Another great Cindy's Porch article...

Thinking about baby trees….

This email from one of our readers got me thinking:

Dear Cindy – I just paid an extra $85 on my $3000 credit card bill. I
know this is the right thing to do but I feel frustrated that I still
have so far to go. At this rate it is going to be years before I pay
it off. Help!

Cindy here: This morning I was running an errand when I passed by a
fence that is nearly two blocks long. It was about five years ago
when the owners of this property painted the fence, installed
underground irrigation, and prepped the soil to plant cedar trees. It
took about a month to get everything ready for these cedars. Then I
watched in amazement as they proceeded to plant what must be nearly
70 cedar trees along the outside of this fence. These trees were just
babies – not even a foot tall. And I remember thinking, "Why did they
plant such little trees, it is going to take forever for them to
grow."

With the above email in my mind I took another look at those cedars
today. They are nearly five feet tall (some of them are nearly six
feet tall!). They are healthy and gorgeous. With proper planning, and
consistent care and watering, these trees have thrived and grown.

DOing away with debt will do the same for your finances. With a plan
and consistent care and watering, your debt will disappear. The same
works with your savings. Everyone starts with a baby tree in their
own savings account. Over time (with consistent feeding), this
savings account will grow.

Celebrate that $85. You have a plan. You have planted your baby tree.
Keep feeding it every month. Over time, as you begin to DO more and
buy less, you will discover more in your spending habits that you can
direct towards this debt. Yes, it may take years, but when you are
done, you get to admire that fully grown tree.

Also, keep in mind – nothing grows well when there is over crowding!

-Say "No, thank-you" to those new credit cards or other BUY now, pay
(much more) later deals.

-Use cash whenever possible to avoid creating new debt.

-SHOP at home FIRST: We have paid a lot of money for the things we
own. Enjoy them and use them.

-Be creative this holiday season to avoid new debt. Remember, no
friend or family member expects you to go into debt to BUY them a
present. Most would rather enjoy your presence.

-Use the Credit Card Tracker on Cindy's Porch to watch that debt
disappear. Celebrate every $85 you take off.