Debt Dumpers - 2018

I think Baked and Wired is near the Fairmont? or is it the other way?
It's on Thomas Jefferson St. away from the water where Fishers and Farmers is (so, between K and M streets). Between I think 30th and 31st (it's been a while since I worked there). Shouldn't be too far from the Fairmont, which I know is on M but I can't remember which block.
 
DH and I will be reviewing our finances over the weekend. He's really pulled through on his promise to get OT and pay off the CC he ran up. It'll be paid off at the end of March, instead of April/May. The relief I feel is exhilarating! This means that I'm keeping my nose to the grindstone and paying down the one card we have left. Maybe with the extra payments, we can get it dealt with in 18 months rather than 24! But just knowing that we are keeping ahead of our spending has really changed how we spend. I HATE sitting down with the spreadsheet 3 to 4 times a week. Hate it. But, I admit that I get a bit giddy when I see the CC balances drop. Or plan two months out for big bills (car registration or property taxes) and am able to work it in without freaking out.

How's everyone else doing with their debt payments?
 
NJ is a tenant's right state. We have an anti-eviction act. Most of the other states are LL friendly.
Yeah, only in NJ do squatters have even more rights than the homeowner.

Dentam, do you think he might be selling the place? I'm not defending your landlord by any stretch but why can't he just raise the rent the next time your lease comes up? No one likes paying more but sometimes it's better than moving. If you were the homeowner, your taxes would keep going up. Just saying.
 
DH and I will be reviewing our finances over the weekend. He's really pulled through on his promise to get OT and pay off the CC he ran up. It'll be paid off at the end of March, instead of April/May. The relief I feel is exhilarating! This means that I'm keeping my nose to the grindstone and paying down the one card we have left. Maybe with the extra payments, we can get it dealt with in 18 months rather than 24! But just knowing that we are keeping ahead of our spending has really changed how we spend. I HATE sitting down with the spreadsheet 3 to 4 times a week. Hate it. But, I admit that I get a bit giddy when I see the CC balances drop. Or plan two months out for big bills (car registration or property taxes) and am able to work it in without freaking out.

How's everyone else doing with their debt payments?

I know exactly what you're saying. I'm such a dork, that going over The Plan has become a hobby. I am so afraid to lose control over our finances again (remember, I was the guilty one when you first joined?) so I don't ever want to go back to that way of thinking, like I'm too busy to review it all. I have to make time for it. Also, there is nothing else that would have taught my dumb **** a lesson except keeping such a close eye on money, as you say nose to the grindstone, and becoming thriftier than ever before. It really does become a lifestyle change and for sure that never happened when we simply took equity from our home and paid off cc bills. That was kind of the lazy way out of it but it really is no solution because it only moved the debt from one column to another and without learning any lessons from it, we were doomed to repeat our same mistakes again.
So now having done it the slow & hard way, and changed our ways, so that pizza night really is a treat, I really feel empowered.
No wonder those who feel they were "born again" want to preach. lol. It makes you want to help other people get on track. I did briefly explain DR's Debt Snowball method to 2 coworkers a few years ago when I paid off our final cc (not final debt) and told them how easy it was but they weren't buying and I wasn't pushing. I'll help them if they should ever ask but I don't want to be a nag.
It's so nice to come here where people really get it and know that awesome feeling like a huge weight has been lifted and you just want to dance around!
:yay::dogdance::cool1::cheer2::banana::woohoo::dance3:
party::dancer::rockband:
 


Received an email from my landlord that I have 60 days to move out. Basically 2018 is turning out to be a really crappy year for me. With the cost of housing here I'm not sure what I'll do. Could use some good thoughts and vibes sent my way.

Oh my word, @Dentam. I am so sorry! I can’t imagine doing this to a reliable tenant. If they want to raise the rent, it seems like it would be logical to give you first offer at the new rate. If that is beyond your budget, then you could make the choice to find something different. To force you out with little notification is in poor taste IMO. Sending you prayers, lots of luck, and pixie dust :shamrock: :shamrock: :shamrock:
 
Oh my word, @Dentam. I am so sorry! I can’t imagine doing this to a reliable tenant. If they want to raise the rent, it seems like it would be logical to give you first offer at the new rate. If that is beyond your budget, then you could make the choice to find something different. To force you out with little notification is in poor taste IMO. Sending you prayers, lots of luck, and pixie dust :shamrock: :shamrock: :shamrock:

Yeah, it really sucks, not gonna lie. Never heard back from him after replying to his email. I don't really expect to. He's never been all that considerate. Once showed up with no notice - suddenly was just standing in my backyard. Pretty sure that's illegal for a landlord to do. While he was here he was in my unit working until eight at night. Never told me that would be the case ahead of time. Opened a window in the back room to vent some fumes from some plumbing he was working on. Never closed it. It was in the teens out. I was wondering why I was so freezing. He told me he opened the back door, but never mentioned the window. I've had to remind them every year to have the irrigation turned on, then winterized, have the gutters cleaned, etc. I won't miss dealing with them at all. Just wish it was easier to find good housing here.

I talked to my neighbor this afternoon (our dogs play together often and she if very nice) and she offered that I could stay with her for awhile if I can't find anything right away. Said not to feel like I will be out on the street. She couldn't believe what he did. She has a friend who owns a duplex in the neighborhood and will be sending me her info. Should be up for rent soon but they don't normally allow dogs. We'll see. Good to have a bit of a support system here. It's hard to be single and trying to make it on my own in an expensive city sometimes. I love my job, but financially it has not been a good move for me to come here.
 
I have to make time for it.
**clipped**
It's so nice to come here where people really get it and know that awesome feeling like a huge weight has been lifted and you just want to dance around!
To be honest, I've been so hyperfocused on the CC debt that I just gave myself a HUGE surprise...guys and gals, I'll have my mortgage paid off in 4 years 8 months! The car is the same month as the last CC. And the student loan, I haven't figured out. But WOW! Just...wow. That alone makes it worth the 3-4 times a week I have to give myself eyestrain. :goodvibes
 


To be honest, I've been so hyperfocused on the CC debt that I just gave myself a HUGE surprise...guys and gals, I'll have my mortgage paid off in 4 years 8 months! The car is the same month as the last CC. And the student loan, I haven't figured out. But WOW! Just...wow. That alone makes it worth the 3-4 times a week I have to give myself eyestrain. :goodvibes
Sweet!!
 
Yeah, it really sucks, not gonna lie. Never heard back from him after replying to his email. I don't really expect to. He's never been all that considerate. Once showed up with no notice - suddenly was just standing in my backyard. Pretty sure that's illegal for a landlord to do. While he was here he was in my unit working until eight at night. Never told me that would be the case ahead of time. Opened a window in the back room to vent some fumes from some plumbing he was working on. Never closed it. It was in the teens out. I was wondering why I was so freezing. He told me he opened the back door, but never mentioned the window. I've had to remind them every year to have the irrigation turned on, then winterized, have the gutters cleaned, etc. I won't miss dealing with them at all. Just wish it was easier to find good housing here.

I talked to my neighbor this afternoon (our dogs play together often and she if very nice) and she offered that I could stay with her for awhile if I can't find anything right away. Said not to feel like I will be out on the street. She couldn't believe what he did. She has a friend who owns a duplex in the neighborhood and will be sending me her info. Should be up for rent soon but they don't normally allow dogs. We'll see. Good to have a bit of a support system here. It's hard to be single and trying to make it on my own in an expensive city sometimes. I love my job, but financially it has not been a good move for me to come here.

Hugs! I really hope you find a dog friendly place soon.
 
Yeah, only in NJ do squatters have even more rights than the homeowner.

Dentam, do you think he might be selling the place? I'm not defending your landlord by any stretch but why can't he just raise the rent the next time your lease comes up? No one likes paying more but sometimes it's better than moving. If you were the homeowner, your taxes would keep going up. Just saying.
Protects squatters, but also good tenants like Dentam from being evicted because the LL is a nasty piece of work. You take the good with the bad. This law protects far more people than it hurts.
 
Mine too. I’m one and done with phony people. I always follow the motto “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time”. You won’t get a second chance with me.

Absolutely. I've learned a lot of lessons like this the past few years. Dated a guy who lied to me and never apologized when caught. I really don't think he felt any remorse. Doubt my landlord will have trouble sleeping at night either. Sometimes it's difficult to keep your head up and stay hopeful. I'm really struggling with that right now. Been looking online for rentals and there is pretty much nothing in my price range that allows pets in this area.
 
Absolutely. I've learned a lot of lessons like this the past few years. Dated a guy who lied to me and never apologized when caught. I really don't think he felt any remorse. Doubt my landlord will have trouble sleeping at night either. Sometimes it's difficult to keep your head up and stay hopeful. I'm really struggling with that right now. Been looking online for rentals and there is pretty much nothing in my price range that allows pets in this area.
Aww, I’m sorry you’re so down. The good things is you’re being proactive and have already started looking. The odds are in your favor. At least you’re not burying your head in the sand and pretending like it’s all good.
 
Yeah, only in NJ do squatters have even more rights than the homeowner.

Dentam, do you think he might be selling the place? I'm not defending your landlord by any stretch but why can't he just raise the rent the next time your lease comes up? No one likes paying more but sometimes it's better than moving. If you were the homeowner, your taxes would keep going up. Just saying.

No, he just rented out the upstairs and that renter will be moving in next month. He and his wife plan to retire here and live in one unit of the house while renting out the other. He never mentioned the option of raising the rent, or any other option for that matter.
 
Protects squatters, but also good tenants like Dentam from being evicted because the LL is a nasty piece of work. You take the good with the bad. This law protects far more people than it hurts.

I didn't mean to imply Dentam is a squatter or that her LL is right. Honestly I don't know much about that except dh telling me once about squatter's rights and another story from my boss renting a condo where the people were like a year behind in rent and they still couldn't get them out. It was really a hardship on her financially that she hadn't expected.
There should be laws that are fair to both sides. 60 days is not much time and completely unfair, I think.
NJ has a strict law for everything. I'm just whining...
 
There should be laws that are fair to both sides. 60 days is not much time and completely unfair, I think.

Yeah, and he made it sound like this was generous and that he could really just give me 30 days to be out. I signed a one year lease when I moved in, but they never had me sign another lease after that and just moved me to month-to-month.

I really wish I could afford to buy a place. I hate being at the mercy of other people for something as huge as my housing.
 
Yeah, and he made it sound like this was generous and that he could really just give me 30 days to be out. I signed a one year lease when I moved in, but they never had me sign another lease after that and just moved me to month-to-month.

I really wish I could afford to buy a place. I hate being at the mercy of other people for something as huge as my housing.
That has its cons too. If I were single, I would rent for sure.
Keep searching, something will turn up and hopefully with a landlord who needs less babysitting.
 
Yeah, and he made it sound like this was generous and that he could really just give me 30 days to be out. I signed a one year lease when I moved in, but they never had me sign another lease after that and just moved me to month-to-month.

I really wish I could afford to buy a place. I hate being at the mercy of other people for something as huge as my housing.
In the future if you go from a fixed term to a month to month agreement I would make sure you sign a new lease that details notice etc. and sign a new agreement with each or any rent increase.
 
That has its cons too. If I were single, I would rent for sure.
Keep searching, something will turn up and hopefully with a landlord who needs less babysitting.

Yeah, I know from experience the downsides of home ownership. My entire HVAC system in my house in NC died two weeks after I moved here. That was 5k or more to replace. Other things continued to go wrong after that. At least I couldn't get kicked out of it though, lol... although at that point I was renting it out.

In the future if you go from a fixed term to a month to month agreement I would make sure you sign a new lease that details notice etc. and sign a new agreement with each or any rent increase.

I would have preferred to but I guess it's hard to describe how horrible these landlords were with any form of communication. I offered to sign a two year lease initially and assumed I would sign a new lease after the first year. Apparently they texted my upstairs neighbors to tell them they were now month to month. My previous neighbors said they never signed another lease after their first year. They honestly shouldn't be landlords since they don't even do basic seasonal maintenance here at all without me asking them repeatedly. Oh well. Live and learn. I just got tired of nagging and tried to deal with them as little as possible.
 
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