Fun Tix Budgeting begins.
The term "fun tickets" actually came from a very wonderful woman who used to do my nails in Boise, Brenda Thompson. She called the cash (vs check or credit card) payments she earned her fun tickets. Money to do with what she pleased. As soon as I started budgeting (back in 2001) I called our "leftovers" fun tickets for Travis and I to share.
In 2001, Travis and I wanted to buy our first house. We needed to get our credit rating up so we could qualify and so was born life on a budget. My sister, Nicole, sat us down with a plan (which I'll be sharing with you over the course of this blog series) and we built our first home in 2003. We were debt free except our vehicles and the house.
Fast forward to 2006 when we moved to Montana. Again we were debt free except the house. Then my paid off car was totaled. And we needed landscaping (mainly a fence to keep our wonderful dogs in and the wild critters out) and we needed air conditioning (TRUST me...I tried one season without it and nearly murdered my wonderful husband - who didn't care if we had it or not). And...and...and.
Then came the DINK mentality. You know. Double income, no kids. We worked hard and played hard. We have not had a late payment since 2001 when we started managing our finances...we could afford our debt. And we could afford what we wanted, when we wanted it.
AND THEN. The great layoff of 2011. I also stopped our budgeting plan because we got comfortable. Even when I was laid off, we didn't change our spending habits.
AND THEN (see a pattern of my "excuses"?). The great "follow my bliss" of 2012. Travis is doing an amazing job at building his taxidermy business, "Alive Creations" and his guiding business. But these things take time.
AND NOW IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS. No more excuses.
Love & Abundance & Prayers, Laura
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