Dreams and debt

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-09-2009
Dreams and debt
11
Wed, 02-10-2010 - 11:38am
Anyone feel like you are putting your dreams on old to payoff your debt?? I am working my tale off right now paying down debt. I am sacrificing time that I could be spending with friends, persueing a hobby so I can work and chip away at the iceburg. I love to make jewelry and I am trying to set soem aside so I can make my own and sell it, but at the same time there is no guarantee with the income that will come in. I know I am so blessed to have two jobs right now, but thankful to have teh ability to do it and move on with life hopefully soon!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2008
Wed, 02-10-2010 - 12:22pm

It is definitely postponing my dreams.

I want a new house. It will be another 2.5 years until we can even start saving for one. I am hoping it will be worth it and I will be less stressed at that point. It will be nice to be out of debt other than a mortgage. At least 2.5 years is the fast track, it could be 4 years so I need to count my blessings as well. BF and I both have decent jobs and BF just got a little raise. We have no credit card debt just student loans at a pretty good rate.

Who knows what will happen. I'm just hoping for the best.


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-12-2010
Wed, 02-10-2010 - 1:55pm

Maybe...but relatively speaking, my biggest dream right now is to not have to worry about money anymore, and then get off some medication...I am currently medicated beyond belief for panic attacks & depression. I've struggled with depression for many years but never had a panic attack in my life until last August when the floor fell out from under our feet (is that the correct saying?).

It's really hard for my DH though. He's 41 & has been a Montreal fan (hockey) since he was old enough to walk. We went there for the first time last summer...and he had big dreams of going back out there this winter, just him & I, to see some games & experience the city sans 5 children. Not being able to do that, not having the attitude that we can just charge it & worry later, is really tough on him. I don't think he really grasped the whole debt repayment concept until I pointed out how much that $1800 trip to Montreal would pay for in real life.

What I feel like I'm giving up on is quality time with my kids. I see, on a daily basis, the effect having a dayhome has on my children. It's good for them in many ways, but there are often days that I feel so bad that they never get one-on-one mommy time.

Melissa
~ Mom to 5 ~
~ Melissa ~ ‎"We need to find the courage to say NO to the things and people that are not serving us, if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity." - Barbara de Angelis
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-1998
Wed, 02-10-2010 - 2:40pm
I suppose we are putting some dreams on hold, but one of the dreams is to be debt free. So at the moment we just do our dreams in smaller bits as they can be paid for. Like the renos on the house, it seems as we have been in a state of perpetual renovation for the last 5 years. It will get done, just not as fast as if we didn't have so much debt. Holidays are taken, they are just shorter and closer to home. We have a houseboat so we use that on a regular basis, plan to use it for a couple of long weekends this year.


iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
Wed, 02-10-2010 - 2:50pm

I get tired sometimes, but that is life!




iVillage Member
Registered: 01-12-2010
Wed, 02-10-2010 - 3:00pm

"Kids, can be a PITA, and I am so glad I only have two as you can't get rid of them as fast as debt."

OH LMAO Marie, thanks, I needed that laugh!

Melissa
~ Mom to 5 ~
~ Melissa ~ ‎"We need to find the courage to say NO to the things and people that are not serving us, if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity." - Barbara de Angelis
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2010
Wed, 02-10-2010 - 5:48pm

without repaying our debt NOW we will never be able to accomplish the big dreams that we have. the faster we tackle this obstacle the faster we get to accomplish our dreams. it's not that they are on hold, it's that this is the first step in the process to attaining our dreams. this is my dream in action, no more wishful thinking for me.

we put the small wants on hold. our baby will not remember the couple of years that we spent repaying debt, he will remember that we are able to support him because we manage our money responsibly and he will remember seeing us accomplish our big dreams because of it. we are putting in place good habits that will serve us for the rest of our lives and the lives of our child (ren). that is a dream that i can't live without achieving and it is in full action, no hold required.

the light at the end of the tunnel will soon be bright- hang in there!

andi


iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2009
Wed, 02-10-2010 - 8:10pm

I don't feel like dreams are being postponed for us at this point but need to be reevaluated. We have our house which we will stay in for at least another 5 years, our car which will hopefully keep going another 5 years (no reason why not at this point) and our kids which will keep us entertained way more then 5 years. A big part of it for me is finding ways to have fun with out going into debt or spending money that you don't really have basically living within our means. The big benefit to me to pay off the debt faster is that we will have more money accessible each month

Liz

student loan paid off 2010

Bathroom remodel loan paid off 2013

Pending Car loan to be paid by the end of 2014!!!!!

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Thu, 02-11-2010 - 10:00am

I feel that our dreams are just too far off to be realized at this point.


We are debt free besides our mortgage, we have 3+ months of living expenses in our Efund, our sinking funds is funded for the year, savings was wiped out by medical bill and having to redo our entire electrical system in our house last month.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2009
Thu, 02-11-2010 - 6:18pm

Hi everybody


I have been thinking about this post for days and am grateful for it...


Unlike many of you my debt was of self-indulgence primarily (except for supporting my cuz and other friends at times)


I have so many dreams that were fulfilled by my debt....vacations, lovely furniture, nice clothes, many cultural events and entertaining...


I now have to face my debt and have courage and pay it down...


In future my dreams will be smaller and I will dream within my means...


Thank you all for that


Duke

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-14-2008
Thu, 02-11-2010 - 11:30pm

hmmm...I am not sure how to answer this one. Perhaps for about a year and a half our dreams were put on hold to deal with the debt. Now it's paid off and we are planning to move forward with home renovations. Like Duke, our debt was to fulfill some wants (vacation with kids, pool in our back yard). We have the means to do this stuff if it's well planned out. We are just hoping to plan a little better and be okay with waiting a little longer to fulfill the dream if it means saving for it rather than CC.

I am hoping to be closer to a want this week-end. I am hoping DH is willing to go look at some living room furniture to price it out. If things go well for the next few weeks we should have enough to purchase at the end of the month with cash.