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The challenge: to pay off small debt

How do some people go through life living happy, content, debt free, and completely in control of their finances while others are living in a downward spiral of heavy debt, past due notices, and collection agencies calling every day?  The answer is the debt free people have a plan and make it work.  They live life content and not on a spur of the moment whim.  They look for creative ways to save and put away for that rainy day.

Why make the change:

Most Americans are in debt.  A HUGE number in debt. Our creator knew that we should not live in debt….in Proverbs 22:7 says….

The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender

How true is that?  Whenever you “owe” someone money, you are constantly feeling the stress and strain of paying back your lender.  How much better of a scenario to have consistently saved up your money and you are able to pay cash for your purchases.  

How to make the change:

As this is a simple living lifestyle challenge and the main goal is to SIMPLIFY your life, I encourage you to get rid of things.  Have a garage sale, put things up for sale on Ebay, or sell things on Craigslist.  Don’t be adamant about getting a certain price for things, you want to get rid of it, if someone gives you an offer take it.  That money is going to help you better than the item sitting back in your basement.  I grow tired of garage sales with price tags, I have to wonder if the people really want to get rid of the items or if they would rather stuff them back into their basements?!?!

Take all the money that you earned and put it towards paying off a small debt.  If you are living debt free, put it towards an emergency fund or special savings.  The goal is to get rid of things, make some cash and pay off a small debt.  You will feel invigorated and lighter.  Free from that financial burden.  Plus you will rid your household of some unnecessary items.

Let’s say that you are already clutter free in your home and you still want to pay off a small debt, what can you do then?  Maybe work a few extra hours each week and take the money earned and put it directly towards your debt. Become debt free and you can fulfil God’s law…….

Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  Romans 13:8

 

The challenge: to get rid of paper clutter

If you want to live a plainer lifestyle it is going to involve cutting back on things.  One area that can get overwhelming is the paper clutter. Between the junk mail, magazine subscriptions, little notes scribbled to remind you to do something, and paper work from your child’s school, your house can become an overwhelming whirlwind of paper.   It doesn’t have to be this way.

Why make  the change:

Decluttering is a skill that you will learn with more practice just like any skill.  In time you will be able to completely clear off a counter top filled with paper without even hesitating on what to do with each paper.  It will become almost a normal instinct.  In turn this will make your life smoother, and less stressful as you will not always view things drowning in paperwork.

How to make the change:

You are going to start with your pile of papers.

Toss any magazines, in reality you are not going to do anything with them.  If you really wanted to save something, as you are reading it, rip out the recipe, or information and put it where it is needed.

Go through all mail.  Quickly decide if it is junk mail–then pitch it, or a bill–then pay immediately, or something that requires your action—set in a folder specifically used for that.

• Look for ways to reduce your paper clutter.  You can sign up online to stop receiving junk mail in your mailbox.
• Toss any junk mail immediately when receiving it.
• Sign up for electronic bill paying—no paperwork in the mail.
• Keep a filing cabinet for all necessary receipts and important paperwork that must be kept.  Go through this once a year and weed out items that you no longer need.
• Scan items and get rid of your paper trail.
• Take photos of your child’s school and art work.  You can make them a digital book when they get older.

You should set aside a day each week that you take care of your paperwork.  If you are overwhelmingly taken by paper, then do this once a day until it is gone.  If you are caught up then do this once a week.  Whenever paper comes into the house, immediately decide what to do with it.  Get rid of it, file immediately, or take action.

You can do what I did and go paperless for my notepad.  This was something that was the greatest thing I ever made.

Here is a way to manage a large number of people’s paperwork by making clip boards.