When Scott and I decided to do this challenge we set the goal of paying off $10,000. That would be a little over 1/3 of our total debt. We thought that it would be quite challenging to reach that amount but we wanted a challenge so we set the number high (we are a one income family and $10,000 is about 1/3 of our total annual income).
The beginning of March I put up a piece of graft paper. Each small square represented $10 of debt. I divided it into larger $1,000 squares. I labeled these squares 1-10 (for our $10,000 goal). The paper had two extra squares that I left blank (the magnet is over these extra squares but they were not numbered). Since our goal was $10,000 and knew that would be a stretch so I only numbered ten squares.
Well THREE MONTHS into our challenge we went over the $10,000 mark! Several times in those first few months God provided money for us from unexpected sources.
At the end of our 6 month challenge we have paid off $12438.06! Our entire graph chart is full plus an additional $438! (I know there are a lot of exclamation marks in this post but we are very excited!!)
This is what our chart looks like today at the end of our challenge.
We still have quite a way to go before we are debt free. This challenge has been such an encouragement to us to see the many ways God can provide. We have learned many valuable lessons on frugality and many money saving sacrifices we chose to make have now become habits and no longer seem big sacrifices (although I am very thankful that we were able to find a good deal on internet so I can try blogging again).
Good job, Ruth!! The Lord is so good. Sometimes it is hard to even look back and remember just where every dollar came in from, isn't it? Looking back at what God provides is just an amazing way to see His work in our lives.
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Congrats Ruth! I LOVE the visual aid! I think you are inspiring me!
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