On Going “Debt Gangsta”

I’m not a Mets fan, but I do remember Jerry Manuel saying the following after Jose Reyes threw a fit:
“I told him the next time he does that, I’m going to get my blade out and cut him, right on the field.  Hey, I’m a gangsta now.  You go gangsta on me, I’m gonna have [...]

Posted Under: Debt Elimination, Debt Gangsta
This post was written by broke on February 5, 2009 Comments (0)

Financial Goals for 2009: To Thy Own Budget Be True (Goal #5)

Sure, I’ve talked about making a budget.  Well, after having a month’s worth of data, I think I have a better idea of what my budget entails.  My latest goal for 2009 is to Budget, Budget, Budget!!!!  I am still trying to figure out whether I’ll use the cash envelopes system or just use Excel [...]

Posted Under: Budget, Debt Elimination, Expense Tracking, Financial Goals 2009, Personal Finance Software
This post was written by broke on February 4, 2009 Comments (0)

Weekend Edition: Debt Fatigue Syndrome (DFS)

Sure, there may be no actual disease called Debt Fatigue Syndrome or DFS, but I suffer from it.  One of the main symptoms of DFS is when you hover your own finances, check and recheck them, not because you are being diligent, but because you are scared.  DFS is constantly updating Quicken only to get [...]

Posted Under: Debt Elimination, Weekend Edition
This post was written by broke on January 24, 2009 Comments (0)

The Citi Card Dilemma (and Why You Should Always Wait 10 Minutes)

This morning, I almost shot out of the chair in my office.  I looked at my Citi statement and saw a whopping 24.99% APR.  WHAT?!?!?!??!  Of course, this a stupid move on my part and a very expensive mistake to the tune of almost $200.  I remember that they sent letters in November notifying me [...]

Posted Under: Credit Cards, Debt Elimination
This post was written by broke on January 23, 2009 Comments (1)

Oh Vice, Thy Name is Retail (and How to Beat it)

One of the primary goals of this website is to reduce spending money, but that does not mean that I am going to transition into the lifestyle of a monk.  First, I’m not sure how my wife would appreciate me joining a friary (is that the right word?) and second, I don’t want to burn [...]

Posted Under: Beating the Vices, Deal Sites, Debt Elimination
This post was written by broke on January 21, 2009 Comments (0)

Weekend Edition: Credit Card Payments (Update - 1.19.2009)

At the end of last year, I was fortunate enough to receive a bonus from my employer.  I decided to take a portion of the bonus and put it away in an emergency fund.  With the other portion of the bonus, I decided to pay off several credit cards with low or manageable balances (think [...]

Posted Under: Credit Cards, Debt Elimination, Financial Position
This post was written by broke on January 18, 2009 Comments (0)

Should I invoke the debt snowball?

One thing that everyone takes away from Dave Ramsey is the debt snowball.  The only question I have about that is, wouldn’t you be better off paying off the high interest credit cards first?  I know that there is some psychological benefit to be gained from getting certain things out of the way, but if [...]

Posted Under: Debt Elimination, Net Worth
This post was written by broke on January 16, 2009 Comments (0)