Well, I gotta tell someone.

[Jstas]

I've been keeping it from everyone I know because I just came in to some desperatly needed monetary units.

I was rather surprised at an "all-hands" meeting for my department at work today. I thought it was going to be just more re-org BS and the introduction of our new department director and the new CIO. Well, I was given an award with a sizeable chunk of change associated with it. It's not enough to dig me out of my hole I'm in right now but it makes up for some stupid stunts my wife has pulled recently.

Anyway, the REALLY great thing about this is that the new director and the new CIO were there and the new CIO actually gave me the award. That's some high profile stuff when the CIO gives you an award that basically tells people that you made a contribution to the efforts that changed the business unit for the better. So yeah, money is always nice but that kind of recognition and visibility in a 5K employee company is priceless.

So yeah, I'm kinda happy about it because it also means that my yearly review must have been stellar. My boos put me in for only half of what they gave me as an award and the director basically doubled it. Granted, the chunk of change my boss put me in for wasn't peanuts either. So I'm looking at a pretty good review and probably a decent merit raise. It also gives me really good ground to push for a promotion which brings with it a bonus AND another raise. I could end up seeing the equivalent of a 15% raise for next year.

It's long over due IMO too. Especially since I have been pushing projects through and standing up new equipment in a couple of days rather than a couple of weeks. I've averaged about 10 hours of OT a week for every week this year aside from the 2nd week of January. It's looking good though. So I'm praying I get this stuff because I need it.

The reason I didn't want to share it with anyone near me is because I didn't want anyone thinking they had free range to either try to borrow money or to think they can spend it. I need it for bills and that is where it has to go. Nobody is going to like it but I sacrifice stuff all the time in the name of a debt-free future. I just wish others around me would make a better effort at achiving that goal.

[danger boy]

Hard work pays off in the end.. and it's so nice to be recognized by your peers and superiors as well. I'm sure it's well deserved.

enjoy

[Shizelbs]

Congratulations. Sounds like a nice way to end the year.

[Vr3MxStyler2k3]

Congrats man! Enjoy! :D

[Ron-P]

That's awesome, a BIG congrats to ya man!

Now, explain in detail this...:)
It's not enough to dig me out of my hole I'm in right now but it makes up for some stupid stunts my wife has pulled recently.

Nobody is going to like it but I sacrifice stuff all the time in the name of a debt-free future.
I hear ya. We are nearly debt free now. All we have left is the loan on my wifes Toyota to which we owe about 6k. Other then that, we have no mortgage, no credit cards, no outstanding loans of anykind. Once that van payment is over we will be 100% debt free. My goal is to pay 1k a month over the next 6 and pay it off.

Best of luck to ya and your goals and again, congrats.

[kingtut]

Congrats, nice little Christmas present there, and it's good to be recognize for all the hard work you put in.

[dorokusai]

Send me $5, I'm starving. Good work John, keep on truckin'.

[kingtut]

Originally posted by Ron-P

I hear ya. We are nearly debt free now. All we have left is the loan on my wifes Toyota to which we owe about 6k. Other then that, we have no mortgage, no credit cards, no outstanding loans of anykind. Once that van payment is over we will be 100% debt free. My goal is to pay 1k a month over the next 6 and pay it off.



Ron-P, how do you do it man? Living in CA and no mortgage and virtually debt free-- and involving in the HT hobby at the same time, WOW! Congrats and your stellar $ management.

[madmax]

Congrats, hope you didn't kiss up to get it. :D Now to the important stuff, can you float me $200 until January? 2010 :D
madmax

[swerve]

good job! hard work is great whenever it pays off. recognition is even better is some cases.

-adam

[Jstas]

Originally posted by madmax
Congrats, hope you didn't kiss up to get it. :D Now to the important stuff, can you float me $200 until January? 2010 :D
madmax

No, and no. :)

I'm not a kiss-up. I'll grease the skids when necessary and schmooze who I have to at times but I'll also tell them where they stick it too if I don't like what they are proposing.







And Ron, the details will take a long time to go over so I figured I'd spare the forum..

[cfrizz]

That's terrific! Congratulations.

[exalted512]

congrats! can i borrow some money;)
i need a job...
-Cody

[Ron-P]

Ron-P, how do you do it man?
The short version was a painful several years. We basically eliminated everything that was not a necessity. Sold off both cars (that had payments) and bought junkers with cash. Canceled every monthly service we could (TV, Internet...etc) and did almost no outside activity, no eating out, wasteful spending and such. We also put no money into savings during that time. Every penny went towards debt.

We then bought the van when it was down to just the mortgage and now the van is all that is left.

Was it worth it? During the time we were doing it, I'd say no, it was not fun and actually a bit stressful. Now though, we have major financial freedom and I'll never go back to debt living if I can avoid it.

[Dennis Gardner]

Ron,

You must know Dave Ramsey too.:D

Jstas,

Get Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" for your spouse for
Xmas. My wife and I got onboard, got debtfree and made a lifechanging move to another state this past year. I walked into the company that I have worked for 25 years and "TOLD" them that we would be moving and if they could see clear to a transfer, it would be great but if they couldn't I would go elsewhere. I completed the transfer this week and both the company and I couldn't be happier with our outlook for the future.

Debtfree is truly empowering!!

Cheers,

DG

[PolkThug]

Originally posted by Jstas
Nobody is going to like it but I sacrifice stuff all the time in the name of a debt-free future. I just wish others around me would make a better effort at achiving that goal.

The CEO at my old job told me "PolkThug, you don't get rich off the money you spend, you get rich off the money you save."*

These words are so true.

Regards,
PolkThug

*actually called me "Toby", but that sounded too boring for this post.

[Ron-P]

Who is Dave Ramsey?

[Willow]

congrats !!

We too are pretty much getting out of debt...when we bought our house..we consolodated all our dumb ass depts....credit cards and store cards........in two more years the only debt we will have is our mortgage....this is why I am not buying new gear, unless it's an absolute steal....we have one credit card now for emergencies and house renovations,,,but it's kept down to a minimal.

What we do as we too find it hard not to splurge we save all our change....all of it...we have 1$ and 2$ coins.....so it all goes into a jar and once a month we use that either for a dinner or one month my wife treats herself and the next I.

It is tough for sure I see you guys buying gear left right and centre and feel geez I wish i could....once debts are paid my wife said you can go nuts paying cash for new gear....after we go on vacation.

During this time we do invest 10% of our salaries for retirment

[Zero]

Congrats John. You're a hard worker and definately deserve the reward you just earned.

[Dennis Gardner]

Dave Ramsey (http://daveramsey.com/)

Dave is a nationwide syndicated talkshow host that puts out a great message on personal responsibility and common sense wealth building methods. He berates credit card companies that encourage spending beyond your means until you're in trouble, then hounding you to death once you can't keep up with the payments.

Some of his thoughts:

1. Drive what you can pay cash for, (it can't be repossessed if you own it)

2. Increase your net worth every month, not your debt.

3. Work finances in marriage out together not seperate.

4. Make a hard budget and work hard to stick to it.

5. Cash is King, if you can't pay cash you can't afford or don't need it.

Just common sense principals that our grandparents lived by, but our society of keeping up with the neighbors has done away with.


Jstas,

Congrats on getting the recognition that you deserve! It is nice to see companies recognize the value you have added to their system. All too often, we put out maximum effort into a company doing what we enjoy only to get little thanks in return.

Nice job,

DG

[Jstas]

Well, I honestly don't talk to these financial gurus because they don't tell me anything I already don't know or don't already do.

My debt problem stems from my schooling. I have debt left over from school because I had piddly little weenie jobs when I was in school and barely made enough to live let alone pay for school. In the past 4 years, the only major debt that I have incurred is my truck and that's because I needed a reliable vehicle. Beyond that, any spending I do is on the AMEX card which is paid in full every month. I don't use any other credit card. So my debt goes down steadily but they problem is that even though the debt is going away, the monthly payments are still the same. So I have to eliminate some of the payments. To do that I either consolidate or pay off. Alot of stuff is less than 4K, some less than 2K. What I can't seem to do is to get my wife to stop running up excessive AMEX and phone bills on buillshit. When that stops, I can pump money into the small bills and eliminate them. I am hoping that within 2 years, I can get my debt paid down to the point where the only debt I have left is my federally subsidised student loan. Then, within 6 months, I will have about 30K available for a down payment on a house.

'Cause if I'm gonna have debt, I want debt that works for me. A mortgage is good debt if you need to have debt. A car payment isn't. So I have a plan and my plan does allow for me to treat myself to something slick every so often...if I stick to that plan. I just have to get everyone else involved to stick to the plan and stop with the BS and crybaby crap.

[Dennis Gardner]

Originally posted by Jstas
I just have to get everyone else involved to stick to the plan and stop with the BS and crybaby crap.

That's the number 3 that I stated. Both parties have to see eye to eye on money matters or one will outspend what the other saves.

It takes alot of work to get 2 people to agree on money.

I've gone broke before trying.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Good luck and have a great Xmas with the newfound respect from your workplace!!

DG