At the end of May, I’m closer to paying off the WF Line of Credit. This month I was able to get away and travel to Florida. My wife had a continuing education opportunity related to work. We stayed at a nice hotel located in Gulf Breeze that connected directly to the beach. It was during this time that we were able to eat at the local restaurants, and my wife enjoyed the saltwater. It’s moments like these that we need to take time away from work and our debt repayment plans to relax and enjoy life. Personally, it’s hard for me to decompress from work and I must force myself to relax. Despite how hard it is for me, your body needs to relax, and I encourage you to find moments, and schedule time to relax for your health. You can have all the wealth in the world, but if you don’t have your health then you can’t truly enjoy life.
Next month, I should be able to pay off the line of credit in full, and I’ve adjusted my budget to forecast what my income should be by the end of the year. It’s important to stay dedicated to your plan and diligently work it one step at a time.
If you want to learn more about how I’m increasing my income while reducing debt, or if you need a financial check-up, contact me.
If you want to learn more about the self-lending principle by contacting me
This month’s video is WHY MOTIVATION ISN’T WORKING FOR YOU *watch to the end* from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.
“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.” Deuteronomy 28:12 NLT
At the end of April, I’m truly amazed at what can happen in just a month. While having dinner at a Mexican restaurant one night, my sweet wife and I came into agreement about taking a bold and risky move. I made a withdrawal from savings to pay to zero the SVF line of credit. Although this line is my debt, it was on my wife’s credit, and I didn’t want it to impact her credit anymore. The plan is to not just replenish the line of credit to what it was, but to charge myself a high enough interest that will not only put the self lending principle to practical use, but recover the interest that would be in the savings account even if it hadn’t been removed from the account. The way you can achieve this goal is by charging yourself an interest at least 5 times or more high than the current interest rate of your savings account. For example, the current interest rate in one of my savings accounts is 2.25% annual percentage yield, so I’m charging myself 15% (6.67 times) and calculated payments based off a 12 month term so I have a minimum payment that is manageable, and if necessary I can stretch the term by 24 months for more cash flow. Your maximum term when using the self-lending principle is 24 months. Anything longer than two years lowers your commitment to finishing what you start.
Paying off this line of credit was also necessary, because we needed to get a new car. Our cars were over ten years old, and we had maximized the usage out of each car. We know how to take care of our cars, and I noticed that more and more money was being poured into her car. It’s in a situation like this one, that I think it’s a good time to look for a new car. We decided to get an SUV, because this type of car would be good for the day we begin to have a family for the sake of transporting children, groceries, and other necessities. Thankfully my, father-in-law was able to find a fantastic deal on a 2018 Ford Escape. Personally, I didn’t want that kind of vehicle, but the car had less than 1000 miles on it because it was used by the dealer only. It was a mid-level SUV, but it had extra amenities on it that added to its overall value. I liked that the vehicle had Bluetooth capability for hands free driving, it had the necessary storage space for groceries, and it had overall better gas mileage than my car and her car. However the most important point is that we were able to get the car at half its MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price), and have purchased on a 5 year loan at an interest rate less than 5% for a monthly payment of less than $300.00 This flexible term and payment will give us the ability to consider home ownership and at the same time not hurt our budget. Our overall net income or disposable income is still high enough that we can still stay on track on paying off our existing debt. Once my debit is paid off, I can easily switch gears to go after this car loan.
When you are considering a major purchase such as a vehicle or home ownership, you need to look at it from as many different levels as possible. Not just the personal intangible features, but just as important, the financial impact it has on your budget. For me a major purchase is anything that I can’t pay cash for and or it’s $5,000+. In my opinion, some don’t have $5,000 in liquidity easily available to make a purchase. When making a major purchase that may involve getting a loan, ask yourself: Can you truly afford it? Keep in mind that having a good credit score will help you get a loan at an interest rate that will be more in line with your budget. If you have poor credit history, then you could end up paying more in interest over time. Knowing your bottom line is critical and having a peace about your decision will prevent buyer’s remorse.
If you want to learn more about how I’m increasing my income while reducing debt, or if you want to have someone to discuss your debt reduction strategy with, or if you need me to check your financial pulse then, contact me.
Also, learn more about how I use the self-lending principle through contacting me
This month’s video is Kevin Hart FIGURING IT ALL OUT (This will change the way you think!) from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.
“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.”
At the end of March, I’ve come one step closer to being consumer debt free. More importantly, I had a discussion with someone I care about. This person had been a pillar in my life growing up, and a life event changed how I saw him. Unfortunately, even after intervening with him, I found that he hadn’t changed, and I’m wrestling with what do next. It’s in moments like these that I put my trust in God, my wife, my parents, and my close friends. I’m very thankful for what this year has brought despite the challenges.
If you notice, the current balance on my WF line of credit increased by $20 from $4,650 to $4,670 from the remaining balance of last month versus the current balance of March. This increase is due to the annual fee. Most of your personal lines of credit that you may have with a bank or credit union will charge you an annual fee. Honestly, it’s the price you pay for having a line of credit that charges less interest than your credit cards.
This month, I saw my credit score with Transunion increase. This increase is due to the installment loan, the increasing availability of my revolving line of credit debt, my on-time payment history, and the age of my credit. There are three different type of debt that are recorded by the three credit bureaus, and those are revolving, installment, and mortgage. There are different factors that can affect your credit score. An installment and mortgage loan can increase your credit score, especially if the loans are paid with principal and interest payments. If you have a mortgage loan, then make sure you pay it, because having 30+ late payment can adversely affect your credit score. I’m very thankful to what I’ve been able to build up in my personal savings. I believe you should aim to have three months’ worth of income saved up.
If you want to learn more about how I’m increasing my income while reducing debt, or if you want to have someone to discuss your debt reduction strategy with, or if you need me to check your financial pulse then, contact me.
Also, learn more about how I use the self-lending principle through contacting me
This month’s video is Secrets From a LIFEHACKER | This Is What They Don’t Want Us To Learn (very illuminating!) from the Video Advice YouTube channel.
“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.” Deuteronomy 28:12 NLT http://bible.com/116/deu.28.12.nlt
At the end of February, all my credit cards have been paid to zero. After discussion with my wife, and explaining the benefits of the installment loan, I got a $9,000 installment loan, and used $1,840 which is a combination of my normal debt reduction payments plus an extra amount to pay all my credit cards to zero. This moment is the 1st since my early 20’s that I’ve been able to pay my credit card debt to zero. I thank God for this moment, and even shared the zero balances with my wife in celebration.
In previous blog posts, I’ve talked about the benefits of using an installment loan to consolidate debt. My wife understandably had her reservations with me getting into more debt, so let me clarify the specific conditions in which using an installment loan for debt consolidation is ideal in my opinion.
Your interest rate is going to be lower than the rate you are paying on your credit cards
You can have control of the term of the loan (36 months, 48 months, or 60 months)
This control is important, because the longer the term the lower your payment will be.
There is no origination fee, or it is financed into the loan.
If there is an origination fee, it will affect your monthly payment amount
Make sure your payment amount will be the same or lower than what you’re currently paying and when it will be to fit in your budget
In my situation there was no origination fee, the payment would be less than what I normally pay on my debt around the 15th of month, and I had enough credit card debt paid down that this would fit with my debt free plan and even accelerate it. I would recommend that you not take out multiple installment consolidate credit card debt if you don’t have the discipline to not use your credit cards and know how the installment loan payment will affect your monthly cash flow. Remember that with installment loans the payments are fixed, however installment loans may improve your credit score, because they have a different weight on to the credit bureaus vs. (credit card) open/revolving credit. Based on this re-structure, I should be able to pay off the lines of credit by the end of this year, and hopefully pay off the installment loan by next year.
If you want to learn more about how I’m increasing my income while reducing debt, or if you want to have someone to discuss your debt reduction strategy with, or if you need a financial check-up, contact me.
Also, learn more about how I use the self-lending principle through contacting me
This month’s video is The Greatest Motivational Video for Success & Gym – VALOR – 35 Minute Motivation Speeches from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.
“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.”
At the end of January, I found the year starting off to be a year of great joy and transition. My wife and I are believing to have a baby and bringing a new life into this world requires the ability to make transitions. This year has already seen changes even in my workplace. We’ve hired on three new people within my area, and I think these additions will help in our long-term growth and sustainability. This month was filled with having to manage time and tasks and assist in training the new hires. If you haven’t had the opportunity to be in some type of mentor role then I suggest you try it. Personally, being a mentor seems to add something to my life. I believe we were born to be in relationship, to discover our purpose, and make a difference.
I didn’t expect to receive a bonus this year. Honestly, our year didn’t end as strong as I had hoped, so I was extremely thankful and surprised when I did receive one. It exceeded my expectations, and with the bonus I was able to achieve a level in savings that I have never had before. Last year I made decisions to consolidate my finances, debt repayment strategy, and focus solely on just paying down debt. I chose to simplify my process, communicate more with my wife, and truly began to steward my money better. The result is having more than I’ve ever had in savings, eliminating over $19 thousand dollars in debt, and in general a more controlled management of my finances. Despite these achievements, there were still financial challenges this month. We had to replace a fuel pump and had other expenditures. Unlike previous events, we know we have options on how to handle expenses as they come up. The truth is in life you will always have an unexpected event that will cost you. That’s life. Your best response is to take deep breath, have faith, consider your options, and choose the best path. At my current pace, my goal this year is to pay off all the remaining credit card debt, and next year focus on paying off the lines of credit. I still have one credit card that I use and pay off monthly. I use my credit card vs. my debit card because I have the discipline to pay it off monthly. I like to collect the rewards from the credit card and it protects my bank account from ever being compromised if the card’s information ever got compromised.
If you want to learn more about how I’m increasing my income while reducing debt, or if you want to have someone to discuss your debt reduction strategy with, or if you need a financial check-up, contact me.
Also, learn more about how I use the self-lending principle through Mustard Seed in the mustard seed section.
This month’s video is MONK MENTALITY – Jay Shetty – One Of The Best Speeches EVER | MOST INSPIRING! from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.
“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.”
2018 is ending, and I’m glad this year is over with. This year has been a Year of Restoration. There’s been restoration in my finances and even more importantly restoration in my marriage. Restoration isn’t an easy process. When you think about a car being restored, there’s a lot of sweat, hard work, and physical reconstruction that can happen. Our Jack Russell Terrier, Sasha, had surgery to have two tumors removed and now she’s cancer free! There were quite a few challenges especially toward the end of the year, which increased the level of stress in our lives, but in those moments our faith increased too. When you find yourself in stressful and difficult moments, make sure to surround yourself with people who genuinely want to lift you up even if it’s emotionally. Throughout the year, and at the start of the blog, I haven’t fully disclosed all my consumer/credit card debt. I didn’t give full disclosure because I didn’t want to share how large the number was, and at the same time I didn’t want to discourage anyone from taking the steps to become debt free. Going forward I will disclose all my credit card and lines of credit debt for the purpose of being honest. I do have $25,067.91 in student loan debt, but my path to becoming debt free involves becoming debt free of credit card and lines of credit debt. My student loan is on a set income driven repayment plan and will be paid off by 2034 at a fixed rate of 3.125%. 2019 will be a year of great joy and you’ll see the remaining debt I have left to pay as I step closer to being debt free.
To encourage you, I started this year at $43,824.60 in credit card, revolving line of credit, and term debt combined. As of now, I’ve paid it down by $19,624.60 to $24,200.00. I was able to reduce my debt by this much by selling what I didn’t need to pay down portions of debt, consolidating multiple cash accounts, and using portions of my tax refund and bonus toward debt. I also completely focused on reducing a balance. Since the first blog post you’ll notice I don’t share the interest rate on the debt. The reason is because I want you to explore the two different debt reduction methods: the debt avalanche method and the debt snowball method. Personally, both methods work, and I’ve focused on debt based on how it makes me feel. I’ll also add that in addition to how I feel, I discuss with my wife my reason for switching to pay one debt with a lower interest versus a debt with a higher interest rate. In those scenarios, it’s because the balance is low enough that I can eliminate the debt within a shorter time frame. The second reason I don’t share the interest rate is because your debt reduction strategy is YOUR debt reduction strategy. You personally own it, must be responsible for it and most importantly be committed to following it day after day and month after month. My debt reduced when I finally committed to reducing it.
Your journey is different than mine, but we can take one step at a time together.
If you want to learn more about how I’m increasing my income while reducing debt, or if you want to have someone to discuss your debt reduction strategy with, or if you need a financial check-up, contact me.
Also, learn more about how I use the self-lending principle through Mustard Seed in the mustard seed section.
This month’s video is When You Are About To Give Up WATCH THIS! – Motivational Video Speeches 2019 from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.
“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.”
I have so much to be thankful for this year. Out of all the things I’m thankful for, I’m thankful for my wife, our home, and both sides of our family. Looking back on how this year started, I didn’t know I’d be at this place. Thank God for my loving family and my close friend Joe. This month I applied more toward the Capital One card, and next month I decided to take a rest from aggressive debt reduction. I may or may not take a break next year. This year I want to be able to have money to use towards Christmas and have a little extra money in my checking account to remind me of the time before I was in debt. It’s important to be able to rest, reflect, and appreciate how far you’ve come.
Last month one of my Barclay’s credit cards was bought by Mercury, and so my balance was transferred to a Mercury Credit Card. I had to create a new username and password and re-adjust the information in my budget. With that transfer, and my excellent payment history, my credit limit was increased. A credit card company will increase your limit in order to tempt you to start using the card. A credit card company must send you a notice if any type of information is being changed. When information is changing, I look for two things: an annual fee, and my new interest rate. Even with my credit limit increase, I’m continuing to pay this balance, and not adding anymore new debt. One of the mistakes I made while reducing my debt again was looking for balance transfer offers, and loans to consolidate credit card debt. I think you should use a balance transfer or consolidation loan only if you have the self-discipline to not add balances back on the cards you pay to zero. Even if that means you must cut up the cards, store them away, or give them to someone you trust, stay focused on becoming debt free. I made the mistake of doing a balance transfer and not committing to bringing the balance to zero before the promotional rate ended. I had consolidation loans but would also re-use the cards. Having a consolidation loan and using the cards again reduced my cash flow (cash I had to live on after expenses are paid) and increased my debt to income (a ratio that for creditors can play a factor in granting increases in credit or new credit). Only use a balance transfer option if you have ability to pay the balance off before the promotional rate ends, and if you can commit to your debt reduction strategy.
This year is different. Often people will say it’ll be different this time, and then end up doing the opposite. Why is this year different? For me it’s because of small consistent steps, and emotional support that’s really helping me succeed. For me it’s about faith, a mission and a vision. Your journey to a debt free me is different than mine, but if I’m getting closer to being there, then take one more step with me. You can do it.
If you want to learn more about how I’m increasing my income while reducing debt, or if you want to have someone to discuss your debt reduction strategy with, or if you need a financial check-up, contact me.
Also, learn more about how I use the self-lending principle through Mustard Seed in the mustard seed section.
This month’s video is The BEST ADVICE you’ll Ever Hear! Will Smith from the Video Advice YouTube channel.
“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.”
