Feeling so much better about finances

OK, so dreams of owning a home this year were put on hold when we learned our credit score was just a little below what it needs to be to get a home loan now a days.  My biggest fear was telling my parents because they'd be disappointed in me that we got in such a place but the conversation went well.  ((Yes, I'm 35 years old and still worry about disappointing my parents.  I don't think that will ever go away.))

We were given advice on what we need to do to raise up our numbers and surprisingly one of them was Jeff needs more credit cards because he only has one.  LOL, I had the problem in my 20's of having too many!  I worked long and hard and got 20K in credit card debt paid off over the last six years but didn't know that closing them once they were paid off also looks bad.  I should have kept some of them open apparently.  I still have four cards, but of those two have been closed because of reaching their limits back when I was making good money, coupled with late payments when I lost my career job (and lost TONS of my income) as we adjusted to life with my *much* smaller income.

I will say, since that time five years ago we have been living virtually credit card free and just paying those down all this time but with very high interest rates and them being at their limit it's taking a long time.  But just knowing I paid off 20K and only have 3K left is such a great feeling.

To get our credit score up, we used what would have been our down payment and paid almost $5k worth of bills.  OMG what a great feeling.  And we have a plan in place to pay off three of my four cards in the next ten months and cut the last remaining card's balance in half.    I checked that plan with our monthly budget....ok let's be honest I had not really made a budget before just winged it and it worked OK but obviously not well enough.  But the plan is in place NOW.  And that is another good feeling.

And we still have enough left over from the bonus for our vacation in May to not fall off the plan.  IDK, to me this is like telling someone about trying to lose weight.  If it's known, you're more accountable.   So here it is people, I'm announcing instead of losing a certain amount of weight - I'm saying I will lose three of my four credit card balances and cut the fourth in half.

If only timing would work out...

Don't you hate when you spend time looking and counting on the calendar?  Darn cycles.

We have three factors at play for the next time we can cycle.
1.  One is that I will be getting a *small* amount of IF coverage from Tar.get starting on April 1st.  ((But I don't yet know if there is a deductible to get out of the way first for it)).
2.  Is our vacation in early May and
3.  Is Jeff being off his vitamins a three week period in February.

We can't cycle next cd1 because it will start before April 1st.   We can't wait for the next cycle because that would put IUI right around when we leave for vacation.  And we have to wait until the entire month of May is finished since 90 days prior is when Jeff was out of his vitamins and we know that's when he has his lowest samples.

I really wish I knew more on the coverage we will be getting because then if we need to get a deductible out of the way we could still cycle in late March/early April because that would cover most of a deductible (if the deductible was $1,000 or so).  But the whole point is using it to pay for it.  IDK.   I hate insurance.

But I am excited that no matter what Mid March is finally here!  Six weeks until our vacation!!  And although  snow is on the ground, spring should be right around the corner.  And we should know in the next few weeks if we'll be house hunting or not.  Lots to look forward too.  Now if only I can get over this horrendous cold.  I thought it was the flu but now I'm thinking it's turning into a sinus infection. Yuck!  And just when we have a busy and fun filled weekend planed.

Friday we are going to a Trivia Contest charity event to benefit the special Olympics.  And Saturday we're supposed to go on a local pub crawl for St. Patricks day.  And Sunday SIL is making corned beef and cabbage and having people over for drinks and hot tub time.  All sounds like fun, if I'm not feeling miserable!