I've talked about the bottom-line reason for us to be living this life out on the road: to pay off our debt from credit cards and student loans. To date, we have paid off around $100,000 in debt. We still have three student loans to go, but we are very pleased with our progress thus far!
As part of the next phase of life we are working toward, we are "pressing pause" on our debt snowball. I had mentioned in A Different Diagnosis that we need to get off the road as soon as possible. In order to do that, we need some savings to fund the transfer of what comes next. So, all of the mileage that has paid us starting in December through now, and through our next few weeks on the road, all of those miles are going straight to savings. We are preparing for early-to-mid February as our departure from the truck.
We have things lined up for us to move to Bismarck, North Dakota. Bismarck you say? Yes, Bismarck. As in it's-really-cold-and-no-one-lives-in-North-Dakota Bismarck. If you've paid any attention to the news lately of oil fields (projected 15-20 year boom) and low unemployment (current rate of 3.5%, in the last 20 years it has been less than 5%) in the state, then you understand part of our reasoning. We've done extensive research, applied for jobs (just waiting for a break in the weather for the ground to thaw to start work), secured an apartment and are ready for the move. We plan to stay located in Bismarck, though the oil fields are in the northwest corner of the state (and solo drivers can earn $100,000/year!), as our plan is to achieve conception as soon as possible. As there is not much more than oil in the northwest of ND, we want to be close to amenities to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.
There is a very small, very slight chance that we will "scrap the plan" of moving to Bismarck and stay in Bend. The possibility of work there is slim, but we are staying open to that. We love Bend and would love to stay, but when we started making these plans, there was a lot of instability in what could come there. So, we will see what happens! But, as for now, our plan is to head east to Bismarck!
Showing posts with label Debt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Debt. Show all posts
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Reflections
Discussing our future is a daily occurrence for Ben and I. We have truly enjoyed these past 2+ years on the road, but the "honeymoon" of trucking is definitely over. We have logged close to 500,000 miles, traveled to 46 of the 48 continental United States, visited friends and family numerous times, but we are ready for Part II of married life.
It has long been a desire of ours to work for the Church in some fashion, and we hope and pray an opportunity will present itself to us that will allow for service to the Lord as well as provision for our earthly needs. We have realized these past 2+ years just how important it is to be involved in a faith community as well; we miss parish life and daily Mass!
A frequent dialogue we often share is also about children. We certainly pray for the expansion of our family and are eager to journey into parenthood. Being pregnant and raising a newborn in a truck are just simply not an option, so that is extra motivation to get off the road (no, Mom, we're not pregnant yet).
Our debt snowball has really gained some footing and we are 4/7 of the way through our student loan debt (we paid off all credit cards and vehicle loans in 2010). There are only 3 loans left, but they are big and will take some time. At our current rate, we should have #5 paid off by Christmas, #6 paid off by May 2011 or so, and then #7 paid off no later than next Christmas. We are putting a large amount of $$ aside into these debt payments each month, but it feels like we're slowly going nowhere because the amounts are so big. But--slowly we keep trucking and will reach our goal!
Checking Indeed.com and Craigslist daily bring up various job opportunities or at least ideas into our minds. Recently, we found a posting for a resort couple; one part grounds-keeping, maintenance, etc., one part hospitality, housekeeping, reservations and running the retail store. On a whim (and certainly influenced by our desire to cease nomadic lifestyle!), we contacted the owner who then requested we send our resumes. We were then called back for an interview, which will happen this weekend on our hometime. A lot of factors have to be just-right if we will even be offered and then take the position, but this small journey has been incredibly motivating. Taking this step, even if it leads to nowhere, is a good step in the right direction to help us in getting off the road.
Acting as driver recruiters has dried up quite a bit; the recruiter we were working with always seems too busy to make contact with the folks we pass her way. That coupled with just plain being burned-out with all the energy and effort it takes to make the contacts and follow-ups and not receiving even so much as a call back from so folks, we've put recruiting on the back shelf. But--a driver we contacted 9 months ago finally made the move and we received the bonus last week! And this week, we snagged another new-comer and will receive that bonus next week! Every little bit counts and helps us get closer to our goal!
This past Sunday, we were passing through the St. Louis area and were able to stop at "our favorite truck stop", aka Sarah Swaykus' house. She is a friend of ours from grad school and has always been so gracious in having us over when we have the time! We went to Sunday Mass, had a delicious brunch and eventually went to St. Nicholas' Greek Festival at a parish in St. Louis before heading to Ted Drewe's for some world-class frozen custard. A culinary delight filled with lamb kabobs, gyros, Greek salad, spanakopitas and then frozen custard (not Greek). We also took a mini-tour of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis (what a magnificent structure! It has over 41 million pieces of mosaic tile and is awe-inspiring! If you are ever in St. Louis and have time, you must check this beautiful holy place!). All in all, it was a fantastic day. Thanks, Sarah (and Becky and Karen and Amanda)!
Present location: Dallas, TX area (we've been here since Monday evening, and are scheduled to be home in Bend tomorrow. Do the math...it's not happening :-( )
Direction headed: Home! That is, if our next load doesn't cancel on us like the last two did to get us there!
Miles last week: 5600-ish
Have a blessed week, readers!
It has long been a desire of ours to work for the Church in some fashion, and we hope and pray an opportunity will present itself to us that will allow for service to the Lord as well as provision for our earthly needs. We have realized these past 2+ years just how important it is to be involved in a faith community as well; we miss parish life and daily Mass!
A frequent dialogue we often share is also about children. We certainly pray for the expansion of our family and are eager to journey into parenthood. Being pregnant and raising a newborn in a truck are just simply not an option, so that is extra motivation to get off the road (no, Mom, we're not pregnant yet).
Our debt snowball has really gained some footing and we are 4/7 of the way through our student loan debt (we paid off all credit cards and vehicle loans in 2010). There are only 3 loans left, but they are big and will take some time. At our current rate, we should have #5 paid off by Christmas, #6 paid off by May 2011 or so, and then #7 paid off no later than next Christmas. We are putting a large amount of $$ aside into these debt payments each month, but it feels like we're slowly going nowhere because the amounts are so big. But--slowly we keep trucking and will reach our goal!
Checking Indeed.com and Craigslist daily bring up various job opportunities or at least ideas into our minds. Recently, we found a posting for a resort couple; one part grounds-keeping, maintenance, etc., one part hospitality, housekeeping, reservations and running the retail store. On a whim (and certainly influenced by our desire to cease nomadic lifestyle!), we contacted the owner who then requested we send our resumes. We were then called back for an interview, which will happen this weekend on our hometime. A lot of factors have to be just-right if we will even be offered and then take the position, but this small journey has been incredibly motivating. Taking this step, even if it leads to nowhere, is a good step in the right direction to help us in getting off the road.
Acting as driver recruiters has dried up quite a bit; the recruiter we were working with always seems too busy to make contact with the folks we pass her way. That coupled with just plain being burned-out with all the energy and effort it takes to make the contacts and follow-ups and not receiving even so much as a call back from so folks, we've put recruiting on the back shelf. But--a driver we contacted 9 months ago finally made the move and we received the bonus last week! And this week, we snagged another new-comer and will receive that bonus next week! Every little bit counts and helps us get closer to our goal!
This past Sunday, we were passing through the St. Louis area and were able to stop at "our favorite truck stop", aka Sarah Swaykus' house. She is a friend of ours from grad school and has always been so gracious in having us over when we have the time! We went to Sunday Mass, had a delicious brunch and eventually went to St. Nicholas' Greek Festival at a parish in St. Louis before heading to Ted Drewe's for some world-class frozen custard. A culinary delight filled with lamb kabobs, gyros, Greek salad, spanakopitas and then frozen custard (not Greek). We also took a mini-tour of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis (what a magnificent structure! It has over 41 million pieces of mosaic tile and is awe-inspiring! If you are ever in St. Louis and have time, you must check this beautiful holy place!). All in all, it was a fantastic day. Thanks, Sarah (and Becky and Karen and Amanda)!
Present location: Dallas, TX area (we've been here since Monday evening, and are scheduled to be home in Bend tomorrow. Do the math...it's not happening :-( )
Direction headed: Home! That is, if our next load doesn't cancel on us like the last two did to get us there!
Miles last week: 5600-ish
Have a blessed week, readers!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Dedicated, Part Two
Our dedication to finishing our “debt snowball”: Ben and I are both dedicated to finishing our goal of paying off all of our debt (just the student loans left!), but that hole is big and our shovel seems so small. Paying off our credit cards was a great feeling, but almost anti-climactic, knowing that we have so much more to go yet.
We are also starting to really feel the wear of trucking on our minds, bodies and spirits. It is safe to say that the honeymoon period of trucking is over (at least it lasted 18 months). Life on the road has certainly been an adventure for us, but we are ready to begin the next chapter in the book of our lives—a chapter of life off the road.
But—we are dedicated.
Having this time on the road and not in a “regular” job has also been beneficial for our masters degrees. I took my comprehensive exams last April to finish my degree in theology, and Ben continues to work on his philosophy thesis. Time on the road gives him the availability to just think and philosophize and then when we get on our hometime, he puts his mind to keyboard and pounds out his edits and conceptualizes his thesis more and more. Finishing the degrees was also a huge goal we wanted to accomplish by being on the road, and that we are still dedicated to.
We are still dedicated to the task of driver recruiting as well. If we continue to recruit successfully, every little bit will help us with our debt. At our rate, we figure we'll be at this trucking endeavor for about another year. Then—and we really look forward to then—we can start looking at our options off the road. Getting rid of the debt is a big key to that though; not having monthly debt payments opens up the work/salary possibilities.
Please keep us in your prayers—that we may persevere and accomplish the tasks at hand, all while staying safe on the road! Thanks!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
An Early Christmas Present
What a week we've had!
We've been blessed to attend Mass both the third and fourth Sundays of Advent (thanks, Ray and Mindy!), we've had a great week of miles (a 3000 mile load from Los Angeles to Philadelphia started us off), we're no longer using paper logs (I promise I will dedicate an entire post soon on the ins and outs of logging), at the end of the week we'll be spending Christmas with both of our families, and...
THREE recruiting bonuses will be on our paycheck this Friday, right in time for Christmas, and right in time for us to pay off our LAST credit card! The bonus money is enough that we may even be able to pay off my smallest student loan, all before January 1st! That puts our total debt to date paid of at around $48,000. We truly began paying off our debt in February, so 11 total months so far of paying off our debts equaling $48K is pretty darned AWESOME!
It certainly was slow-going at first, but paying off the smallest debt and getting that monthly payment out of the way really made the next debt easier, and the next and so on. And now, we are completely credit card FREE!
Student loans come next...and boy are there a lot. Ben's undergraduate degree was paid for by the religious community he was part of for 4 years, but his graduate degree, my graduate degree as well as my undergraduate degree are all on the docket for getting paid off. Currently all but two of the loans are in forbearance, which was necessary in order for us to get traction on paying off our truck, car, and credit card debt. The two that are not in forbearance will be the first to get paid off, which will be completed by the end of January. The loans in forbearance will become active again in March, so we'll have the minimum monthly payments start up then, but with all of the other debt gone, we'll be able to throw all extra income after our general monthly expenses at the smallest loan first until the last one is gone. Every day we're getting closer!
Current location: St. Peters, MO (a suburb of St. Louis), making Christmas cookies with Sarah Swaykus
Next load: pick-up in Effingham, IL and drop in Irving, TX (Dallas area)
Miles this week: 5000ish
Things to look for in our next posts: our newfound fascination with jump-roping, and command central inside our truck
We've been blessed to attend Mass both the third and fourth Sundays of Advent (thanks, Ray and Mindy!), we've had a great week of miles (a 3000 mile load from Los Angeles to Philadelphia started us off), we're no longer using paper logs (I promise I will dedicate an entire post soon on the ins and outs of logging), at the end of the week we'll be spending Christmas with both of our families, and...
THREE recruiting bonuses will be on our paycheck this Friday, right in time for Christmas, and right in time for us to pay off our LAST credit card! The bonus money is enough that we may even be able to pay off my smallest student loan, all before January 1st! That puts our total debt to date paid of at around $48,000. We truly began paying off our debt in February, so 11 total months so far of paying off our debts equaling $48K is pretty darned AWESOME!
It certainly was slow-going at first, but paying off the smallest debt and getting that monthly payment out of the way really made the next debt easier, and the next and so on. And now, we are completely credit card FREE!
Student loans come next...and boy are there a lot. Ben's undergraduate degree was paid for by the religious community he was part of for 4 years, but his graduate degree, my graduate degree as well as my undergraduate degree are all on the docket for getting paid off. Currently all but two of the loans are in forbearance, which was necessary in order for us to get traction on paying off our truck, car, and credit card debt. The two that are not in forbearance will be the first to get paid off, which will be completed by the end of January. The loans in forbearance will become active again in March, so we'll have the minimum monthly payments start up then, but with all of the other debt gone, we'll be able to throw all extra income after our general monthly expenses at the smallest loan first until the last one is gone. Every day we're getting closer!
Current location: St. Peters, MO (a suburb of St. Louis), making Christmas cookies with Sarah Swaykus
Next load: pick-up in Effingham, IL and drop in Irving, TX (Dallas area)
Miles this week: 5000ish
Things to look for in our next posts: our newfound fascination with jump-roping, and command central inside our truck
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Only One More Left!
We are so excited--we just paid down our second last credit card and now only have one more credit card left before we start on our student loans! This card had the final balance of the farmhouse renovation costs; Tani had paid us in full (monthly reimbursement installments) over the course of a year once we finished the work, but as we had a time period of no income for a while, and very little once we started trucking, we used that small monthly amount to live on. In the past 6 weeks though, we've paid the card off entirely!
Yesterday we started calling up those accounts we've paid in full to close them (and redeem our "rewards" points for restaurant gift cards). They didn't understand why we'd want to close them! *gasp* "But--what if you have an emergency?!" Our response: "Well, ma'am, that's what our emergency fund is for. We are not going in to any more debt!"
Hopefully by Christmastime we'll have the last credit card paid off; the second installment of our sign-on bonus and possible recruiting bonuses should help a lot with that!
Yesterday we started calling up those accounts we've paid in full to close them (and redeem our "rewards" points for restaurant gift cards). They didn't understand why we'd want to close them! *gasp* "But--what if you have an emergency?!" Our response: "Well, ma'am, that's what our emergency fund is for. We are not going in to any more debt!"
Hopefully by Christmastime we'll have the last credit card paid off; the second installment of our sign-on bonus and possible recruiting bonuses should help a lot with that!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
A Mixed Blessing
Bend has a Bed Bath & Beyond store that Ben and I like to frequent, partly because they send out promo 20% off coupons in the mail, as well as other good deals. Presently we're using them to beef up our cast iron collection of cookware. Last time we were home was no exception—we were set to get a cast iron bacon press to use with our newly seasoned 9” cast iron skillet.
So, Ben had several errands to run one day—BB&B being one of them—and as he pulled into the parking lot, an elderly woman was backing out of her parking space and backed straight into the side panel of our Dodge Ram. To make a long story short, the accident was ruled 50/50 by both ours and her insurance, and an claims adjuster/appraiser came to assess the damage on our truck.
---Ben and I bought this truck about a month before our wedding for a smoking hot price of $2950. It has some miles on it, a few rust spots on the underside, and paint fades here and there, but it's a great 4WD manual truck that got us through 6 months of renovation and a move across the country hauling a U-haul trailer. Prior to our cross-country move, we put about $1000 worth of work into the engine to make sure everything was sound, as well as new all-terrain tires. Add it all up, and our total investment to date has been little more than $4000, all paid for.---
Back to the insurance claim: the damage caused was deemed a total loss for the vehicle. No big deal—we'll get a check in the mail from her insurance company for settlement on the truck, the truck's title will have to branded, and we of course have the huge dent. But—here's the great blessing from this unfortunate incident: the appraiser valued the vehicle at $4600 and adjusted a bit off of that price due to the high mileage, rust and faded spots. The grand settlement total then comes to $3964.21. Not bad for a paid-for truck that we get to keep, huh?
The truck still runs fine—it's getting older, though, and now with the dent, it has gained “beater” status. We plan to continue using it, dent and all. And the check? I bet you can guess where that money is going—straight towards the debt!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Five Down, Three to Go
We've paid off a couple more debts in the last month; the first installment of our $5000 sign-on bonus came in mighty handy for them! Both were credit cards; one was Ben's truck school tuition, and the other was full of miscellaneous living expenses from when we were jobless for 3 months last summer before getting hired on with CRST. Our total debt paid off to date is roughly $20,000.
We have three credit card debts left, with the goal of the first being paid off by the end of September, the second by the middle of November, and the last by Christmas. Come January 2011, we're going to begin tackling the last of our debt: the dreaded student loans. That should take us right at a year to accomplish.
I must say, it sucks that we have as much debt as we do, but working the "debt snowball", as Dave Ramsey has termed it, is so motivating and encouraging. We are losing a huge amount of debt-weight every time we make a payment and eventually bring our balances down to zero. Debt-free is the way to live!
Dave Ramsey mentions at least once a week the Biblical principles for not being in debt: the borrower is a slave to the lender. A few weeks ago, I was listening to daily Mass when the Gospel reading was the story of the servant who had an extreme amount of debt to his master. The master threatened to sell the servant, his wife and all his possessions, but the servant pleaded with the master for mercy on the debt. The master did in fact have mercy, and forgave him the debt, only to later find that the servant would not have mercy on a fellow servant who owed him a much smaller amount. The master took matters into his own hands then, casting the unforgiving servant into prison until all his debt was paid.
The obvious moral of the story is to forgive; Jesus told this parable to Peter after he asked, "Lord, how many times should I forgive? Seven times?" Jesus replied, "Seventy times seven", then told the parable. With my own view of debt changed, I see a much deeper moral to be learned from this story beyond merciful forgiveness. Having debt is perilous; your life can be taken from you, your spouse can be taken from you, your possessions can be taken from you if you are unable to pay your debts. This is how people lose their cars, homes, furniture, etc., because of debt they couldn't pay. How do you get around this? Just don't go into debt!
We have three credit card debts left, with the goal of the first being paid off by the end of September, the second by the middle of November, and the last by Christmas. Come January 2011, we're going to begin tackling the last of our debt: the dreaded student loans. That should take us right at a year to accomplish.
I must say, it sucks that we have as much debt as we do, but working the "debt snowball", as Dave Ramsey has termed it, is so motivating and encouraging. We are losing a huge amount of debt-weight every time we make a payment and eventually bring our balances down to zero. Debt-free is the way to live!
Dave Ramsey mentions at least once a week the Biblical principles for not being in debt: the borrower is a slave to the lender. A few weeks ago, I was listening to daily Mass when the Gospel reading was the story of the servant who had an extreme amount of debt to his master. The master threatened to sell the servant, his wife and all his possessions, but the servant pleaded with the master for mercy on the debt. The master did in fact have mercy, and forgave him the debt, only to later find that the servant would not have mercy on a fellow servant who owed him a much smaller amount. The master took matters into his own hands then, casting the unforgiving servant into prison until all his debt was paid.
The obvious moral of the story is to forgive; Jesus told this parable to Peter after he asked, "Lord, how many times should I forgive? Seven times?" Jesus replied, "Seventy times seven", then told the parable. With my own view of debt changed, I see a much deeper moral to be learned from this story beyond merciful forgiveness. Having debt is perilous; your life can be taken from you, your spouse can be taken from you, your possessions can be taken from you if you are unable to pay your debts. This is how people lose their cars, homes, furniture, etc., because of debt they couldn't pay. How do you get around this? Just don't go into debt!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The Sluggish Blogger...
Hello readers: I have not forgotten the blog! I've just not been in any place with free wifi long enough to write a post! We cancelled the "tethering" feature of my Blackberry to the laptop, and my thumbs are just not up for posting on a 3" screen. I've got a few minutes here at a rest area in Texas, so what you have to look forward to in the next blog posts (once we make it to our hometime in Bend) include:
1. two more debts (equaling about $6500) have been paid down
2. the truck-stop shower experience
3. how we get paid for our loads
4. the unassuming wild animal spectacle at another Texas rest stop
I look forward to posting all of these as well as some pictures of our recent adventures...til then, keep our safety in travel in your prayers!
God bless,
deb
1. two more debts (equaling about $6500) have been paid down
2. the truck-stop shower experience
3. how we get paid for our loads
4. the unassuming wild animal spectacle at another Texas rest stop
I look forward to posting all of these as well as some pictures of our recent adventures...til then, keep our safety in travel in your prayers!
God bless,
deb
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Independence Day
Okay, I know it's been two weeks since the 4th of July, but life has kept us a little busy! We had a fabulous home-time over the holiday weekend, complete with watching fireworks shot off of Pilot Butte. Add to that a few nights out with friends, a killer hike (which included drinking fresh spring water and wading through a river, knee-deep), and you've got one great weekend!
The 4th of July/Independence Day are coming to have a bit more meaning to Ben and I though: last year, we left Bend on July 4 to start our training with our old company in the Los Angeles area. One year later, we have moved up and on to our new company and are growing closer to our goal of being debt-free every day. According to our calculations, we will need to drive truck just two more years--until July 4, 2012--to complete paying off our debt and to save a small nest egg. It is a terribly exciting feeling knowing that in just those two short years, we will be financially free! Independent of owing anyone money (except for rent, utilities, the basics)! Continuing to listen to the Dave Ramsey Show three hours a day has been motivating, and we look forward to being the happy couple calling in to say "We're debt-free!"
Present location: Olive Branch, MS (at the terminal, taking advantage of free wifi, and free laundry)--we will be heading to Columbus, OH from here, then to Atlanta, GA
Miles this week: 5100
Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone!
God bless,
deb
The 4th of July/Independence Day are coming to have a bit more meaning to Ben and I though: last year, we left Bend on July 4 to start our training with our old company in the Los Angeles area. One year later, we have moved up and on to our new company and are growing closer to our goal of being debt-free every day. According to our calculations, we will need to drive truck just two more years--until July 4, 2012--to complete paying off our debt and to save a small nest egg. It is a terribly exciting feeling knowing that in just those two short years, we will be financially free! Independent of owing anyone money (except for rent, utilities, the basics)! Continuing to listen to the Dave Ramsey Show three hours a day has been motivating, and we look forward to being the happy couple calling in to say "We're debt-free!"
Present location: Olive Branch, MS (at the terminal, taking advantage of free wifi, and free laundry)--we will be heading to Columbus, OH from here, then to Atlanta, GA
Miles this week: 5100
Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone!
God bless,
deb
Friday, June 25, 2010
...and another one's gone!
We are pleased to once again report that we have paid off yet another debt! This one belonged to a real estate course Ben took a few years ago. The information learned was quite valuable--as the cost was expensive--but we are happy to kick this debt to the curb!
To date, since we've been ahead enough to pay off our debt (roughly February of this year), we've paid off close to $14,000, some of which was taxes due. The bulk, though, of our payoffs, has come since we switched trucking companies and saw the huge increase in pay. We feel so blessed and fortunate to have been hired on with the new company, making our goal of being debt-free closer. Our next debt will be taken care of within 3 weeks!
Present location: somewhere in western Iowa, on our way to the Denver area
Mileage this week: 6571 (a GREAT week!)
I'll try to give another update in the next few days about our visit with fellow truck school alum Russ, our exercise endeavors, and more terminal visits (we have been impressed!). Until then, have a beautiful Friday and weekend!
God bless you,
deb
P.S. A HUGE shout-out and thank you to Jennifer, for designing the header of our blog. We love it! Check her out at doxologydesign.com !!
To date, since we've been ahead enough to pay off our debt (roughly February of this year), we've paid off close to $14,000, some of which was taxes due. The bulk, though, of our payoffs, has come since we switched trucking companies and saw the huge increase in pay. We feel so blessed and fortunate to have been hired on with the new company, making our goal of being debt-free closer. Our next debt will be taken care of within 3 weeks!
Present location: somewhere in western Iowa, on our way to the Denver area
Mileage this week: 6571 (a GREAT week!)
I'll try to give another update in the next few days about our visit with fellow truck school alum Russ, our exercise endeavors, and more terminal visits (we have been impressed!). Until then, have a beautiful Friday and weekend!
God bless you,
deb
P.S. A HUGE shout-out and thank you to Jennifer, for designing the header of our blog. We love it! Check her out at doxologydesign.com !!
Friday, June 4, 2010
Another One Bites The Dust!
We are happy to report that we have paid off yet another debt...this one was a while in the making because taxes this year set us back a bit, but we are another one down! This time we paid off the car; the VW Jetta is now ours, not the banks! It will be nice to not have that extra $200+ payment each month--that money will now go to our next smallest debt, which we should get paid off within 3 weeks or so, depending on how good our mileage is. We're getting closer to our goal of being debt-free, one debt at a time!
Present location: San Jose, CA (to Tempe, AZ to Memphis, TN)...it is 84 degrees here!
Miles this week: this load will have us at 2780 miles by Monday morning
Have a great weekend, everyone!
God bless,
deb & ben
Present location: San Jose, CA (to Tempe, AZ to Memphis, TN)...it is 84 degrees here!
Miles this week: this load will have us at 2780 miles by Monday morning
Have a great weekend, everyone!
God bless,
deb & ben
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Two Weeks Notice
At last, I now have the time to deliver the good news!
It's been our plan ever since we first started trucking with our current company, to move on to another better-paying company when the time is right, and the time is finally right!
About three weeks ago when we were "stranded" in the Seattle area for 3 days straight waiting on a load, waiting on our home time, and with no entertainment options, Deb and I began to get antsy. We decided it was best to start calling some different trucking companies that we were interested in to see what they had to offer. Of those which we called, many we had spoken to before, several months prior, but we decided it would be a good effort to call again and see if anything had changed since we last spoke.
Of those former contacts, one proved to be particularly desirable, which hadn't been when we previously spoke. As I spoke with the recruiter, I was informed that certified and experienced team hazmat drivers were being offered a $5000 sign-on bonus and a starting pay of 48 cents per mile (cpm), which is more than one-and-a-half times what we are currently making. This is surprisingly and fantastic good news; it is like earning overtime pay for all the work we are currently doing. To say the least, Deb and I were very excited!
However, this opportunity did provide itself with one small obstacle to overcome: for our hiring area, this company required that we live within 50 miles of the I-5 corridor. We presently live within 100+ miles. So, as I spoke with the recruiter and she informed me of this news, she said that they initially wouldn't be able to take us on, unless we moved closer to the I-5, something that neither Deb nor I had any desire to do. But, as she spoke with me further, she encouraged us to still fill out an application and see what would happen, that maybe they would allow for an exception.
We submitted our application and waited several days to hear back from her, which we eventually did. She informed us that they would not take us on with us living in our present location. She informed us of this via email, and to say the least, Deb and I were quite disappointed. Nonetheless, we did not want to lose this opportunity, and still not wanting to move, I decided to call the recruiter and ask her if we could work out some sort of deal. I offered to them to waive the $5000 sign-on bonus or to decrease our starting cpm by a few cents, or to have us leave the truck and trailer somewhere along the I-5 and have us commute, or we would be willing to cover the cost of fuel to cover the extra distance in that commute (because their preference is that we take the truck/trailer back home with us)...pretty much anything and everything. Apparently my eagerness to come up with some deal that would be mutually beneficial, the recruiter decided that she would talk with her supervisor again and see if she couldn't make it work.
So, we waited a couple more days.
Then on one early morning as I was driving west on I-80 in Nebraska, I decided to give the recruiter a call to see where things stand. She simply informed me that they were willing to make an exception for us, and that they would take us on as is. To say the least, I was sitting on cloud nine! I was not simply tickled pink, because they were accepting us and taking us on, but also because a few years ago I never would have attempted to negotiate a deal. I would have simply and quietly accepted what they had to say and looked elsewhere. Acquiring this job is in some sense a great achievement that I'm thankfully proud of!
We've already submitted our two-week notice to our current company and have decided that the best time to make this switchover is while Deb is taking her comps back in Steubenville, OH. Our new company, US Xpress, has a terminal and orientation site located in west-central Ohio, Springfield, OH, and so this just made good sense to have the switchover during this time. It also provides the opportunity to visit with Deb's family for a couple of days. We'll have three days of orientation beginning on April 21st, then hopefully by week's end we'll have ourselves a new job (we're not technically hired on until we complete the orientation, until the company is satisfied with our performance), a new truck, and a considerably new income.
We were always hoping to make money this good in the trucking industry, but in many ways this is a goal fully come true. This is top of the market money, and most companies that we spoke with topped out at only 42-44cpm. So, we're making almost $12,000 more a year with this company than with other places. As we've spoken with other friends in the trucking industry, they are known to be a reputable company, quite large, and well-maintained. We are looking forward to this new adventure!
This money is as good as we could have possibly hoped for, and it is sooner than expected, and so we should hopefully be able to pay down our debt, establish a financial base and nest egg, in less time than originally planned. As Deb likes to bring up, we should be debt-free by her 30th birthday, and on our way to a new life of both business and employment opportunities.
Please keep us in your prayers and may this note find you especially well during this Easter Triduum. May God be praised for His love and goodness to us!
Peace of the Risen Lord,
Ben & Deb
P.S. A 48cpm pay and near 240,000 miles a year equates to a salary of $115,000. That's pretty decent money for 4 weeks of school training, 9 months of experience, and $10,000 to cover the cost of schooling.
It's been our plan ever since we first started trucking with our current company, to move on to another better-paying company when the time is right, and the time is finally right!
About three weeks ago when we were "stranded" in the Seattle area for 3 days straight waiting on a load, waiting on our home time, and with no entertainment options, Deb and I began to get antsy. We decided it was best to start calling some different trucking companies that we were interested in to see what they had to offer. Of those which we called, many we had spoken to before, several months prior, but we decided it would be a good effort to call again and see if anything had changed since we last spoke.
Of those former contacts, one proved to be particularly desirable, which hadn't been when we previously spoke. As I spoke with the recruiter, I was informed that certified and experienced team hazmat drivers were being offered a $5000 sign-on bonus and a starting pay of 48 cents per mile (cpm), which is more than one-and-a-half times what we are currently making. This is surprisingly and fantastic good news; it is like earning overtime pay for all the work we are currently doing. To say the least, Deb and I were very excited!
However, this opportunity did provide itself with one small obstacle to overcome: for our hiring area, this company required that we live within 50 miles of the I-5 corridor. We presently live within 100+ miles. So, as I spoke with the recruiter and she informed me of this news, she said that they initially wouldn't be able to take us on, unless we moved closer to the I-5, something that neither Deb nor I had any desire to do. But, as she spoke with me further, she encouraged us to still fill out an application and see what would happen, that maybe they would allow for an exception.
We submitted our application and waited several days to hear back from her, which we eventually did. She informed us that they would not take us on with us living in our present location. She informed us of this via email, and to say the least, Deb and I were quite disappointed. Nonetheless, we did not want to lose this opportunity, and still not wanting to move, I decided to call the recruiter and ask her if we could work out some sort of deal. I offered to them to waive the $5000 sign-on bonus or to decrease our starting cpm by a few cents, or to have us leave the truck and trailer somewhere along the I-5 and have us commute, or we would be willing to cover the cost of fuel to cover the extra distance in that commute (because their preference is that we take the truck/trailer back home with us)...pretty much anything and everything. Apparently my eagerness to come up with some deal that would be mutually beneficial, the recruiter decided that she would talk with her supervisor again and see if she couldn't make it work.
So, we waited a couple more days.
Then on one early morning as I was driving west on I-80 in Nebraska, I decided to give the recruiter a call to see where things stand. She simply informed me that they were willing to make an exception for us, and that they would take us on as is. To say the least, I was sitting on cloud nine! I was not simply tickled pink, because they were accepting us and taking us on, but also because a few years ago I never would have attempted to negotiate a deal. I would have simply and quietly accepted what they had to say and looked elsewhere. Acquiring this job is in some sense a great achievement that I'm thankfully proud of!
We've already submitted our two-week notice to our current company and have decided that the best time to make this switchover is while Deb is taking her comps back in Steubenville, OH. Our new company, US Xpress, has a terminal and orientation site located in west-central Ohio, Springfield, OH, and so this just made good sense to have the switchover during this time. It also provides the opportunity to visit with Deb's family for a couple of days. We'll have three days of orientation beginning on April 21st, then hopefully by week's end we'll have ourselves a new job (we're not technically hired on until we complete the orientation, until the company is satisfied with our performance), a new truck, and a considerably new income.
We were always hoping to make money this good in the trucking industry, but in many ways this is a goal fully come true. This is top of the market money, and most companies that we spoke with topped out at only 42-44cpm. So, we're making almost $12,000 more a year with this company than with other places. As we've spoken with other friends in the trucking industry, they are known to be a reputable company, quite large, and well-maintained. We are looking forward to this new adventure!
This money is as good as we could have possibly hoped for, and it is sooner than expected, and so we should hopefully be able to pay down our debt, establish a financial base and nest egg, in less time than originally planned. As Deb likes to bring up, we should be debt-free by her 30th birthday, and on our way to a new life of both business and employment opportunities.
Please keep us in your prayers and may this note find you especially well during this Easter Triduum. May God be praised for His love and goodness to us!
Peace of the Risen Lord,
Ben & Deb
P.S. A 48cpm pay and near 240,000 miles a year equates to a salary of $115,000. That's pretty decent money for 4 weeks of school training, 9 months of experience, and $10,000 to cover the cost of schooling.
Monday, March 8, 2010
What We Listen To
Ben's trainer, Herb, was a very generous guy. He bought most of Ben's meals during their time together, and at the end of the training period, as he did with all of his trainees, Herb gifted Ben. He had recently updated his personal XM/Sirius Radio device, and gave Ben his gently used device, as he no longer needed it. And thus, enter into a whole different aspect of being on the road.
If any of you readers have XM, you know how enjoyable it can be to have virtually unlimited channels to unlimited genres of music, talk radio, sports radio, etc. For a small fortune of lifetime membership, we are able to enjoy all of these things and more! Ben had listened to XM every day in training, while my trainer's (old) truck didn't even have a cd player (a month without Bebo is hard), so I didn't much listen to anything. It took a little convincing on Ben's part, then, for us to agree to the subscription. It has made a world of difference in our spiritual lives, in knowledge of current events, of financial savvy-ness, and general mental health of not going crazy listening only to the lull of a diesel engine.
At first, I simply listened to Prime Country for 2 weeks straight and took a walk down memory lane with country hits from the 80s and 90s. Then I discovered the bluegrass channel, pops at the opera, and the message. Ben spent most mornings listening to Mike & Mike and The Herd (especially during football season), and on weekends we loved listening to numerous college games (with near hatred of USC football announcers) and NFL games on Sundays (fyi, the Colts downhome podunk announcers are so much fun).
About 3 months into trucking, we discovered the Catholic Channel. It took a little warming up for me to enjoy it, but we have gained so much spiritual growth and insight, that the small fortune spent has been 100% worth it! The Catholic Channel is sponsored in part by the Archdiocese of New York, and part of that sponsorship includes broadcasting daily and Sunday Masses live from St. Patrick's Cathedral, often celebrated by the Archbishop, His Excellency Timothy Dolan. As we're not always able to make it to Sunday Mass, participating in this way provides at least the spiritual nourishment given in the celebration of the Liturgy. This channel also broadcasts "Busted Halo" with Fr. Dave Dwyer, "Fully Alive" with Dr. Greg & Lisa Popcek, and my personal favorite, "The Catholic Guy" with Lino Rulli (he was one of the producers of "Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition"n which is an excellent piece if you've never checked it out). It has been so enjoyable to listen to this channel and so uplifting at the same time. If you are an XM listener, tune in to channel 117.
Another favorite as of late has been The Dave Ramsey Show. As you know from earlier posts, we are in this whole trucking business to pay off our many debts. We went into this careere with great ambition to get it all taken care of as quickly as possible, and discovering and listening to Dave has given us renewed vigor. If you've never heard of him, check his book out from the library or spend the $25 to buy it: "The Total Money Makeover". We are following his suggestions to become debt-free, which as our plans and compensation go, will occur three years from now. Goodbye credit cards, goodbye student loans payments, hello freedom! When callers phone in to his show to let the listeners know they are debt-free after so many payments and much "rice-and-beans-beans-and-rice" budgeting, Dave lets them scream at the top of their lungs, "WE'RE DEBT FREE!". It's truly quite inspiring and motivating and we look forward to that day in the not-so-distant future when we will be able to do the same. Our present sacrifice in "normal" lifestyle will be worth it when we have that financial peace of mind!
Do you have a favorite channel you would recommend us to check out? Let us know!
We've spent the past several days in the Seattle area, as freight is moving a little slow. We're thankful though, as we were able to find a few trails to do some walking on, in the shadows of the Snoqualmie Mountains. A highlight of the weekend, besides a fantastic 4-mile hike, was getting together with AJ & Sarah, going to Mass at Blessed Sacrament parish, and enjoying a bite to eat at Bahama Breeze. Check them out at http://west-coast-steins.blogspot.com . Thanks, you two (three!) for taking us out! It was so enjoyable to spend time with you!
Our home-time is scheduled starting Wednesday this week, so we're soon to be back in Bend, studying our brains out and celebrating my birthday. God is so good, life is great, and we are richly blessed.
God bless you too!
Peace,
deb & Ben
If any of you readers have XM, you know how enjoyable it can be to have virtually unlimited channels to unlimited genres of music, talk radio, sports radio, etc. For a small fortune of lifetime membership, we are able to enjoy all of these things and more! Ben had listened to XM every day in training, while my trainer's (old) truck didn't even have a cd player (a month without Bebo is hard), so I didn't much listen to anything. It took a little convincing on Ben's part, then, for us to agree to the subscription. It has made a world of difference in our spiritual lives, in knowledge of current events, of financial savvy-ness, and general mental health of not going crazy listening only to the lull of a diesel engine.
At first, I simply listened to Prime Country for 2 weeks straight and took a walk down memory lane with country hits from the 80s and 90s. Then I discovered the bluegrass channel, pops at the opera, and the message. Ben spent most mornings listening to Mike & Mike and The Herd (especially during football season), and on weekends we loved listening to numerous college games (with near hatred of USC football announcers) and NFL games on Sundays (fyi, the Colts downhome podunk announcers are so much fun).
About 3 months into trucking, we discovered the Catholic Channel. It took a little warming up for me to enjoy it, but we have gained so much spiritual growth and insight, that the small fortune spent has been 100% worth it! The Catholic Channel is sponsored in part by the Archdiocese of New York, and part of that sponsorship includes broadcasting daily and Sunday Masses live from St. Patrick's Cathedral, often celebrated by the Archbishop, His Excellency Timothy Dolan. As we're not always able to make it to Sunday Mass, participating in this way provides at least the spiritual nourishment given in the celebration of the Liturgy. This channel also broadcasts "Busted Halo" with Fr. Dave Dwyer, "Fully Alive" with Dr. Greg & Lisa Popcek, and my personal favorite, "The Catholic Guy" with Lino Rulli (he was one of the producers of "Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition"n which is an excellent piece if you've never checked it out). It has been so enjoyable to listen to this channel and so uplifting at the same time. If you are an XM listener, tune in to channel 117.
Another favorite as of late has been The Dave Ramsey Show. As you know from earlier posts, we are in this whole trucking business to pay off our many debts. We went into this careere with great ambition to get it all taken care of as quickly as possible, and discovering and listening to Dave has given us renewed vigor. If you've never heard of him, check his book out from the library or spend the $25 to buy it: "The Total Money Makeover". We are following his suggestions to become debt-free, which as our plans and compensation go, will occur three years from now. Goodbye credit cards, goodbye student loans payments, hello freedom! When callers phone in to his show to let the listeners know they are debt-free after so many payments and much "rice-and-beans-beans-and-rice" budgeting, Dave lets them scream at the top of their lungs, "WE'RE DEBT FREE!". It's truly quite inspiring and motivating and we look forward to that day in the not-so-distant future when we will be able to do the same. Our present sacrifice in "normal" lifestyle will be worth it when we have that financial peace of mind!
Do you have a favorite channel you would recommend us to check out? Let us know!
We've spent the past several days in the Seattle area, as freight is moving a little slow. We're thankful though, as we were able to find a few trails to do some walking on, in the shadows of the Snoqualmie Mountains. A highlight of the weekend, besides a fantastic 4-mile hike, was getting together with AJ & Sarah, going to Mass at Blessed Sacrament parish, and enjoying a bite to eat at Bahama Breeze. Check them out at http://west-coast-steins.blogspot.com . Thanks, you two (three!) for taking us out! It was so enjoyable to spend time with you!
Our home-time is scheduled starting Wednesday this week, so we're soon to be back in Bend, studying our brains out and celebrating my birthday. God is so good, life is great, and we are richly blessed.
God bless you too!
Peace,
deb & Ben
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Driving Down the Debt!
We are happy to report that we have 2 (of our unfortunate several) debts paid down! Both were credit cards, one with miscellaneous expenses and the other had the purchase of our Dodge Ram pick-up truck. It feels great! We plan to have our VW Jetta car payments cease in 2 months by paying that debt off in full. Baby steps!
We spent Super Bowl weekend back in Bend and had a great visit with friends during the game. The rest of the time we spent working on our degrees, which was uber-productive. I've got my comps coming up in April, so it's time to buckle down!
Right now we're hanging with Sarah Swaykus in NW St. Louis. Earlier today we went to Mass at St. Jude parish in Oak Grove, MO. We're on our way to Memphis!
God bless you!
Peace,
deb
We spent Super Bowl weekend back in Bend and had a great visit with friends during the game. The rest of the time we spent working on our degrees, which was uber-productive. I've got my comps coming up in April, so it's time to buckle down!
Right now we're hanging with Sarah Swaykus in NW St. Louis. Earlier today we went to Mass at St. Jude parish in Oak Grove, MO. We're on our way to Memphis!
God bless you!
Peace,
deb
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