I have a generic monthly budget template in excel if you want me to send it.

We put our cards in a drawer. That way, we can use if needed but can't impulse buy. The problem for us is, since we move so often, there are a lot of moving-related expenses that really need to be bought *now*. It's interesting - we've been here 18 months with no move in sight and are making real progress on the debt.

I've never been so tempted to deliberately crash my car into another car as the first time I saw a yellow ribbon on a Hummer.

Oh, Susan, I've been not posting at all because every single post of yours is giving me vicious sympathy debt-related guilt and shame cramps. We're in a similar situation, for similar reasons (unemployment, check; freelance writing, check; then, just for shits and giggles, add in earlier-than-planned maternity leave and incredibly poor advice from HR regarding arrangements for leave -- whee! Wasn't that fun?), and my plans for what remains of today actually include calling Working-Assets-That-Was to apply for a card so we can dump our low balance but murderous interest cards (currently 27.99% because of two missed payments when it was literally a choice between food or the card). I'm hoping to God the WA person doesn't dissolve in a fit of giggles (or scream) when I call.

All I can say, based on our experience, is Go credit union, choose credit union, shun banks and their caraway-seed-sized hearts.

Ahrg, this is reminding me I need to shit or get off the pot with regards to some credit accounts I have open that "came with" my free checking & a CD. They ostensibly exist as overdraft protection, but I don't need that any longer. Bank switched companies and now they're nagging me to switch over. I think I'll just ignore them. Not sure what happens with the old accounts. Need to find out. Do they automatically close? Do I need to close them or just continue to shred the cards I get? I've never used them.

I have my new monitor. SO MUCH LESS HUGE. I have to return the other one to Best Buy tomorrow. Hopefully that won't be a hassle.

All I can say, based on our experience, is Go credit union, choose credit union, shun banks and their caraway-seed-sized hearts.

Dave Ramsey would definitely agree with this.

And I am so thankful that despite my mammoth debt, it is at least at a low, fixed rate.

I like some of the Dave Ramsey plan -- the $1,000 emergency fund, and the plan of paying off one debt totally and then snowballing it into other payments (the method -- whether by amount or by interest rate -- is up to the debtor; I like to pay off the highest interest rate first, because Bank of America really doesn't need more of my money).

re: White Elephant at work -- one year we did one, and everyone wanted the ugly metal tray with big-eyed cats painted on it. The #2 coveted item was a keychain of a human spine (contributed by yours truly).

With my stepdad's family, we do this card game that involves matching cards, and whoever wins that hand gets to take a gift from a pile of wrapped gifts, all of which are supposed to be $1-$3 ish. Think can o'nuts, 1 lb. Hershey bar (often on sale for $1 at CVS on Xmas Eve, thank you very much), and the unmatched favorite -- a scratch-off lottery ticket. The catch was that the first person to take the scratch-off wasn't allowed to, you know, scratch it. It had to remain a mystery until the end of the game.

Every year I end up with nuts and a pen. Both of which I like just fine, but I think I'm going to up the stakes this year with something nifty, and steal it back for myself.

No, I have no idea what the nifty thing might be. Fortunately, I have time to plan. (Step 3: Profit!)

I'm finally making progress on debt that's been kicking around since my senior year of college, because for the first time ever, I'm making enough money that I can pay cash for everything I want to buy, and still have money left at the end of the month.

Actually, the "everything I want to buy" bit ties into my current problem with Christmas gifts. My family wants to know what I want, and I don't need anything. But most things I have are pretty cheap. BUT, I would want to replace them with super-fancy, if money were no object. Like, I don't want a $10 notebook, I want $150 notebooks. I want $100 towels. And I'm not getting any of those!

So that's why I shop at Target.

He's also against all credit cards.

Although his website accepts them as payment. Embrace the debt-free irony!

Don't get me wrong; I like a lot of what Dave Ramsey says, and I'm trying to decrease my debt with vigor these days (despite my overwhelming lust for a shiny new Macbook with Leopard, yum yum yum). But a good dose of irony always needs to be pointed out, IMO.

I want $100 towels.

What if you get something irrevocably icky on them? I inevitably cut my leg shaving and don't know it until I see the blood on the towel. If I bled on a $100 towel, I might be bound by law to kill myself.