30 days away from being broke

MORE than a third of Australians would not survive on their savings for more than a month if they lost their jobs. Debt collection agency Dun and Bradstreet's latest consumer credit survey found many Australians were unprepared for financial hardships associated with redundancies and sackings. The survey examined plans for savings, credit use, spending and debt in the coming three months. Four in 10 people said their savings would last only 30 days if they lost their job, while 38 per cent said they would have to use credit cards to cover household bills and other essential expenses. D&B said the people struggling most were households earning $30,000 to $60,000 a year and aged between 18 and 49. "There is a very large demographic of people who are first home buyers who have taken advantage of the government's first home owners scheme and many of them are feeling quite pressured at the moment," Ms Christian said.

Source

I only have $538 in my emergency fund at the moment so I'd be screwed. I won't lose my job, I work for myself, but if I did have a job to lose, I'd be really trying to get an emergency fund in place.

Listen to me, pah! A few years ago I didnt even know what an emergency fund was, let alone have any money to put towards one.

I'd rather be in debt

than be this person. I find that deplorable for so many reasons.

But, back to me .. I am one payment away from finalising my car loan. I have had this loan since I bought my first car about 20 years ago. Imagine the interest I've paid?! In 20 years I've owned 5 different cars and not paid cash for any of them - always refinanced and added to my original car loan. What a twat.

I'm so excited that I will be able to pay out this car loan next month. You've no idea the satisfaction I will get from telling the bank to close this account and delete my name from their system. I cannot wait to be able to tell them I am making the final payment. What's the bet they ask me if I want some more credit? Man, will they get a mouthful from me if they do ask.

This getting out of debt thing is very empowering.

Of course, I'm not too proud to ask for investors to contribute to the final payment - all offers accepted ;)

Being boring

Ugh .. I'm so bored! Should I be complaining though? At least I'm not trying to control constant drama, I s'pose.

Things have just been rolling along. Working, paying debts, working, paying debts. Very unexciting.

I haven't really had any bumps in the road over the past month. I've been making only the minimum payments for the past two months as work has been a bit slow, but it hasnt caused me any stress or worry.

I haven't purchased anything or increased my credit. Things have just remained the same. I'm having a better year this year with my client load. Last year was really, really tight, but it's slightly better this year.

So .. nothing to report.

40 Goals by 40 Years

I was thinking this morning about my goals. I will reach the BIG 40 soon(ish) but have time to set some goals. The problem is my only goal is to be completely debt free. And I will reach this goal.

I need some others - what are yours?

Car Loan

The other day I had a call from the people who I have my car loan with. They wanted to let me know I was $73.00 past due. I told them to hold the presses - $73.00 past due on a loan that I only have $1,000.00 left to pay!

Cripes, how will they cope!

Slumdog Millionaire

Westpac Bank accidently deposited TEN MILLION DOLLARS into Kara Yang's bank account.

It's a big call to leave everything you know and love and go into hiding. Even for ten million big ones. Knowing that it's highly likely that Westpac will want their money back and that you might go to jail for stealing the money.

Would you do it?

Chk-Chk-Boom

On Sunday 17th May at about 3am, Clare Werbeloff was interviewed by a local news channel.

It made me laugh so much, I just watched it over and over again. Sadly, she made it all up. Which is a real shame, because she was just so natural and real in the clip that although we all thought she was a bogan, we all actually liked her and she could have been set for bigger things, bigger than a Kings Cross Tattoo Parlour at 3am. With the help of the internet, she could have done something really fun with her life.

It did make me stop and think, though, about how the internet can really change a person's life. The people who come directly to my mind are Heather and Karyn. But I'm sure there are many, many stories out there about people who's lives have changed forever because of one moment of serendipity. It's such a fascinating subject - how your life can be one way, but because of one change meeting, one chance event, it can be totally turned on its side.

I love that. I love that when you're plodding along in your life thinking how boring and mundane it all is, there is a slight chance that something magical might happen and your life will be totally changed forever.

I'd love to write a book about this. Or a blog. I can't decide. But I'd definitely like to write stories about people who's lives changed forever because of one chance moment.