I'm new to MMM. I grew up in a family where going out to eat multiple times a week was common and clothes were bought just because they made you feel/look good. When DH and I got married, he was still in school, so we didn't have a whole lot of extra cash lying around. We set up a budget from the get-go. I had a bit of a hard time adjusting to not eating out very often and not buying clothes unless they were needed. A year into our marriage, we began the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover and began researching investment options. In the 2.5 years that we have been married, we have bought and paid off a used car ($7500), paid off his student loans ( approximately $20,000 ), and started a Roth IRA. The DH discovered this website and began reading the articles and forums and then started to introduce me to the idea of FIRE. I thought it sounded nuts at first, like we were trying to "cheat the system" (the system of working to pay off never-ending debt until you die of exhaustion). The more we've read the site, the more excited I have become about it and the more motivation I find to keep learning and keep growing my "stache." :) In conclusion, I want to brag a bit about a couple of Mustachian things I've done this week.
1) I decided that instead of spending $15+ /per person for new Christmas ornaments at the Hallmark store (which many families, mine included do every year), we would make homemade ornaments each year- this saves money and gives us a nice family bonding activity. :)
2) We're in the process of moving across the country and so are trying to clean out our fridge. Moving day is this upcoming Monday, and by then our fridge will be completely empty. I asked the DH what we were going to do for lunch on Monday (movers should be done around noon or so); I was convinced we were just going to have to grab some food on the road. I had to run to the store tonight to pick up a couple of last minute moving supplies, so I decided to grab a can of chili so we could make nachos right before we leave the apartment and hit the road. Nachos can be made on paper plates in the microwave, so I thought it was a good solution that would let us save money.
These may not be big things, but they are proof that I'm in the process of growing my 'stache and loving it. :)
