Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

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Jersey Girl
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by Jersey Girl »

ceeboo wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:30 pm
If you ask me what my biggest accomplishment/challenge/struggle/striving has been in my life, I would have to say it was keeping a child alive when they didn't want to live. That that person is alive and living before me now, is a complete miracle and one of my greatest blessings.
Other than saying thank you for sharing this, I really don't know what else to write - So I won't even try.
If I were to list the circumstances of my whole life on this board, no one would believe it all happened to one person. Sometimes I can hardly believe it myself. I've written about parts of it over the years, but not everything. All I can tell you is that I know what crawling through living hell on your hands and knees feels like and that I am blessed beyond my ability to comprehend it.

God is real. Write that down.
We only get stronger when we are lifting something that is heavier than what we are used to. ~ KF

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Lem
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by Lem »

Jersey Girl wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 5:41 pm
... If you ask me what my biggest accomplishment/challenge/struggle/striving has been in my life, I would have to say it was keeping a child alive when they didn't want to live. That that person is alive and living before me now, is a complete miracle and one of my greatest blessings.
A miracle you made happen. Bless you for that. I don't think it is noted enough that experiences like this are what move the next generation along.
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Jersey Girl
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by Jersey Girl »

ceeboo wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:30 pm
Thanks to all for the posts!


Hey Jersey Girl
Jersey Girl wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 5:41 pm
I've probably written too much. Sorry.
Actually, I wish you would have written more. (I enjoyed all of it - Thanks!)
Ha! No you don't! We started out with our clothes, an album collection (still have it), wedding presents, and a stereo. Threw it all in the back of the VW with the wedding dress (still have it) when we left Jersey for the military. Rented a furnished apartment. Bought a television, tv stand, and a lamp. And that (and a second vehicle we already had) is all we owned for the first four years. I did buy a bike (still have it). We didn't even have a phone all that time. Used a pay phone and when overseas we called home at a Mars station in the wee hours. We had no earthly idea what we were doing. We just knew we valued our independence as meager as it was back then and were scared crapless of going broke...so we didn't. :lol:

I'm telling you what, seeing that house that I drew on the sketch pad actually being built in front of my eyes was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I used to come out here by myself and sit out front on the ground and just stare at it and cry. I'm sitting in it right now and I still can't believe it some days.
We only get stronger when we are lifting something that is heavier than what we are used to. ~ KF

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Jersey Girl
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by Jersey Girl »

Lem wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:16 pm
Jersey Girl wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 5:41 pm
... If you ask me what my biggest accomplishment/challenge/struggle/striving has been in my life, I would have to say it was keeping a child alive when they didn't want to live. That that person is alive and living before me now, is a complete miracle and one of my greatest blessings.
A miracle you made happen. Bless you for that. I don't think it is noted enough that experiences like this are what move the next generation along.
One year, that same child made a Facebook post for Mother's Day with my photo and said "This woman. She has never once let me down." That's what I want my kids to remember about me. That I was there when I was needed most.
We only get stronger when we are lifting something that is heavier than what we are used to. ~ KF

Slava Ukraini!
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canpakes
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by canpakes »

Jersey Girl wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:37 pm
... If you ask me what my biggest accomplishment/challenge/struggle/striving has been in my life, I would have to say it was keeping a child alive when they didn't want to live. That that person is alive and living before me now, is a complete miracle and one of my greatest blessings.

One year, that same child made a Facebook post for Mother's Day with my photo and said "This woman. She has never once let me down." That's what I want my kids to remember about me. That I was there when I was needed most.

Jersey Girl, that’s an amazing story.

The world can certainly use more folks willing to be that same kind of person, to another.
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ceeboo
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by ceeboo »

Jersey Girl wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:30 pm
an album collection (still have it)

the wedding dress (still have it)

I did buy a bike (still have it).
That's awesome!
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Physics Guy
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by Physics Guy »

ceeboo wrote:
Mon Sep 20, 2021 12:51 pm
I would love to loose about 30 pounds as well (I'm 53 years old, 6 foot 1 and weighed 228 at my last doctors appointment) - I'm hoping I can get this done with relatively small changes (changing some diet things and doing some light cardio - maybe starting with walking - So we shall see what happens. One of my worries, because I have heard people say this but I'm not sure how true it is, is that the older we get, the harder it is to loose weight, specifically fat.
Yeah, I certainly don't know enough to say that my way is the only way to do this. I just want to give the good news that it is definitely possible to lose significant amounts of weight even well into middle age. Fasting two days a week is hard in the sense that it's uncomfortable but it's easy in the sense that you don't need to do much, so if overhauling your whole lifestyle just seems like too big a change to make in a short time, but you don't want the job to take years, then there is a way to Just Do It that works and is safe. If other approaches don't work there's a reliable Plan B.

It will still take at least the better part of one year, maybe longer. So that much patience you have to have anyway.

Once you do get some weight off, by whatever method, there's a nice domino effect on exercise: a lot of kinds of exercise become a lot more tolerable if you're lighter on your feet. Every four-and-a-half extra pounds is like having a full two-liter Coke bottle strapped to your body. Running around with several of those is a pain. I think this is what people mean by saying that losing weight gives you more energy. I don't think it's metabolic magic. I think it's mainly just that you're physically lighter.
I was a teenager before it was cool.
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Some Schmo
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by Some Schmo »

I really enjoyed your story, ceeboo. And let me tell you something: $58,000 is a lot of money if it's debt.

We actually have a lot in common. I also grew up lower middle class (poor might be more accurate, although my dad made good money. He just had way too many kids for his income). One of the common narratives in our home centered on my dad's debt. For some reason, his debt came up a lot, and we moved several times because of it (selling our house and downsizing so he could pay off some loans).

As a result, I kind of had it drilled into me that debt is bad. It's one of those axiomatic (to me) type thoughts that I never questioned much. I didn't even want the "good" debt, for things like college or a mortgage. The first credit card I ever had was a corporate card. Eventually, I got over the extreme debt avoidance and went to college, bought a car and a house. Still, I've never in my life carried a credit card balance (except on accident). I paid off my student loan and both cars early, and last month, we bought our current house with cash (we bought our last SUV with cash as well). We're living through our first month being entirely debt free, and I feel like I've finally reached my lifelong financial goal of owning no money to anyone and not having to rent. All we have is our monthly expenses. We save something like 25% of my earnings, and I think I will be able to retire in about five years (once we do everything to this house we want to do - mostly building a new garage and a brick tile patio with a gazebo and a fire pit). My wife is already retired.

I am proud and impressed with myself about this stuff, but to be honest, I find your story much more impressive, because you had to make some major life changes to get where you are. Congratulations, man. That really is commendable.
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ceeboo
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by ceeboo »

Hey PG
Physics Guy wrote:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:03 pm
It will still take at least the better part of one year, maybe longer. So that much patience you have to have anyway.
While you most certainly may be right, I sure as hell hope not. :lol: I was kind of thinking about 3 months or so (to loose the 30 I want to loose) but maybe I'm all wet. We shall see.
Once you do get some weight off, by whatever method, there's a nice domino effect on exercise: a lot of kinds of exercise become a lot more tolerable if you're lighter on your feet. Every four-and-a-half extra pounds is like having a full two-liter Coke bottle strapped to your body. Running around with several of those is a pain. I think this is what people mean by saying that losing weight gives you more energy. I don't think it's metabolic magic. I think it's mainly just that you're physically lighter.
Makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing.
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ceeboo
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Re: Personal Debt/Goals/Accomplishments

Post by ceeboo »

Some Schmo wrote:
Tue Sep 21, 2021 1:52 pm
I really enjoyed your story, ceeboo. And let me tell you something: $58,000 is a lot of money if it's debt.
Well, like I mentioned in the OP, to some folks 58k in debt probably isn't all that much money - But I can assure you that 58k was A LOT of money to my wife and I when we took a good look at this debt burden we were living under. A lot.
We actually have a lot in common. I also grew up lower middle class (poor might be more accurate, although my dad made good money. He just had way too many kids for his income).
Yeah, I sad I grew up lower middle class but I think poor was so close at times that we could smell it.
I paid off my student loan and both cars early, and last month, we bought our current house with cash
That's awesome, Schmo. Congrats man! :)
We're living through our first month being entirely debt free, and I feel like I've finally reached my lifelong financial goal of owning no money to anyone and not having to rent.
That must be such a free feeling. Good for you and yours.
I am proud and impressed with myself about this stuff
In my opinion, you absolutely should be proud and impressed with yourself. Full stop. And, a great example to your kids, in my opinion. (if you have any)
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