Early tomorrow morning our family is flying to California to visit some special friends of ours.
We're very excited about this trip for many reasons: we're looking forward to a vacation as a family; we can't wait to hang out with some incredible people; and we're anxious to get to introduce our children to what a real beach is.
But this trip is about much more than family, friends, and fun; we're taking this trip in celebration of reaching a huge financial milestone in our family.
If you've been reading my blog for more than a few months, you know that we got this weird idea to pay cash for a house and we set a big goal at the beginning of 2009 to have fully-funded our house fund by the end of the year. We started the year at 33% and it seemed very far-fetched to think we'd actually make our goal.
But God had other plans. He worked some miracles, moved some modern-day "mountains", and by His grace and enabling, I am thrilled to tell you that we are ending 2009 at our 100% goal! We're already seriously pursuing house-hunting and hope to have purchased a home debt-free by the end of April 2010, if not sooner.
Truly, "with God, all things are possible!"
This huge financial milestone did not happen instantaneously. It was not something we just up and decided to we'd aim for a few weeks or months ago. In actuality, our journey towards saving to pay 100% down for our first home began before we were even married!
On Thursday, I'm going to be sharing the nuts and bolts of our story and the struggles, lessons, difficulties, and victories we've encountered along the way. No matter where you are in your financial journey, I hope and pray our story is an inspiration to you to dream big dreams, set audacious goals, work hard, and not give up when the going gets tough. You just never know where it might lead!
Have you written down financial goals for 2010? If not, be sure to check out Simple Mom's post on the subject to nudge you in the right direction.
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WOW! Congratulations, Crystal and Jesse! It’s such an encouragement to see how God has blessed your commitment to do things right financially. From our family to yours, may 2010 be a year of incredible blessings!
Congratulations!!! Did you call in to Dave Ramsey?????
Congratulations you guys!!!!!!!
I’m thrilled for you! You’re an inspiration to many including my hubby and me! Can’t wait to see the home that God provides for you! Maybe then we’ll need to take a road trip so I can come play-aka decorate with you!
Have a wonderful, wonderful time seeing the Pacific!
This is incredibly awesome! Praise God, and thank you as well for the amazing example and inspiration!
That’s great! We’re just aiming for 20% down and we’ve still got a while to go. You’re an inspiration!
Yay! I’m so happy for you guys, Crystal!
Congratulations to you and your family on your accomplishment.
Christine
ALL PRAISE BE TO GOD!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! YAY!!!
God is absolutely amazing! I’m so thrilled for you and your family. Can’t wait to hear the story! Have a fabulous time in Cali!
If you girls are going to be near the Fresno area (kind of by Yosemite), email me! I would love to meet you both!
Such an inspiration!! I can’t tell you how much my heart rejoices for you and your family. Have fun at the beach!
Mercedes
Oh, and congrats!!!!!!!!
Congratulations, Crystal!
Congrats to you on such an amazing achievement especially during this tough time in our economy. It sounds as if you had your head on straight, and make good choices. I wonder if there is hope for me?? God Bless, and be safe!!
That is truly amazing! I am so proud of you and your family on reaching such an awesome goal! I will definitely be making my financial goals for the coming year. In October, I celebrated a year couponing and it has been a whirlwind. I will admit that I did not keep up with my savings as I should have. I know that this will be a goal for me this coming year. I also plan on setting a certain amount of money each week that I have to spend. This post has really inspired me to be more financially savvy in the coming year! Thank you for your inspiring story.
Absolutely amazing. Congratulations! This is such a huge achievement! Have a wonderful time in CA too!
Congratulations!!! I was just wondering about this today and was assuming that you wouldn’t be quite there and I was wondering how many more months it would take you. What a wonderful surprise to see this post.
Awesome!! Congrats.
Congratulations and I love that you give all the glory to God! You are an inspiration to our family!
This is fantastic! Congratulations! Thanks for setting such a great example of financial stewardship!
Wow. That’s all I can say. I’m amazed and humbled. Praise to God and congrats to you and your family for making it happen!
Congratulations!! U deserve it!
YAY! I am so proud for you all! Congratulations. Thank you Lord! That has to be such a great feeling. For us, a house taht will fit all of us is only a dream and working reality. LOL
Outstanding, amazing, wonderful, incredible. You are an inspiration. Congratulations on reaching your goal! You and your family have worked so hard and you deserve this. May you continue to be blessed.
fantastic!!! how inspiring too. we are planning on building a home with our own 2 hands so we don’t incur debt. praise God we will have the money for the land outright (still praying but it looks that way) so there will be 2 debt free homeowners out there
I can’t wait for Thursday. We’ve been trying for over a year for 20% and only have 4.5% and we don’t even have kids! I want to blame California, but we’ve had free rent since May.
Amazing! Congratulations and praise the Lord! How awesome to see His hand in your lives. You are an inspiration!
GOD IS GOOD!
Congratulations!! Truly with God all things are possible!! Hope you have a great trip. What an inspiration you are to all of us.
First, congratulations! Second, you should give a talk to kids in high school so they start out on the right foot financially!
congratulations! you are truly an inspiration!!
Crystal that is such fantastic news! I am so inspired by your story!
Wow! What a great Blessing and way to send out 2009 and welcome 2010!
Congrats on all of your hard work paying off!
Congratulations! How exciting! Enjoy your trip!
Wow — I had tears in my eyes when I read that you had reached your goal of saving for a home. You and your family are an inspiration to mine. Thank you for sharing so many tips and deals as well as your lives with us!
Hi Crystal,
I haven’t visited your blog for a while as the deals on this blog don’t apply to Australia. However, I used to read your old blog quite often and have followed your ‘story’.
Congratulations on achieving this major milestone. What a great effort. Your attitude and values are an inspiration.
We moved to a new city 17 months ago, having sold our previous home, and are still house-hunting. I am learning a lot about patience!
God bless,
Kate
This is SO awesome! Praising God with you!
To God be the glory!! That brought tears to my eyes!! How AWESOME!!!
Your story has been so inspiring to me and I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU! I wish that we would have been “crazy” like you and saved 100%, but we will close this week on refinancing to a 15 year loan and an incredible interest rate! Best of luck in the house hunting, I can’t wait to see pictures!
Congratulations!
Wow, that is beyond awesome! CONGRATS!!! Have a safe fun trip to Cali. It’s a wonderful place (I live in Cali lol)
Wow, congrats. That is absolutely amazing!
I cant wait to hear how you did it.
Any advice on how to save on healthcare? My son was born premature and his health issues plague us. I started couponing to be able to pay his medical bills without going into debt…
Wow, wow, wow!! What an example of patience and dilligence you are!! We’re on Dave’s Baby Step 2 and I know how excited I get everytime we knock out one tiny debt…..I can’t imagine the dancing for joy that has gone on in your home!!!
Crystal~
Congratulations!!!! That is super exciting! I can’t wait until we are at a point of just shouting “We’re debt free!” Can’t imagine being able to purchase a home with 100% cash!! You’re awesome!
A big huge congratulations! God is so good! I’ve been very inspired by your updates and I’m looking forward to hearing your story on Thursday!
Congratulations! What a huge accomplishment!
AMAZING! I just found your blog the other day because of the link in Simple Mom’s post and I came on over to see how you were going to do it – and here you’ve done it! Congrats to you and I look forward to hearing all about it!
WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I GOT MARRIED 11 YEARS AGO, WE RENTED A CHEAP LITTLE HOUSE AND SAVED EVERY PENNY WE COULD AND AFTER 9-1/2 YEARS OF SAVING WE NOW HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE FULLY PAID FOR AND EVEN A LITTLE LEFT OVER!!!!! PEOPLE TOLD US WE WERE CRAZY TO LIVE THAT WAY, BUT THEY’RE NOT SAYIN’ THAT NOW!!!!
What wonderful news! This will truly be a happy New Year for your family.
Wow, Crystal… how exciting! I’ve read your monthly updates (check ups) to my family since about March. We’ve been amazed at your audacious goal and we have cheered you on right here from our kitchen (where my laptop is). We rejoice with you at God’s grace. You are an inspiration and make my financial goals seem piddly!
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