My Spending Fast!

Curtis and I have been talking a lot lately about getting our financial house in order.  It's a real pain in the butt that every time we feel like we're getting ahead (or at least caught up) something always happens to put us behind again.  We don't necessarily spend our money in an unwise fashion, but we don't always think about where we're spending it.  And of course there are always bills! We don't have a lot of debt, but with my student loans (which I know most people don't consider debt but it does eat up a chunk of change each month) and our emergency credit card (first it was an emergency trip to the dentist, then wedding stuff, then school stuff...) we're spending too much money every month on "just getting caught up."  I don't want to be spending my money on this crap for the rest of my life.  This is a car payment or a vacation twice a year or just things that we want to improve our standard of living (a washing machine that actually works perhaps?) that we're spending on bills! And I'm ready to end the madness!

So the other day I was messing around on the internet and I found this blog where a girl got rid of her debt in just over a year by doing a spending fast (you can see her post here). I talked it over with Curtis, and by talking it over I mean I informed Curtis, that we are going to go on a spending fast for the rest of the year.  This means no spending money on anything that is not a necessity.

Here's How We Do It:

1. List out debt and interest rates in order from highest to lowest. 
2. Write down how we would live if we did not have to work.  This serves as motivation for those times when we just want to give up.
3. Set a time frame.  We decided that we're going to do this for the rest of the year.
4. Make a public declaration.  Which is what I am doing now.  Hopefully this will give me the support I need to stay strong.  Also, when I told my mom about this she said that she is going to do it too, so we can work together and be the support team for each other.
5. Write out a "wants and needs" list.  This means putting down, on paper, the things that are needed ever month and the things that you just want.  And then you're only allowed to spend money on things from the "wants" list.
6. Focus on the things that you can buy instead of the things that you cannot.  Focus on the reason you're doing the fast.  Have fun, just have the free kind.
7. Attack the debt! At the end of the month throw all of the money you have left over at the debt with the highest interest.  Continue to pay on your other bills as well.  You'll start to see a snowball effect as you pay off one thing and have extra money for the next item on the list.  

I know this is going to be tough.  I think we can get everything paid off by the end of the year, though.  We're going to need support.  Please don't tempt us to spend money on anything! This means I will not be going to parties to buy makeup and candles and whatnot.  We will not be going out to the movies or eating out.  We can still have fun though! And when this is over we'll be able to have even more fun because we will be debt free!