Last week our financial peace class just wrapped the 5th lesson, Credit Sharks in Suits, which is a lesson about FICO, Credit Scores, and Creditors, it’s also a lesson about what to do if you can’t pay your minimum payments on credit cards (RESOURCE ALERT!).

The more & more I get into this stuff, the more & more passionate I am about helping others and educating myself about the INS and OUTS of the financial scene.

I know it’s overwhelming, especially if you are someone who is in a mountain of debt. Or, even if you have debt that you don’t consider to be a lot. It doesn’t matter. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:7,

The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.

Regardless, there are tons of resources out there to help you, and I want to be one of them!

This particular post, however is about FICO and Credit Scores! It seems like you should do a certain list of things to get a better credit score. But credit scores are nothing more than an “I love debt score” according to Dave Ramsey.

Basically, your entire credit score is calculated based on debt: new debt, old debt, debt payment history, etc. Here’s a chart:

Why worship at the altar of FICO if you don’t ever want to borrow money again? Now, that’s a big assumption, especially for America, especially at this day in age. Most people can’t even think of their lives without a car payment or without a mortgage! But it’s completely possible. I want to help you get there.

Here’s the deal, Dave suggests pulling your credit report annually to check for inaccuracies.

There are three credit bureaus: Equifax, Transunion, & Experian. If you pull just one of the bureaus you can check your credit report for FREE 3 times a year!

To pull your credit report, go to: : https://www.annualcreditreport.com/ to check for inaccuracies ASAP. Do not put in your credit card info or be scammed by a site that wants you to sign up for FICO monitoring, etc.

YOUR RESOURCE:

Also, here is a plan from Financial Peace University called pro rata that helps you with what to do if you can’t make the minimum payments on your credit cards.

Do you pull your credit report once a year? Have you found inaccuracies? Have you ever been chased down by a credit shark in a suit, or know someone who has?

Coupons are an amazing way to save lots and lots of money on anything from groceries to movies to the GROVE PARK INN!

A few weeks ago, Jeremy told me that we could go to Asheville in April. He has a conference and I naturally would go to the Grove Park Inn while we have the advantage of a free hotel room! It dawned on me, that not only is Groupon available in nearby cities it is also available in cities I might be traveling to! So, I signed up for the Asheville Groupon, thinking that BY CHANCE the Grove Park Inn, might appear on Groupon, and it did! I was estatic! Maybe too estatic… I forgot to purchase the deal for myself before it sold out. (Thankfully a friend saved me from my lack of assertiveness).

TIP #1: Sign up for Groupon in cities where you will be traveling in the next 6 months. (in addition to your city). I think right now I am signed up for 3 cities.

TIP #2: You are tired of your inbox being bogged down by all of these coupon sites, sign up for a special gmail address just for registering for websites and deals. Ours is coupons.ilm@gmail.com

TIP #3: There are many other sites out there now, just like Groupon with super deals. Here are a list of some that are probably available in your city. Sign up on these sites and get on their email list (remember TIP #2)

• Living Social
• Twongo
• Half Off Depot

TIP #4: The Grocery Game – this site is amazing and so easy to use! Sign up for one store or multiples, there is a free trial available for 4 weeks. If you sign up, please use our referral email: coupons.ilm@gmail.com. (Disclaimer: After 3 people sign up I will get a very small commission that will help us pay for the subscription) After the 4 week trial period it is only $5/month and we save WAY more than that using the tools this site supplies.

Here is my process for using this site:

1. I check all of the items that I want to purchase
2. I sort the items by coupon date
3. I gather my coupons, from my super easy coupon filing method
4. I resort the list by aisle order in the grocery store
5. I reprint the list
6. I go shopping!

One of the major benefits to The Grocery Game is, if you stick to buying only whats on the list on this site, it will tell you your TOTAL order amount! How amazing is that?

TIP #4: SouthernSavers I know this site is NO secret to most of you, this Jenny lady is getting it with the deals she lists on the site, tons of free things, coupon booklets, magazine subscription, even free restaurant deals. You must add this to your RSS feeder. This is a good way to check out couponing for multiple stores (I shop solely at Harris Teeter, but often look at deals at other stores like CVS via SouthernSavers), but it’s a bit more confusing than the grocery game (at least to me). The key is to find something that works for you! She has a very comprehensive coupon lesson on here site as well. Check it out if you’re just getting started.

TIP #5: Don’t get overwhelmed. There are lots of ways to save money with coupons, but if it’s taking all of your time and you’re getting overwhelmed by it, it’s not worth it. Take a break.

Check out this post for my coupon filing method and how it’s helped us!

This is why I’ve felt in a bit of a whirlwind since Wednesday:

Wednesday

• 5 pm left for Columbia, NC (near the outerbanks)
• somewhere along the way I had the worst Bojangles sandwhich of my life, ick.
• 8:30 pm arrived in Columbia, NC

Thursday

• 12:30pm left for Wilmington
• 4pm arrived in Wilmington

Friday

• 10am left for Cary, NC
• 12pm arrived in Cary, NC

Saturday

• 9am left Cary, NC for Greenville, NC
• 10:30 am arrived in Greenville, NC
• 2pm left Greenville, NC for Wilmington, NC
• 4pm arrived in Wilmington, NC

Sunday

• 8am drop Jeremy off at River to Sea race
• 11am arrive home from race
• and now we’re resting and napping, maybe you see why?

I guess this is a small taste of what Jeremy’s travel schedule is normally like.

I did manage to grab a few pictures along the way.

icing cupcakes at home

in mickey mouse wraps!

slicing strawberries for yogurt parfaits!

yogurt parfait display

learning the couponing ins and outs

the completion of the river to sea run!

It’s been a fun and eventful week & weekend. I’m glad that it’s winding down. Now to head out to look for seeds and starter plants! Can’t wait to see what I’ll find!

Here are a few things that I’ve just loved in the past weeks.

new favorite valentine candy

boombalattis mini sampler!

venti iced caramel macchiato

picnics in the park

sunshine

also, not pictured, but really should be, mini bottled gingerales, saltines, crayons in a bowl on my coffee table, pink and lovely alstromeria in blue masons jars, and bojangles sweet tea & fries.

This song just breathed new life into my soul this morning when it swept across pandora! I don’t know why this morning is different, maybe it’s so many things going on in my own heart and around me, maybe it’s the hope of life. Maybe it’s a combo of all of these, regardless, I hope that it’s lyrics, that even it’s melody would speak to the depths of your soul!

Happy Sunday, be refreshed and encouraged in Jesus!

[youtube width="480" height="390"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJCYHPPqmE0[/youtube]

For lyrics, go here.

I’ve been reading articles today about blog optimization, and blog followers, and how to run a successful one. I think in this case, it really starts with my readers. So what do you want to see more of here?

I’ve created this nifty little poll, this will help me narrow my focus and give YOU more of what you want to read here. Please pick your top 3.

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If there is something not listed that you’d like to read more about, please comment below. Thanks for being a reader of kellycain.com!

I am in love, LOVE, with Amy Butler’s fabrics.

I am doing some nursery pre-planning, and ikea trip prep, and I’ve almost wanted every single Amy Butler fabric I’ve laid eyes on. Here are a couple I’m swooning over.

Watch out for the full nursery plan, in about a month!

This is what I am encouraged by today:

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

Lamentations 3:22-26

It feels painful. But it’s undeniable when it’s happening. That feeling of discomfort, for awhile, or for a long time. The kind of change I’m talking about comes from within, not external circumstances with change. But that kind of gut-level, heart-level deep kind of change that comes along every now and then & makes you re-evaluate, and re-examine life as you know it.

I was recently with a group of women who were talking about how they couldn’t pick out circumstances in their lives, like when someone asks you a question, for example, “What was a pivotal point in your walk with God?” They would come up blank. I don’t know if it’s some kind of grand flaw, or a blessing in disquise, but I’ve always been so introspective, so self-aware, that at times it’s really painful. I know when I’m “not myself.” I know when I am completely myself. I even know the in-betweens.

A lot of it is necessary to go through life to know the “triggers” to read the internal “gauges.” In a book that truly changed my life, called Changes that Heal, he talks about how there is a formula for change.

conflict + time = change

Interestingly enough, in my Beth Moore study (mentioned in this post) she talks about this formula, in the life of David, how the dynasty of Saul (over time) grew weaker and the kingdom of David was growing stronger. Bringing about the Lord’s promise.

In my life lately there has been a bit of conflict, with my health, wrestling with the Lord, and more that I’d rather not mention. It’s so comforting to know that this conflict, will bring about change in my heart and my life. As I am formed closer into His image, as I was created.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

Becoming what we already are in Christ, what a glorious and painful process!