[Help me think through this financial decision..]

"Hopefully never" is not convincing enough. Be convinced! :)

 

I say go for it, as long as you've got the discipline to keep to a strict budget. There are much worse things you could do than take a loan from the 401K.

 

Do you have an emergency fund?

 

I say "hopefully", well bc, who knows what's coming around the corner!

I do have a budget, I coupon, we don't spend lavishly. We live a pretty moderate lifestyle.

 

We have about $2700 put back for an EF.

[Help me think through this financial decision..]

Over the past several years, we have acquired debt from different places. There were many medical bills for several different things, payment on a bobcat which is necessary for where we live, and a year and a half left on a truck (which my dh needs for work).

 

I did a stupid thing and rolled the payment of the bobcat onto an introductory 0% rate card with the hopes of having it paid off before the rate increased. That didn't happen and I have had to put other things on the card so the balance has actually gone up instead of down.

 

We are trying to lower our monthly expenses, so we don't run so short some months and have to put unexpecteds on the card.

 

We could take a loan against my dh's 401k, pulling out about 1/4 of what's in there and pay ourselves back 4.25% int over 4 years. This would pay off all debt except our home and lower our monthly payments by about $350. All debt would then be gone at the end of the four years, since I will cut up said card and hopefully never use it again.

 

But, this goes against what I've always thought that you should never touch your retirement. My dh, on the other hand, wants to just pull out the money, pay the penalties, pay everything off (except the house) and have no monthly payments on that debt. I don't like this at all. I see his reasoning of no monthly payments on debt and hopefully we could put the money back quicker, but we would lose so much as well. His reasoning is we lost more than this back in the 1990s when the market tanked. (We've since moved the $$ into more low risk.)

 

I've tried to pay this debt off for years, but we run so close each month, unexpecteds throw us. I've sold big ticket things, had yard sales, etc. trying to throw as much as I can at this, but it doesn't go away. My husband works OT when possible, but a job for me is out right now. I homeschool two children:tongue_smilie: and my 82yo, in failing health mother lives with me so I can care for her. My plate is running over! With the loan, at least it would be gone in 48 months plus we would have a bit extra each month, just in case.

 

Ok, let me have it, how stupid is this idea?

[Paul from PBW is offering to compose a report regarding writing...]

Me, too.:)

[Pattern-Based Writing - has anyone used this?]

Me, too.:)

[It can always get worse]

Not Christians, more like pharisees.

 

This is sickening:

http://media.pennlive.com/midstate_impact/other/Westboro.PDF

[Burt's Bees Acne products-anyone tried this?]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm certainly going to try these before buying anything else. I think we have a dozen acne products under the counter now.

 

Thanks again!:D

[Burt's Bees Acne products-anyone tried this?]

I find that diluted organic apple cider vinegar clears up acne quite efficiently.

 

How do you use it? Just wipe it on like a toner? Do you rinse it off?

 

Thanks!

[Burt's Bees Acne products-anyone tried this?]

I read about the oil cleansing method on this board and gave it a try, as I've had acne just about forever!

 

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

 

It's counterintuitive, but it works!

 

:)

 

Thank you for the link. I don't know that I could get him to follow the steps as needed. I'll have to give it a better read when the house is quieter.

[Burt's Bees Acne products-anyone tried this?]

Fortunately my kids have clear skin, but my friend was complaining about her son's acne. I told her that I had read here about washing with honey.

 

It cleared up his skin completely.

 

I thought I remembered something about honey, but I couldn't find the thread. What is it you do?

 

Thanks Sheryl for the reply. I may give it a try.

 

I just found a product called Exposed that has great reviews, but its pricey. Anyone used it?

 

Thanks!

[Burt's Bees Acne products-anyone tried this?]

My ds14 is starting to have lots of skin troubles. He washes twice a day now with Neutrogena acne wash (w/salcylic acid), but is still having breakouts. He's always had sensitive skin.

 

We've tried the Acne Free line, but it made his face red all over like a sunburn for several hours each time he used it. I don't think he can use things with the benezol peroxide.

 

I saw something online about the Burts Bees acne line and thought maybe someone here had used it. Perhaps its just time for the dermatologist. I had terrible skin at his age and was on Accutane for several years. He's probably going to take after me.:glare:

 

Thanks!

[Could someone help me outline a section from KF?]

I know folks like the white kingfisher for outlining but I find it just has difficult as the red one. Nearly every sentence is important.

 

 

What do you use for history outlining?

 

Thanks again!

[Could someone help me outline a section from KF?]

Gosh, you make that seem so simple.:blush:

 

I don't know why I couldn't wrap my head around that today.

 

Thanks a million! You're just awesome!:D

[Could someone help me outline a section from KF?]

Thanks for the offer! No need to go to the library. Here you go!

 

 

North America

 

After the civil war, the land west of the Mississippi River was steadily settled by white Americans. The gold rush of 1848-1849 had already brought thousands to California hoping to find gold.

 

The government encouraged prople to migrate westward. Under the Homestead Act of 1862, a family could have 160 acreas for a small fee, provided they did not sell the land for five years. More land was given to those who made improvements by drilling wells or planting trees. The Act encouraged farmers to move into the Great Plains.

 

The government also encouraged the building of railroads, which carried people into unsettled regions. It gave land th the railroads so generously that many lines were built just to gain land.

 

By 1900, the US was already producing more food than it needed. Industry and business developed rapidly, making the United States the richest country in the world. It produced and traded more goods than any other. It also began to play a larger part in world affairs.

 

Poor Europeans saw the US as a land of freedom, democracy, and riches. Not everyone grew rich, however. The Native Americans lost land to settlers. Workers in the booming cities were not much better off than industrial workers in Europe. Black Americans especially, had little chance of improving their lives.

[xpost: Help me outline this page, please!]

I just got a copy of the white KF Illustrated History of the World, 1992.

 

My ds, 12 & 14, have been working with IEW kwo and they have finished the Remedia outlining book.

 

I want them to start outlining to two levels with the KF. We are at the section on North America pg 614. I'm frustrated, tired, and worn out. I cannot for the life of me, outline this page.:001_huh:

 

Anyone want to offer one I can work from with them, please? I just can't wrap my head around this right now and I want them to do this page tomorrow.

 

Thank you for any help or insight you can offer.

 

Kim

[Could someone help me outline a section from KF?]

I just got a copy of the white KF Illustrated History of the World, 1992.

 

My ds, 12 & 14, have been working with IEW kwo and they have finished the Remedia outlining book.

 

I want them to start outlining to two levels with the KF. We are at the section on North America pg 614. I'm frustrated, tired, and worn out. I cannot for the life of me, outline this page.:001_huh:

 

Anyone want to offer one I can work from with them, please? I just can't wrap my head around this right now and I want them to do this page tomorrow.

 

Thank you for any help or insight you can offer.

 

Kim

[Success on cholesterol!]

So what suggestions from the tread did you do?

 

I'm on meds now and would like to come off.

 

Thanks,

Kim

[Christian Music Listeners WHAT is the name of this song?]

Is this it?

 

Third Day \ Creed

 

I believe in God the Father

Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth

And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord

He was conceived by the Holy Spirit

Born of the virgin Mary

Suffered under Pontius Pilate

He was crucified and dead and buried

 

And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am

I did not make it, no it is making me

It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

 

I believe that He who suffered was crucified, buried, and dead

He descended into hell and on the third day, rose again

He ascended into Heaven where He sits at God's mighty right hand

 

I believe that He's returning

To judge the quick and the dead of the sons of men

 

And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am

I did not make it, no it is making me

It is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man

 

I believe it, I believe it

I believe it

I believe it, I believe it

 

I believe in God the Father

Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of Earth

And in Jesus Christ His only begotten Son, our Lord

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit

One Holy Church

The communion of Saints

The forgiveness of sin

 

I believe in the resurrection

I believe in a life that never ends

And I believe what I believe is what makes me what I am

 

I did not make it, no it is making me

I did not make it, no it is making me

I said I did not make it, no it is making me

 

It is the very truth of God and

not the invention of any man

 

I believe it, I believe

I believe it, I believe

I believe it, I believe it

I believe it, I believe it

I believe it, I believe it

I believe it

 

 

 

Kim :)

[xpost: Would CLE 700 be enough to go into Math Relief Algebra I?]

Sounds good. Please come back and post a review of MR after you've used it a bit. I don't understand why more people don't use it. I would love to read more reviews on it.

 

Thanks,

Kim

[Could you go from CLE Math 7 to Math Relief Algebra?]

Thank you , Michelle. That's encouraging.

 

Keniki, how are you liking the algebra? It won't be released until 2013, though, right? I'll need it sooner. I wonder if they will still need testers for next year?

 

Thanks,

Kim

[xpost: Would CLE 700 be enough to go into Math Relief Algebra I?]

Thank you, I just worry about him being "behind". We have friends that are "accelerated", younger than him and working ahead of him. Its just hard sometimes not to beat myself up that I should have, could have.

 

But, we are where we are, and I just want him to have a good foundation in the basics.

[Could you go from CLE Math 7 to Math Relief Algebra?]

That's great news! Thank you!

 

We can certainly shoot for fast-tracking thru 800, but I just wanted to be sure 700 was enough, just in case.

 

My ds takes forever to do a math lesson though, so I don't know how much progress we will make. I'm probably going to have to split the lessons into two parts during the day. Bless his little heart.

 

Thanks again,

Kim

[xpost: Would CLE 700 be enough to go into Math Relief Algebra I?]

Thanks, Julie. It was your great reviews of MR that caught my attention to that program in the first place!

 

I just don't know what to do with my ds. He's 8th grade now and we're working thru CD prealgebra. While he can do the "algebra" parts just fine, I just see a block there with basic things like long division, multiplication/division of fractions.

 

I think he just needs more time to cement those concepts.

 

Thanks again!

Kim

[xpost: Would CLE 700 be enough to go into Math Relief Algebra I?]

If I want to start my ds in MR AI at the beginning of 9th, we will not be able to get to CLE 800. Would completing the 700 level be enough? Would you continue thru the 800 then start MR in the middle of 9th?

 

Thanks,

Kim

[Could you go from CLE Math 7 to Math Relief Algebra?]

Thanks for the reply.

 

I guess I really should ask if you could go from CLE 700 into any algebra. I'm not leaning towards one of the more rigorous ones, as my ds is just not that strong in math.

 

Any more CLE user out there?

 

Thanks!

[Could you go from CLE Math 7 to Math Relief Algebra?]

Would CLE Math 7 be enough for prealgebra?

 

Thanks,

Kim