I am very happy for your financial success, but I laughed out loud when I read about your “large” credit card bill. I am currently looking at 60K in cc bills (divorce, bad investments, impulse buys). And this is the 3rd time I’ve been in bad debt (never this tight, though). So, it was a bittersweet laugh, but still, I’m encouraged for and by you. Keep up the good work!

~Noelle

Aside from finding personal finance pretty fun & loving how innovative it makes me at saving & earning $, I most enjoy the effects of practicing personal finance. Namely, I love the financial security that has come with having: started my 401(k), Roth, and investment portfolios; saving an emergency fund to live on during my career-hunt; and finally(!) being able to quit my job by July 4th to start my career-hunt!

The best part is that my house is rented out for enough to pay for the mortgage and cashflow about $90 per month. I hope to come home with over $50k in the bank. Once I realized how much my debt was destroying my life, I took it very seriously. Thinking about a new financial start when I get back brings me great happiness. Almost enough to make me forget I’m in Iraq! :)

– John D. Rockefeller

I get them, too. It’s far from the only thing that gives me pleasure, but it’s one of them.

We went through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (I see some of the course advice echoed in the comments here) for the first time three years ago. Then, two years ago, we led another group through it.

For us, the BEST moment was looking across the table at each other and realizing that for the first time in 4 years of marriage (8 years of relationship), we were actually IN AGREEMENT about what to do with our money. We knew where we where headed, financially speaking, and we were doing it TOGETHER.

I truly believe that it saved our marriage.

Three years later, we’ve paid off all credit cards ($8500), paid cash for a car ($5000), purchased our first home with a good down payment, and paid off several other, smaller bills, and are headed in the right direction in several other areas!

I,too, was once trapped in the debt game, and since then have struggled to dig myself out. Once you’re in control, it’s not only an amazing feeling, but a unique one. You begin to think about the interests of yourself and your family more so than Visa or Mastercard.

I hope you tell more stories because I consider these types of posts to be your “evergeen” entries.

– Herbert Hoover

We are now in the process of selling our house to move on to a better (i.e., higher paying) job in a new community and have peace that we don’t have to make “x” amount to cover the costs of selling our current house – we just want to get a fair deal on it. We also know we can wait until the right deal comes along in our new location for a new house. I think being frugal teaches you patience and makes you wiser, in some odd way. Brian said it best in that, “having a spending and savings plan provides freedom rather than restriction (counter-intuitive until you live it).” I’ll second that!!

But I think it was being able to say to my 16 yo daughter–yes you can take that dream trip to mexico with your class! Sure we slowed down our repayment plan, but she’s going on cash only! 2 years ago, that would not have been possible.

I look forward to so many more times of being able to give the kids something without being enslaved because of it. That, to me, is priceless and makes it all worth the effort.

FT

But here there are many place designed for “Laowai”, the rich “foreigners”. I don’t want to waste my money only because I am italian:

1) When buying some stuff on the market I make always tought bargaining, it is a real joy to take a 50 to 80% of discount.

2) When we go out for eating we like to go to The Cheap Italian Restaurant, as we call it. Sezeriya is its name, it’s a chain and offer pretty good disches (but pizza not too good) at low price. Like: Spaghetti for 15kuai = 1,5Euros..

3) When we go clubbing prices are very high, so we drink before and when at the place we buy beer at the market outside! 1 liter inside = 4€, 1 liter 10mt outside = 4cents…

When things are cheap it’s more important to pay attention because the risk is to spend all the money without realizing it!