Making Changes

I am a high school English teacher. My husband, Jack, is a high school Algebra teacher. Question of the day: Teachers should always, sometimes or never marry other teachers? Correct answer: ALWAYS. This is the perfect combination, or at least it is for us. Many, many, TOO many of my friends are teachers and are painfully aware of the insulting discouraging pay scale we endure year after year. However, in spite of that there ARE true moments of "THIS-is-why-I-do-it" and it is worth every cent. Or it is for me. But every month, those cents are seemingly disappearing from us at an alarming rate. We both have student loans, credit cards, a mortgage, fluctuating utility bills (#wintersucks), car payments...we have a life, and life costs money.


Some interesting facts my friend posted on his Facebook page today:
1. 80% of Americans have less than one month's income saved up.
2. The average US household credit card debt is $15,600.
3. Students graduating from college average $24,000 in student debt.
4. The average American spends $1200 over the December holiday season- with 25% of that being on a credit card.
5. 7% of Americans will still be trying to pay off 2014 Christmas credit card debt as the add 2015 Christmas debt.


Geez- those facts can really slap you in the face can't they! I'd be lying if I said one or more didn't apply to us. It's no secret that we both work numerous jobs- first and foremost we are teachers. That is 95% of our income. We also work part-time at Opry Mills Mall- me at Gap and Jack at Converse. Jack also gets a stipend for being the Tech Coach at our school, and he gets a small stipend from overseeing the concessions during the basketball season. Now, that sounds like a great set up right? WRONG. We are in debt. Again, we have loans, credit cards, etc., but not only that, we have time debt. All this time we spend at these second jobs are taking away from time with one another, very valuable time with Camden, and this is time that we can never get back. When I am seventy years old and looking back on the things I've done in my life, I don't want to have any regrets or "I-wish-I-would-have's." I don't like those last several days before a paycheck where we are using change from underneath the car floor mats to buy a loaf of bread. Yes, it has happened.


Disgusted.


Fed up.


Sick. And. Tired.


That's what we are. So, we are making a change. A huge change. A REALLY huge change. Jack and I decided that we are going to embark on a journey to become completely debt free in a year. *Deep Breath.*  I am sure you are laughing right now, and that's okay. But we can, and we will do this- just watch us laughing all the way to the bank on February 2, 2016.  Jack and I are joining the world of Advocare. We have amazing team leaders- Brandon and Amanda Forbes, who are from nearby Clarksville, TN. We met with Brandon last night and have hammered out some details. We start this journey today and already are on track to make at least $1000 this month alone. We could be making 5-10 times that in a year. We want to help any and everyone we can along the way. We know far too many people who live paycheck to paycheck. I know many people putting gas, groceries, and daily necessities on a credit card. Heck, WE are those people! We are just like YOU, and you like US. If we can do this, absolutely anyone on this planet can.

I will be starting the Advocare 24-Day Challenge next week. I will be keeping track of my progress, and I can't wait to share the results week by week with everyone. I have to make a few adjustments due to my severe food allergies (tree nuts, peanuts, soy, fruits), so I won't be able to have the meal-replacement shakes, but I am working closely with our leaders to find appropriate, safe substitutes just for me. They are so kind!


Praise God for companies like this! This is not a pyramid scheme like so many others. We will be working part-time on our Advocare business with amazing results. We get our TIME back. We get EACH OTHER. We get our FAMILY. We get our HEALTH. We get to help OTHERS do the same. Sounds like a good deal to me! Are you like us? Are you time-poor? Do  your debts often outweigh your income? Do you like to help others and see them succeed? We have decided that we do. So we are making the change. The permanent change. Debt free in every way- time and money. Ask us how you can be too!