I Got Out of Debt

As I drove home tonight, I was seeking inspiration for something to blog about today.   When I turned on the computer, I hit a few popular blogs to see if there was a topic I could put my own spin on.

I realized that some of the most popular bloggers out there are IN debt.  They are TRYING to get out of debt.  They are great at telling you how to scale down, how to save money, how to spend less, need less, get by with less.

I have to tell you, I can do that.  I know how to do that.  I DID that.  I can tell you 50 great ways to serve Ramen noodles and I can tell you all the things you don't need to buy.  I can share with you why vinegar and baking soda are the only cleaning supplies you need and how to mooch free vegetables from your friends with gardens.

I did all that, and I got out of debt.

I don't want to be that person anymore.

I read these articles about the "extreme couponers"  (I can't watch the show, since I don't have cable...perhaps I should hulu it?)  And I don't want that to be my life.   I LOVE saving money. I think it's worth it to take the time to look at the ads.  I think coupons are helpful in sticking to a budget, and I LOVE it when my grocery receipt tells me that I saved 50% of my bill.  But I don't want to spend my time searching for ads, I don't want to be forced to buy only what I have coupons for, and I don't want to travel to every store in the metro to get the best deal on every item.

Today for lunch I had a tuna fish sandwich.  I bought the tuna on sale, and had it on the uber-cheap bakery rolls that I bought on a Sunday from the bargain we-have-to-sell-these-today-or-throw-them-away bin.  And I topped that sandwich with thick slices of pickles.  The expensive, always refrigerated pickles.

I didn't follow the rules I learned digging out of extreme debt. I didn't run out for $10 lunch (probably a tuna sandwich someone else makes), either. 

So what I thought about today wasn't really a blog topic, it was a reminder of why I want to write a blog.  To share where I am now, to talk to others like me (who all seem to be a little bit envious or emulative of previous generations), who aren't in Extreme Debt.  People who don't need to know 75 uses for their pantyhose after they get a run.

This is the sustainable budget blog, I think.

And I like that.