A Look Back at Being Frugal.net
Posted by Lynnae on December 31, 2007
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It’s the last day of 2007, and what a year it’s been! My husband and I began the year on a bad note. We were racking up the medical bills with the three times a week physical therapy Jim needed for the finger he broke on Thanksgiving day. My father-in-law had also passed away the month before, and we learned firsthand what it means to be an executor of an estate. It’s not easy, even with a small estate.
We received a portion of our small inheritance in January. We paid off about half our debt and bought a used car with cash. We would have loved to have paid off all our debts, but my husband’s car was on it’s last legs at over 200K miles. Yes, we do drive our cars into the ground!
We knew we would get the rest of the inheritance money in May, and we had every intention of paying off the rest of our debt. Unfortunately, in May my husband lost his management job and the income that went with it. Still, we were determined to pay off our debt, and I kicked off this blog as a journal to hold myself accountable. I never knew anyone other than my closest friends would read it. Boy was I wrong.
In July I had enough readers that I moved my blog off blogger and onto Typepad. I told the story of how I had gotten into debt. And I explained why I want to get out. I also reflected on what “being frugal” means to me.
As my husband struggled with a low paying, commission based sales job, I continued to try to cut back to pay off our debt. I brainstormed a list of ways to find snowflakes to add to our debt snowball. I explored buying our own health insurance (something that we still don’t have worked out).
It wasn’t all bad though. I had some fun shopping with my 4 year old son, who knew a little too much about beer for my taste, thanks to his NASCAR addiction. And I wrote one of my most popular posts, What Little House on the Prairie Taught Me About Debt. It’s amazing what you can learn from TV…both good and bad!
In August I joined the M-Network. It was a spur of the moment decision for me to apply, and I was honestly surprised when I was accepted. So far it’s been the best blogging move I’ve made. I’ve developed some good friendships with other PF bloggers, and I’ve learned much, much more than I ever could have going it alone.
At the end of August, my husband got a job in sales at a local radio station. We breathed a sigh of relief and thought we could relax a little about our finances. Most of his experience is in media sales, and we thought for sure this would be the perfect job for him. I also moved Being Frugal to it’s permanent home at beingfrugal.net at this time.
Still wanting to cut back on our expenses, so we could get our debt paid off, I made a pledge not to eat out at all during September. If we succeeded, it would be the first time in twelve years of marriage that we’d accomplished this feat.
Also in September I froze my credit cards for fun. I didn’t know if it would stop me from incurring debt, but I thought it was worth a try. I am amazed at how well the ploy worked. My cards are buried somewhere in the back of my freezer, and I haven’t been tempted to use them once. If you’re not ready to shred your cards yet, I highly recommend freezing them!
September ended up being a very successful month for us, as we achieved our goal of not eating out! I also successfully navigated Target, dealt with Murphy without breaking the bank, and my blog got linked by Mary Hunt, the author of Debt-Proof Living*!
It’s a good thing September was good, because October didn’t go so well. Sales were down at my husband’s new job, and I was discouraged. On October 17, the bottom dropped out, and I had to write a post announcing that my husband had lost his job. I have to say I was pretty down when I wrote that post, but my spirits were lifted the next day, when you all gave me so much encouragement. I still get teary-eyed thinking about it. Thank you.
We moved into November, not knowing where my husband’s career would go. He took a series of part-time jobs to tie us over, and the schedule has been brutal (he works all night). I occupied late nights alone by writing posts, such as Oprah, Hoarding, and Self Worth (my most searched for article), Of Pilgrims, Thankfulness, and a Worthy Goal (another one that made me cry), and How Blogging Changed Me.
As we entered December, I was optimistic again, even though my husband’s work situation hadn’t changed. I used Google Calendar to save some money. In a reflective moment, I also wrote Unemployment, Tithing, and God’s Provision, which is by far the most viewed article I have written. We also celebrated a beautiful Christmas….without using credit cards.
Yes, it’s been an eventful year. Some good. Some bad. Lots of in-between. Tomorrow I’ll take a look at what the future holds (and it looks like I might have a very good job update for my husband in the next few weeks). But before I move on to tomorrow, I want to take a moment to thank each of you. What began as a little personal journal about my attempt to get out of debt has become a venue for me to *meet* people with similar values and an outlet for my writing…something I never really knew I enjoyed until I was knee deep in blogging.
So thank you, all of my readers! I appreciate your comments, your emails, and your prayers. This blog wouldn’t be anything without you.
And thank you, my fellow M-Network (and M-Network annex) members! You have taught me so much, given me the courage to try new things, and I appreciate the friendships I have with each one of you.
Have a happy and safe time ringing in the new year tonight!
Photo by Cridders.
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I am not a financial expert. I'm just a wife and mom doing the best I can to live a frugal life and get out of debt. Like any human, I make mistakes. I write this blog out of my own experiences, and nothing I write should be taken as expert advice. If you need financial advice, please consult a professional.
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Happy New Year, Lynnae! Your blog has been very inspiring this year. I look forward to seeing your plans for the next.
Thank you so much for this blog. I hope things pick up for you in the New Year. I pray that I can have your outlook on life; when things go bad you keep going. I’m still at the point where I shut down. I guess I just have to keep reading, huh?
Happy New Year. This is a great year end wrap up post.
Keep up the good work. You’ve had a busy year.
I think the not eating out is going to be our focus, I’d like to attain that goal-going a month with no eating out. I’m not sure we’ve ever done it.
Happy New Year!!!!
Lynnae,
Thanks for sharing your blog with all of us! I’m so inspired by your willingness to share the good and the bad. It keeps it “real”. I’m praying for you and your family - may God bless you abundantly in the new year!
I enjoyed this year-end recap of the ups and downs of your year…thanks for the links so I could read those I missed and reread those that I especially liked. I imagine this will be a great future thing for your family to look back on, the good and bad of the year written down. Keep up the good work. I’m looking forward to the coming year, to see how the Lord blesses us all. (After all, the #8 in 2008 means “new beginnings”!)
You Rock Lynnae! You have wonderful blog and you are a very talented and sincere blogger. Now, if I can just catch up to your subscriber count…
Thanks everyone! It really has been a good year. I never realized how enjoyable blogging would be. Happy New Year!
A great write up for the year just past.
You are strong and sincere, it shows.
You will make it and with a lot to spare.
God Bless and have a great 2008!
Hi….I just wanted to thank you for your wonderful website….I have been in search for a good frugal website and I found You!!!! I look for your posts each day in my email. I enjoy all the feedbacks that you recive from other people who are in the same debt related probles that I’m in:)….Every time I think of reaching for any $$$$$, I bring up your page and just start to read…Sometimes I get so caught up in your bloggs and other fugal bloggers pages that I forget all about the $$$$. Every morning I start by reading your post with a renewed peace not to spend anything. I guess what Im trying to say that if you have not brought your debt life into the open, then most everyone that reads this might be in more debt:)…So THANK YOU so much for being YOU!!!!!!
Outstanding post.
What a wonderful summary of your first year of blogging. I know I found you through the Mary Hunt link. That is a fantastic compliment to you. Have a wonderful New Year! I look forward to continuing on with you.
You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep your chin up and hopefully we all will have a better year this year. Last year was so rough for everyone I know. My husband lost his job also. He now works for less than half of what he was making. It has been hard, but learning to be more frugal has helped in so many ways.
Wow! I didn’t realize your blog was still so new. That’s quite impressive to have so many readers in such a short period of time. Congratulations on all your success… and for greater success in 2008.
-Ryan