A few steps closer to paying off student loans! (and how we're getting there)

It has been quite some time since I last blogged.  I have been super busy now that school has started back up again.  I absolutely love my class!

On Tuesday, I am attending an information session about the M.Ed. program at UW Tacoma.  I am planning on earning a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction.  My goal is to not take out any student loans and pay everything out of pocket.

Speaking of student loans, last September, I owed $34,000 in undergrad loans.  We are proud that that amount has been knocked down to $20,000 in 1 year.  Not bad, considering we were living off a 1st year teacher's salary and a substitute's salary.  And to add to that, 15% of my paycheck was automatically going straight toward retirement.  Oh, and did I mention Collin has been taking classes and we have been paying that out of pocket as well?

How did we do it?  Most of the ideas below are things we always follow anyway, and they're pretty much just our personalities we've always had... not that we would only do these things just to pinch pennies.

*only went out to eat an average of once per month, if that.  (Sometimes it's hard to go get a meal with a friend when we have our one-meal-out-per-month plan, then we can't go together)  Going out only once per month makes it much more special and something to look forward to.
*didn't buy coffee, like the majority of the population (the good thing is, I CAN'T have coffee and Collin hates the taste anyway).
*continued to go on our MoneyWalks.  We have earned $24 just by picking up change when we go on our daily 3-4 mile walks.
*Collin picked up an additional job as clubhouse attendant.  The most dead-end job ever, but every cent helps.
*kept phone bill down by sticking to the ol' basic phones and plan.
*only went to movies if we had a gift card (thank you Jennifer =D )
*went without TV.  We have a tv, but the only thing that comes on is a blue screen.  We watch select shows online through Hulu or CBS, etc.
*I picked up random side jobs like babysitting, checking in on pets and teaching trombone lessons.
*I attended free classes over the summer at UW and actually earned $3,500 by doing it.
*Collin did work on the cars himself.  No sense in paying tons of money to have someone else look at them.
*had a grocery budget of $140/mo. and stuck to it, sometimes not even reaching it.  (Thank you Winco, Trader Joe's, and Franz Bakery 5 loaves of bread for $6)
*carpooled.  I carpooled in the summer with a lady that lived nearby in Seattle and we also carpool together when we both teach.
*exercised at the apartment.  We don't pay a gym membership because we have workout facilities and a pool at our apartment.
*used the library.  Forget buying books.
*didn't use much heat in our apartment.  We use the wood fire place in the winter, bundle up and only occasionally turn on the heat, and only for spurts of time.  Our apartment temperature was in the 40's last  winter.  (this winter we may have to turn up the heat a bit since we're adding a kitten to the mix)

I think I could keep going on for awhile!  It may look like we sacrifice a lot of things, but we like our simple lives and think we're closer because of it.  I feel like a cheap-o a lot of times when friends ask me to go out and do things that cost money, but I have to keep the bigger picture in mind: financial security.  Our future.  Paying off student loans entirely, moving out of the apartment.... traveling... having a comfortable retirement...   I have never been one to spend money and sometimes I can be an even bigger tightwad than Collin, but I don't think his family realizes that.  Some people may say everything will change once we have kids.  The thing is, we don't plan to have kids, at least right now we couldn't even picture it happening.  Personally, I think handling 25 kids that belong to other people for 7.5 hours a day is enough "kid time" for me :)

Before I go too off topic, I shall end my post.  Remember, there are always more ways to save!!