for us and wants to be involved with all parts of our lives.

Save money and simplify

Less vehicle ownership means more money in your pocket. You may have to buy a bus pass or give a friend a few bucks for gas but chances are you will save quite a bit by downsizing to one vehicle.

Going down to one vehicle means less money spent toward car payments (if you finance), gas, repairs/maintenance, insurance, and plates/registration.

For us it will save an extra $360 every month. Use this equation to see how much it will save you. Chances are you will save quite a bit even if you have to pay for alternate transportation and rental cars once in awhile.

Another benefit to fewer vehicles is less maintenance and headaches. Simplify, simplify, simplify. Save, save, save.

*******

photo credit

10 Skills To Help Beat a Bad Economy

by //

With the housing crisis, soaring unemployment, and crippling levels of debt the globe over, many people have nothing left to put away for “retirement;” but that doesn’t mean they’re out of options. Let’s take a look at a few skills that can pay off big regardless of economic decline.

Learn to think better

Before we get started, let’s correct a thinking problem developed over the last few decades: you don’t have to pay for schooling to learn, just go to the library and practice at home.

The first thing we need to do is learn to think better. For decades we have depended on others to provide things for us, now we need a return to doing more things ourselves, and that starts with our education. Go to the library and relearn the joy of reading and teaching yourself for free.

Making a habit of going to the library can help you build a better future, for little cost, and you can start right away.

1. Gardening

Read books and start practicing. Don’t be afraid to fail. Start small and polish your skill, knowledge, and experience every year. Check out SmartGarden.com, an awesome and free online tool to help you plan and execute your garden from seed to harvest.

Many communities offer gardening classes ranging from beginner to master; check into it for your area and take advantage. Some charge a fee but it is always minimal, usually less than $100.

Talk to your parents and grandparents about it, chances are they still have some of these skills and their experience will bless you.

2. Using knives and firearms

Knowing how to buy, sell, shoot, and clean firearms is a valuable skill. Being handy with firearms empowers you to defend yourself and provide for your family.

Get started with a 12 gauge (I recommend a Remington 870), a 22 rifle, a 270 or 30-06 rifle, and a handgun like a 38, 45, or even 9 mil.

It has also been proven that knives are a more effective personal safety device than hand guns, so I recommend getting yourself a good bowie knife too. This is the knife I have.

3. Hunting and fishing

Some people grow up learning to hunt and fish; I wasn’t one of them. My dad lived and breathed sports instead, so that’s what I learned.

As I grew older I desired the knowledge and skill of hunting and butchering large game, so I taught myself. Last winter I bagged my first deer and did all the dressing and processing myself. I learned to field dress (a.k.a. gut) it by watching YouTube videos, and processed and packaged the meat with the help of my friend Rodney.

We still have a few packages of the steaks left and have been eating on them all year. Because I processed it myself the cost was only the price of a hunting license ($15) and a few beers for Rodney’s dad.

4. Raising livestock

Growing up we raised around 16 beef cattle and 100 chickens. It was a lot of work, but it provided for us, earned us money on the side, and taught us the value of hard work.

  1. Chickens provide eggs and meat.
  2. Rabbits provide meat.
  3. Goats are great for dairy.
  4. Cattle are also good for meat and dairy.
Some places have ordinances restricting livestock, so check with your local taxing authority; but don’t be afraid to get the ordinance changed and/or removed, a lot of that is going on now that the economy is so poor.

5. Cooking

Learning to cook is a skill that can save you a ton of money. Eating out of our fridge and pantry saves me and Betsy hundreds of dollars every month; and it allows us to eat a lot healthier because we control what goes into the food.

Read the article saving money on groceries so you can build a good, healthy home food store for less.

If you are unfamiliar with cooking altogether, go to the library and get a few cookbooks and/or ask a friend or family member to come teach you.

6. Food preservation

Whether or not you know how to garden is irrelevant; “putting food by” is a skill that pays whether you grew the food or not. If you know how to garden you can put your own harvest away. If you purchase your produce you can still preserve it and save your family a lot of money. Betsy and I do a combination of the two by growing a garden and belonging to a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program.

Buy a good canner. We paid $200 for the one we use and it is well worth the investment. Remember that you need skills and tools, and a good canner is a priceless tool.

7. Sewing and knitting

Awhile back I posted “Real men know how to knit” on my Facebook page, the response was pretty interesting. It’s true, real men DO know how to knit.

Whatever your gender, knitting, sewing, darning, and the like are all valuable skills. I taught myself how to darn socks (by watching YouTube videos). My Aunt Patti taught me and Betsy how to knit. My mother-in-law Janice taught me how to run the 42 year old sewing machine she gave us. I still need to make some family cloth with that thing – but that’s a topic for a different day! (Google “family cloth.”)

Knowing how to make, maintain, and repair your own clothing is a valuable skill to have, especially in a bad economy. The socks I darned would’ve ended up in the trash over a year ago, instead – thanks to my new skills – they’re still going strong.

Oh, and thanks to Aunt Patti we now knit all our own dishcloths, and knit extras to give away as gifts.

8. Lumberjacking

Don’t laugh, Betsy calls me a lumberjack all the time because I was raised in a home heated primarily with a wood stove. A continual chore every year was harvesting, hauling, sawing, chopping, and stacking wood. Growing up I rather loathed the process, but the older I get the more thankful I am for having the skill.

If you don’t live on land with a good wood source, watch Craigslist; there are always posts offering free wood if you’re willing to cut it and haul it away. You can’t beat free!

I’m very thankful my dad taught me how to lumberjack. When friends would try I was always amazed at how few of them were adept at splitting wood. I used to take the skill for granted, but not any longer.

9. Home repair

Grab the honey-do-list and get to work. If you don’t know how to do something, go to the library and read a book about it.

Call your uncle/friend/neighbor who is handy with a tool belt and offer him pizza and drinks if he comes over to help you with the project. You’ll learn along the way and build up a great set of skills that you could use to earn money on the side or simply save your family money by completing projects yourself.

10. Auto repair

I have always done most all my own peripheral car repairs (everything but engine and transmission work); it’s another skill I’m thankful my dad taught me. He always worked on his own vehicles and I was his flashlight guy who could never quite hold the light in the right place. Despite my lack of lighting skills, I always paid attention and was able to pick up on a lot of the automotive skills he had.

I’m no expert, but you don’t have to be an expert to try. Invest in a Haynes manual and try your hand at repairing your own vehicles whenever possible. If you get into a job and find it’s beyond your skills, take it to your mechanic; at least you tried.

Think and live outside the box

Become a Renaissance (Wo)Man (a.k.a. Polymath) – a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. It’s not popular in our culture, but the concept is on the rise and it’s no wonder – knowing how to do your own work in a bad economy saves a lot of money and makes you feel better about yourself. It makes plain sense.

Think of your grandparents – they knew how to do a lot of these things and more… so why don’t we? It’s a great question to ask yourself.

It’s high time we started living outside the box and teaching ourselves a diverse set of self-reliant, money saving skills.

What skills are you learning that are saving you money and increasing your ability to take care of yourself and family?

*******

Low Cost Ways To Stay Active and Fit

by //

“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.”  – Plato

Fitness can be had free

Stop thinking you need a gym membership to get and stay fit, that’s a copout.

  • if you have a pair of shoes, go for a walk
  • if you have running shoes, go for a run.
  • hiking shoes/boots, go for a hike
  • a bicycle, go for a ride.
  • a jump rope, get off the couch and start using it.

More fitness ideas that can be had for free are push-ups, sit-ups (crunches), pull-ups, calisthenics, running stairs, working in the yard, playing with your kids, jumping, dancing, swimming, and even making love.

Be creative and have fun

One of my biggest pet peeves is the approach that you need to pay membership fees and run a treadmill to stay fit. Phooey. Be creative and have fun with your exercise . . . I promise you’ll be more likely to stick to it.

Go to the park with your kids and throw a frisbee or a boomerang. Take your dog out for a run or a walk. Call your local high school and ask them if they have open gym or open swimming. Contact your library and other local resources to see if there are hiking/walking/swimming/running/whatever groups that get together every week to get fit.

Catch up on the outdoor honey-do-list, get your kids to help, and make it fun. Have competitions with friends and family to see who can do more jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups (or whatever activity you’re doing). A crowd pleaser is the hula hoop; grab one and see who in the family can keep it going the longest.

Long story short . . . think outside the box, be creative, and have fun with your fitness. You’ll save money and be more likely to persist.

Invest in your fitness

While fitness can be had for free, there are a few low cost, all-purpose purchases that can take you to the next level; think of them as investments in your health and well-being.

Here are a few inexpensive, high function items to invest in:

  • a good pair of cross-training shoes – they’re an economical choice that allow you to buy a single pair of athletic shoes for a variety of uses.
  • A kettlebell – will tone the entire body by building both strength and stability at the same time. Kettlebell workouts engage multiple muscle groups at once and are a great option for getting a whole body workout in a short time.
  • A jump rope – will help you loose weight, tone muscle, and increase cardiovascular fitness . . . all for a really low price – I bet you can’t go for 5 minutes.
  • A medicine ball – whether you throw it, catch it, run with it, or do sit-ups with it a medicine ball is a great all-purpose fitness investment that works your core and entire body.
  • A heavy bag – is a great way to work your entire body while relieving stress and having fun.
  • A rebounder – a good rebounder is a great investment; they tone and shape your entire body from the inside out and are great for indoor fitness during cold winters. I bought Betsy one of these a few years back and she still loves it.

Investing in these, and/or similar all-purpose fitness items will help you get in good shape and stay there so you can save money on things like health care.

Remember, your fitness is an investment.

Fitness promotes healthy eating

When you sit on the couch all day watching TV you’ll crave pizza and chips – trust me, I’ve been there.

But . . . if you get outside and do something active everyday you will crave healthier foods. Fitness and activity help your cravings bend toward healthier options. Your body will desire foods that give it the proper type of energy to keep doing more of what you’re doing. If you treat your body properly it will yearn for healthier food.

I dare you to try this and prove me wrong.

Save on healthcare

I mentioned this earlier but it deserves more attention.

As you work fun fitness activities into your everyday life you will begin eating better, feeling better, and looking better because you will be healthier. When you’re healthier you go to the doctor less. When you go to the doctor less you take less prescription drugs. When you take less drugs you avoid their side effects and save money.

I encourage you to budget more money toward healthy groceries and fitness, and less toward the doctor.

In closing

Start treating your physical fitness with creativity by doing what you enjoy and having fun with it. Include loved ones and don’t be afraid to invest in a couple all-purpose tools that break your waistline but not your budget.

Never forget that when it comes to fitness the gym is optional but the good health of you and your family are not!

*******