I’m 30 years old and Barry is 31. Our first child is 3. We live totally debt free and just purchased a new home with…CASH. Before you start thinking that we’re one of “the lucky ones” or that we make a bunch of money, let me tell you something – I’m a stay-at-home mom and my husband is the sole breadwinner. We did not inherit a bunch of money – we worked our tails off.
Am I bragging? Heavens no! It’s through the grace of God and by living according to what His word says about debt that we’ve been able to accomplish this. We live on a budget and we buy used and save the difference.
Why am I telling you all of this? To encourage you. To let you know it IS possible to “live the dream.” It IS possible to buy a home debt free. It’s not just for rich people…it’s for normal people. People like you and me. This is our story. My friend also mentioned about this Marina View Residences which offers an attractive lifestyle, with its proximity to the waterfront and the many recreational and cultural attractions in the area. This is how we bought a home debt free. And we had you in mind the whole time. Mortgage lenders can boost client retention and reduce losses by analyzing purchasing behavior, social media profiles, job history, and other facts about their customers with the help of mortgage credit monitoring services.
In January of this year, we put our house up for sale. It sold in three weeks. That was 100% with God’s help. Our buyer found our house by using the eBay Classifieds and she asked to buy it the first time she came to look. By the time we got done working with a terrible bank, it was the end of February. We didn’t have anywhere to go.
With cash in hand, we were ready to buy a home…but we didn’t know how much are solicitors fees and had to do some research on solicitors Manchester. Here is where your situation might differ – we were able to move in and live with my parents. You might not have that option – if we hadn’t, we would have found the cheapest safe rental we could and holed up there for a while. All this time, we were still saving every little bit of money that we can.
Then, a house we had been looking at became available. The contract was broken when the lady backed out because the heat pump didn’t work. We put in an offer and got the house. Again, 100% God…we paid in cash for the house – a foreclosure.
So, what am I telling you? Plan ahead…dream BIG. And then be smart. Like most, when we were first married, we didn’t have the ability to pay cash for a house. So, we bought a modest townhouse and worked our butts off to pay it off in 7 ½ years – so when we finally found a new development in Alcaidesa for sale we would be debt free.
So, here’s Stacy’s advice…and it’s worth what you pay for it. 😉
- Buy a modest home at first and work like CRAZY to pay it off.
- Live there for a while and save up like CRAZY to get a good amount of cash for buying a home.
- Sell your home – by owner if you desire and if you know how, in order to keep more cash in your pocket.
- Find somewhere to live – with relatives, in a cheap rental, or in a van down by the river. (Search for a better place to stay: Altura boasts a close-knit community atmosphere, fostering a sense of belonging among residents.) Go to amh.com to find a good place to stay with your family.
- Look for a foreclosure or someone desperate to sell. Then remember, even deciding what to wear is important when turning up for a house closing.
- Make sure at all times you’re saying that you have CASH – which is a huge motivator.
- Buy your home. And if it needs fixing, like ours, then fix it up as you have the cash.
- Sit back, and enjoy mowing the yard in a house you actually OWN.
We hope this is an encouragement to you. We’re just normal people who didn’t buy into the lie that says you MUST live with debt…because it’s not true. Not at all.
Live debt free y’all.
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
Romans 13:8
Thanks for this post! My husband and I have JUST started planning to save for our first house, and we’d like to be able to pay in cash when the time comes. We paid off our student loan debt as of a year ago, and now we are finishing a small amount of medical debt (Our first son had a NICU stay when he was born 3 years ago). It’s kind of the “light at the end of the tunnel” for our debt, and now we’re ready to buckle down and save up for a house. The goal is to have the money within 5-6 years, but we’re basically starting from zero right now. Thankfully, we’re blessed not to have any rent right now, as my husband is a pastor and our church has furnished a parsonage for us. Most people wonder why we’d want to buy a home when we could live here for free, but… the thought of losing our home if my husband lost his job, or God calling us somewhere else where we didn’t have the money to buy, are thoughts that worry my husband a little. And we hope we will outgrow this small parsonage. It’s plenty big enough for our family of four, but we trust God with the size of our family (no birth control), and we’re pursuing adoption! When we add homeschooling into the mix in a few years, this home might begin to feel like chaos. So, we’re trying to plan ahead!
Thanks so much for the tips here! And I read many comments, and found your formula for a budget really insightful. Income-Savings-Expenses=0. We’ve just been searching our budget for things we can cut, in order to come up with money to save. But I think it might be better to start with, “How much money do we need to save?” Set that money aside, and then just force our expenses to measure up with what’s left. Scary. But you’ve given me lots to think on tonight and in the coming days, so Thanks! I’m starting to think we can do this!
That’s a great goal, Rachel!!!! You can do it! A debt-free home is a great thing – and what a blessing you’re going to give to those you adopt! WOOHOO!!!!
I don’t understand how it could be 100 percent God. The family who lost their home certainly didn’t deserve to lose their home just because they couldn’t pay for it. I guess you could say that you made good on the misery of someone else. I guess they were sinners, right? Plenty of people live on the streets and they are just as much as part of God as anyone else. I think you miss the point. God isn’t a Realtor.
As believers, we know that God is working even in the things we cannot see. Perhaps the person who lost their home is now doing much better because they are in a smaller home that they’re able to pay for – instead of under the bondage of a home that’s too expensive and thus causing problems in their life.
In our case, this home was a foreclosure because it was a reverse mortage. The gentleman living here passed away. His family did not want the house, so therefore, the bank put it on the market.
Great story! This is very inspiring and motivating to me. Thanks for modeling that and obeying God.
I’m an at home mom and my husband is self employed. As such or income fluctuates and paychecks cone in when the job is done, not at regular intervals. We are well provided for, but I find it hard to figure out a savings plan when income is not predictable. And advice?
Hi Erin! Check out this post from Barry and see if it helps you: http://www.humoroushomemaking.com/budgeting-when-your-income-is-inconsistent
What if you’ve paid off your house and are renting but the place your’e renting is too small for your large family and your spouse really wants to not be renting? Would you go back in debt?
This is a really tough question to answer without being in your shoes BUT here’s my general advice: if your only debt will be your home mortgage, I’m not against this, provided some guidelines are followed to minimize your risks. 1) 15-year fixed (or less). 2) Payment of 25% or less of your monthly take-home pay (when looking at Principal and Interest…and don’t forget when you add insurance and taxes it’ll be a lot more like 30-35% of your pay by then). 3) Put down at least 20% to avoid PMI. 4) Have a fully-funded emergency fund of at least 3-6 months of expenses.
This is so awesome!! We are still renting an apartment, while paying for my hubby’s school (in cash). I really want to save up and buy a house with cash after he is done. It is so encouraging to see there are others who have managed to pay cash for a house.
Yes! You can do it!!! 🙂
Its so hard to imagine that cash for a first house is possible in a region that rentals are the same as mortgage payments and the cheapest house on the market, (other then mobile home) is $350000+. Guess we need to move to the way south too!
🙂 The south is a great place to live.
When I was young, the housing market had just crashed in the late 80’s. To get into a home, one had to have 20% down. We tried to save for that by saving and not spending much. Unfortunately, we divorced. I lived on my one income and every time I got to the point to put a down-payment on a house, something major came up and it did not work out. Mind, it was for the best. God had a plan I could not see. He had plans for me to go elsewhere and being tied to a house was not in that plan. (Within a very brief time, it would fall through and within 6 months each time, I was moving somewhere I had no idea I would be.)
I commend all who are able to do this. We are working to be able to do this. For those who can do this when you are young, jump on it with both feet. If it doesn’t happen for you, though you scrimp and save, do not be discouraged, perhaps God has plans for you that you do not know about yet and is preparing something even better for you. 🙂 God bless.
Congratulations Stacy, and family. You did what a lot of folks won’t do, because they are too lazy. They don’t want to fix up a house, just move into a new one, and have all the new stuff too. You did a good thing by saving the money and that it another thing that most folks won’t do. They think they “have ” to go out to eat 5 nights a week and on the weekend all weekend too. They don’t have the concept of how to decide if what they are buying or spending money on, is a WANT or a NEED. You and your hubby know the difference and I think that is just wonderful. I realize you are giving God a lot of the credit, but… if you didn’t listen to him, you wouldn’t be where you are today, right?
You could give lessons on budgeting but most folks would think you are just crazy. I think you are very intelligent!!!!
We live in the Williamsburg/Richmond area of Va and area also Debt free. Bought our 4200 sq ft home thru foreclosure as well. Got it with 1.25 Acres for $ 78,000. It needs alot of TLC but is very liveable and a great house. I love it.
Our commute cost per month is $800, our mortgage is 1200/month, and we only make $2800/month net. How do we begin to save?
That leaves you $800 for food, entertainment, gifts, clothing, utilities, etc. (as you know). When you pay the BARE MINIMUMS, is there money leftover? The equation for a budget is always INCOME – SAVINGS – EXPENSES = 0. The variables have to be moved around until the math works.
Use coupons for everything, trade things.
What most people don’t realize is the bank recalculates the mortgage balance every month. They treat a mortgage as a NEW loan EVERY month. It’s a great moneymaker for them. Even paying a little extra will add up quickly. Iam working to downsize my house and increase my gardening space. Until the, as I pay off a credit card or loan, I apply the amount I was paying to extra principal payments on the mortgage so I will have more to work with when I do sell.
Thanks for your inspiring post! And for the ebay classifieds idea!
What an inspiration. I wish we made smarter choices when we were first starting out. Now we’re digging ourselves out of student loan debt, but we’ll get there.
Thank you for this encouraging post. My husband and I have committed to living debt free completely. Any advice for someone who wants to buy a home with cash without owning another one first?
Rent cheap and save like crazy!!!
Hello Stacy!
I was delighted to find your website through a google search looking for websites about living debt-free. We too live debt-free. We own our home on one acre and have no other outstanding debt. We maintain this lifestyle on my husbands modest income and while having six children. We are currently saving to purchase a larger homestead, and plan to pay cash. It takes time, perseverance, and strength that can only come from the Lord. Congratulations to you for your debt-free lifestyle. I was blessed and encouraged by visiting your website, I look forward to reading through your previous posts. 🙂
Blessings,
Jennifer
http://www.mamaeconomics.net/living-without-a-mortgage
I love meeting fellow-debt free mamas! 🙂
Stacey
I live in Sydney Australia. Its a long story but in short – we made alot of unwise decisions and now owe far more than we bought our home for! My heart is broken! We have repented and have asked God to help us find out way out of this debt – My dream is to be debt free. I struggle to see the light though at this point and my Faith is challenged from ‘every angle’. Can it still happen for me…I should have been debt free at 30 too and I am 42 now. 🙁
YES!!! It’s never too late! 🙂 All you have to do is change the direction you’re doing – and ask for God’s help. Ask him to send you wisdom and direction – and a way to make extra income to get out from under the mess. 🙂 You can do this! And if you need specific help, Barry is always available to lend an ear!
thanks Stacey! I will do that! I need more consistency but I will ask the Lord to help me with this.
I know after all, that it IS His Will for me to be debt free!
thank you so much and Bless you!
Izzi
Hi Stacy, My husband and I are in our late 20’s and we really want to be debt free. We own both our cars out right, and we are paying down our mortgage at a rapid pace. However, we are wondering if we ought to sell the house that we are currently living in and buy a smaller condo with cash. We bought a foreclosure last year at a great price and fixed it up. It is still a modest home but we could go even smaller since we do not have children. We do not want to regret selling our house, but the desire to be debt free might be worth sacrificing some of the conveniences we have gotten used to. If we kept the house, we could pay it off within a year, but we are hesitant to sink all of our money into a house. Any advice would be wonderful! Thank you!
Sounds like you’re INTENSE about paying off debt – good for you! If you can pay off your current home within a year and you want to live there for a while, I’d stay put and pay it off. Why? Realtor fees (if applicable), closing costs (even with cash), moving costs, etc., etc. will likely more than make up for what you’d save in interest by selling and buying something else. If you can keep up the intensity toward savings for 6 months or so after you’ve paid off the house, you’ll be in good shape with both no debt and good savings! Hope that helps.
May I ask where you live? My husband & I are also debt free, renting & TRYING to save to pay as much cash as we can for a home (we have a good chunk set aside from his well-paying job the last few years but he has recently made the transition into a very low-paying internship & we are barely able to not dip into those funds) and even foreclosed homes in our area are not listed for under $160,000! It shocks me to hear you managed to get something for under $100k! But GO YOU!
Sure! We live in Southwest Virginia. 🙂 It was by God’s grace that we got this house….considering that the offer prior to us was $115,000 and it was turned down.
Have you thought about trying to purchase a home on the courthouse steps? You can usually get them significantly cheaper that way.
Wish we could go back and start over with your great advice!!! Working on paying off our bad and “good” debt, but it is tough! Thanks for your inspirational posts!
🙂 You can do it! Kick that debt OUT!
Thank you for sharing this on Facebook today! I really needed this. I’m a SAHM and we’ve been in our current (1st) home for 5 years with a 30 year mortgage (ugh!). There’s not a lot of spare cash in our budget and I didn’t have ambitions to ever pay more than the monthly installments, but you’ve opened my eyes. Isn’t it odd that we’re all totally fine being in debt to the bank for such a big part of our lifetimes and in the end paying many times what the property is worth in the beginning?
Right now the only debt we have (besides the mortgage) are student loans. We’re in year 7 of paying off 10-year loans, but I have plans to pay them off early next year when the balance comes down just a bit (I prefer paying loans off in a big chunk at the end rather than increasing my payments).
I’ve recently started thinking about getting a “new” car. I currently drive a 2003 Ford Focus. I love my car, it’s been paid off for 3 years, but it’s getting old and it’s really not big enough for us anymore. I had been wanting to get a newer/bigger car next summer after the student loans are paid, but that would require getting a loan for at least half the cost. You’ve inspired me to wait a bit longer and put down as much cash as we can for the new car. In the meantime, I’m trying to cut down on our expenses even more (we’re frugal as it is) so we can save faster.
Thanks again!
I liked how you put “new” in quotes. 🙂 That’s our kind of car!
We’re working through about $15k in debt, mostly medical bills from when we were self employed and our first daughter came early ($1000/day to stay in the NICU!). I can taste how life will be without this ‘master’ owning us!
We put our house on the market and paid it down quite a bit before I quit working to stay at home and my husband switched jobs (all God led). If this house sells we’ll be out of debt completely. If it doesn’t sell we’re chalking it up to learning our lessons and never repeating our mistakes!!
Awesome!!! Sell that house, girl! 🙂
I just want to tell you just how inspiring you and your husband are. When my husband and I got married, we bought a home that we could afford on just his income because I knew I wanted to be a SAHM or only work part time while the kids were small. I want you to know that we will have our home paid for in about 2 years…and my oldest son graduates high school a year later. So while I did not pay cash for my home, I WILL be able to pay cash for my children’s college! You are so right when you say it happens by the grace of God! I am thankful that you put your stories out here in the blogisphere to encourage us. Thank you, thank you!
Cash for college?! Girl, you are WEIRD and I LOVE IT!!!!! 🙂 We should all be more weird, right?
This is such an encouraging story! It is our dream to pay cash for a home by the time we’re 30 (we’re 22 & 24 now). In the meantime we live in a VERY modest, small-town apartment, which is cumbersome at times with 2 kids. But when I read stories like this I remember that being a bit crowded NOW will be totally worth it in the end!
You betcha! 🙂 Not having any payments will make your home that much more special. Good job, guys! Keep up the hard and rewarding work!
You have been SUCH an inspiration to me as I begin to blog our debt free journey as well. I too am a stay at home mom, and often felt that I couldn’t move the needle without a BIG income. We are working on becoming debt free first, and then saving to buy our first home with cash.
I refer to your posts often! Thank you again!!
It doesn’t take a BIG income…it takes BIG desire. 🙂 And you’ve got it sister!
You are amazing–and what an inspiration!
🙂 Thank you, Rita…those are very kind words.
Very good post! And I’m so happy for you guys. We are weird too…and proud to be. We currently own the house I bought before we were married and the home my husband bought and we live in…both paid off in less than 7 years mostly on one income. We made a lot of good decisions when we were single and I’m so grateful for that! Now our tenants are moving out of my house and we are going to sell it. Then that and some more savings will be the down payment on our forever home. We’ll move and then sell the home we live in now and throw all of that at the mortgage.
Neither of our houses will bring what we paid for them, but we will also buy a home for a much better price than we would have before too. And while we would love to sell both before moving the reality is that our little family of 5 with a work at home Dad could not begin to show this tiny 3 bedroom house in all its glory with us here. So we’ll take out a mortgage and sell the house, throw it at the mortgage and pay off any remaining as fast as possible. And when that is all said in done (hopefully less than 5 years from now) we will save a ridiculous amount of money for a vacation and go to Disney. That is my husband’s favorite part! And then we will be calling Dave too 🙂 We decided we couldn’t do it yet (although we are debt free) since we know we’ll be getting back into debt for a short time.
DISNEY ROCKS!!!!! 🙂 I love it there….would love to go back soon – when my kids can walk on their own breakfast. 😉
Thank you for posting this! I’ve always *heard* that it’s possible to buy a home debt free, but I’ve never heard it from anyone who’s actually done it. My little family is in a weird financial situation right now, but we’re working really hard, and it’s nice to hear that dreaming big is worth it. 🙂
Always dream big!! 🙂
Without giving myself an aneurysm thinking about it, my hubby and I have never been on the “financially bright” end of the spectrum. I can’t speak for him, but my mom raised me to “take over the world and bring about world peace”, not take care of four boys and a husband…and pay bills. (Apparently Leaders of the Free World have accountants or something.) In short, I came into marriage young with no fiscal-sense whatsoever. We make money; we spend it. Thank the Lord I had prayed at one point for God never to leave us with “too little”. He never has. We’ve been close to the wire, but we’ve always had Just Enough.
Almost 20 years down the line, we’re still in debt–but that’s not the problem. The problem is, when I do try to set up a budget, everyone in the house bombards me with stuff we need TODAY. I’ve tried and tried to explain to them that it just doesn’t work that way (especially with me not working now)…but they are all used to having the money there. I give in, and then my hubby says, “I thought we didn’t have the money?”…and then I feel like an A**.
The one thing we do have is equity in our house (been here almost 10 years). We hate the neighborhood; this is NOT where we want to live the rest of our lives. So we’re going to work on getting it together enough for selling and then use some of the profits to pay off our debt. I told The Hubby that I don’t care if we’re living in the tent for six months, I want as sizable a chunk of money down on our New Home as possible. I don’t want to buy anything else with any consumer debt behind us. I’m done. Debt is killer. I’m ready to be FREE!!
There is no other feeling like financial freedom. Kick it to the curb, dear! 🙂
Beautiful story!
Hubby and I aren’t on the same page on the topic of debt (and I’ve learned to submit to that after 25 years), but I do all I can to be frugal. It’s wonderful when I see the results of frugality in a young family. So encouraging!
We like being called a young family. 🙂
Oh, this is awesome. You know, I’ve always known it’s possible to pay cash for a house. It’s really cool to hear your story. My great-grandfather paid cash for his house. My grandparents, when they bought their home, lived of of my grandpa’s salary, while my grandmother’s salary went to pay off the house. It pays to be good with money, that’s for sure 😉 🙂 Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂
Your great-grandfather sounds like my kind of man. 🙂
Love it!!!!!! I am so impressed! Fantastic job. What else can you two do? Please, please keep on writing.
We’re also good at removing wallpaper. LOL
As always, you’re right on the money, but let me take issue with one thing you said: Barry may be the breadwinner, but you also contribute financially with this blog, nominal income or not that it may contribute. Why do we women always sell ourselves short?
That being said, Stacy, my hubby and I couldn’t agree more. We were not as wise (and embarrassingly, we are older, so we haven’t learned much. But it was a second marriage, so it’s almost like we were young… we sure felt young!) when we bought our home, and bought for the “growing family” that we were sure we were going to have. Well, it hasn’t panned out like we thought, and 6 years later (yes, we bought right before the bubble burst), Hubby and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel… the KIDS tunnel. We’ll be empty-nesters next year in a house where we’re upside-down. We are working our butts off right now to pay down what we can, but the house also needs some significant repairs to be nominally marketable in our neighborhood, so we’re looking for that 100% God thing to happen in our lives when we put it on the market early next year.
We had been in the house for not very long (a year, maybe?) when we decided that we were going to write a book after we got out of this mess. Without having even an outline for it, we were going to title it, “Pay Cash, Dummy!” So happy for you guys that you were able to do that!
🙂 Barry won’t let me sell myself short. We only live on his income…it was our goal to never depend on any money that I bring in – so that in case I wasn’t able to do it anymore, it wouldn’t cause an issue.
My income is used for “extras.” For example, we have used my recent income to buy several new furniture items for our new house (used bar stools and a kitchen table) – things that weren’t necessary but were nice to have.
LOL We love the name of your book!! 🙂
What a wonderful plan you had (have). I have so much to learn…. DH and I are still trying to save and get our second home. Our first is not worth anything now (old mobile) (has to be moved). But it has served us well for 26 years! My heartfelt desire is to be debt free. We were once and it was a fantastic feeling!
God bless and thinking of you and your extended family!
Elaine
It is a fantastic feeling! It seems like you’re very motivated, so I know it won’t be that long before you’re free from debt!! You go girl!
Amazing amazing!:) very encouraging and I agree it is all true you can do it. Remember some post back I mentioned by end of summer will be debt free :)as of tomorrow credit card all paid off!! yeh 🙂 it’s even before summer has ended I tell you it feels good. Though we don’t own a house yet but we are saving like crazy so that first buy will be modest and hopefully pay off in 5 – 10yrs. Love love your blog very encouraging, may you continue to be blessed with the wisdom you have.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! 🙂
Love this! Thank You for sharing!
🙂 Thanks for reading it!
How do you even begin to save when money is incrediably tight? I am a stay at home Mom, and my husband had to take a 20 percent pay cut last year. Ends are not meeting at the moment. We are looking for ways to fill in the gaps, but until then should we save even if there isn’t enough to cover bills? (Major things get paid, some bills have to wait a week or two to get paid.) I do work a part time job at my church that adds about $100 extra dollars to the budget, but it’s mainly for saving for Christmas, and MDO once a week. Any thoughts here? Am I using my money unwisely? Need advice when you have the time. Our thoughts and prayers are going out to your family at your recent loss. Our condolences. Wendy
Hey Wendy, without looking at your budget, I’m not sure of the best course of action. Can you email me and give me some details? You can do so through “Ask Barry” at the top of the website page.
Wendy- I am no expert by any means, but we live pretty tight, so I’m slightly experienced! Any chance you are allowing yourself more “play” money than necessary? If your $1200/yr is mostly going to Christmas, that seems like a bit more than I’d be willing to spend. Try re-considering your “needs”, such as cable, extra add-ons to your car insurance/home insurance, super fast internet, and the biggest one for us- eating out. It’s amazing what you can cut out when you are motivated enough. We live really tight, but are still able to put away a few hundred $/ month, and I have become obsessive about how much we are spending vs. saving! Good Luck!
Thank you for portraying debt-free as normal! We need everyone to catch the fever, no?
50 years ago, it was normal. I recently visited with my retired uncle who I had assumed was always as financially comfortable as since I knew him, but he spent ten years working hard in his career before he could even purchase a home for his family. No entitlement, no “I should have this now,” it’s just the way things were and they made the best of it. That really encouraged me because sometimes I feel like we’ll never have a house with a yard and it isn’t fair to my kids, etc. It’s all about perspective AND patience.
Your constant encouragement helps me stay hopeful in spite of numerous setbacks that can and have occurred in our personal lives. Thank you for all you do! Blessings!!!
Any time you need encouragement on the this road, you just give me a holler. That’s what I’m here for. 🙂
you put it in! in a van down by the river! hsahahaha awesome
🙂 One of my favorite sayings….most people don’t catch on. Ha!
Congrats! It makes such a difference in your overall stress level – and pride of real ownership. Spread the word about the car principle too! I think because they are a necessity for most people and a more manageable number, people are okay with taking out a $25,000 car loan even though most will owe more on the car than what it is worth.
Barry and I get tickled when we hear people talking about the car they “needed.” 🙂 Barry drives a ’97 and I drive a ’99. LOL
And we have an 87, an 89 and a 99. But we paid cash for all three and any minor repairs are far less than a car payment!
Amen to that!
Excellent! My sister, who is 72, a single lady, has always paid for EVERYTHING with cash her whole life. She has NEVER been in debt. I am so proud of her. And you.
Your sister is a rock star!
Thanks for the tips and congratulations on your new home. We are debt free and we are waiting right now for a home. Right now we are renting and saving like crazy.
You’re being super smart. Go you!
Hi Stacy! Enjoyed the post! Ya’ll are such an inspiration to me and others! I wished we had been smart like ya’ll when we were younger, but we get it now! Unless a miracle happens, and I’m not limiting God, we won’t be mortgage free for less than fifteen years. That’s better than thirty! Praying for you and Barry’s family during the loss of his father. Blessings from Bama!
Don’t limit God! 🙂 You’d be surprised what you can do when you’re motivated!!
well, I’m not sure I’d call you guys NORMAL people. But people just like us- yes 😛
This is true….I am very far from normal – hence the obsession with shower caps. LOL
Very inspiring! I need to move down south where the real estate is actually affordable, lol.
You’d love it down here! 🙂
I just left a comment and the internet ate it. Grrrr. I don’t think I have the gumption to redo it, but I wanted you to know I left a comment because I love you and don’t want you to think I neglected your smashing post. 😉
I’m just glad I’m not the only one has internet issues. 🙂 Love you girl!!! You’re the best.
This is such an inspiration to me. We only owe on our house and would love to do what you have done. Right now we are waiting until our three teenage daughters move out and then we will look at selling. Unfortunately, once we sell we probably will not be able to buy with cash right away and will need to look for a cheap rental while we save money – but I am ok with that! Thank you for posting your story!
Cheap rentals are an adventure! 🙂
Congratulations! We too have a paid for home and we wish to soon upgrade to something with a bit more land. We don’t have relatives close though so we are thinking of starting the selling process just as spring arrives to our area and then hopefully it sells in good weather and we will camp in our tent trailer till we find what we want, if the plan works right we will be in our new home before the weather gets cold! Plan B, well there is no Plan B but I am sure with God’s help if we needed one something would come up! LOL
LOL I always make a Plan B….it’s my nature. 😉
So happy for you guys! And so happy you can share this through your blog. It’s a tricky thing to share with friends because people take it so differently. You did an excellent job.
🙂
Thanks Jade. 🙂