Welcome to another hump day, Dear Readers.
Since my last pseudo rant attracted its share of Internet trolls, I’m going to stay away from inflammatory subjects for a while. My heart (and stomach) just isn’t up for a series of endless, pointless debates right now.
So it’s the perfect time for the start of a new series!
A couple of years ago, I decided to do something radical. Something almost unheard of in the western world. Something that could make civilization as we know it fall to its knees.
Yes, that’s right–I decided to get out of debt.
I’ve never been comfortable with debt. It keeps me awake at night. It keeps me trapped in situations that are distasteful. When you’re in debt, you spend a lot of time worrying and an equal amount of time praying that disaster won’t strike. Or at least, I do. Others may be more comfortable with it, but for me, living debt-free is essential to an extraordinary life.
I used to live quite comfortably. With a thriving freelance business which flowed into public relations positions, I made more than enough to support myself, travel, and indulge in a few luxuries. And then my good fortune suddenly reversed.
Well…not exactly suddenly. It took a couple of years, but a most untimely break-up, a costly move, a new house, a mortgage error, two deathly sick kitties, and a few other disasters brought me to the place I am today. Last year I got really serious about paying it off, every single cent.
This is supposed to be my final year of paying off debt, but will it be? So far, the universe is conspiring against me. I keep putting everything I can towards it, hoping that all those steps forward won’t be mitigated by the steps back.
For the next few Wednesdays, I’ll share some of the challenges I’ve come across on this journey, as well as some things that have helped me. One of the things I’ve realized most strongly since beginning this struggle is how much we’re encouraged to live beyond our means on this continent. It’s really scary.
How about you, Dear Readers? Any fiscally-responsible tips to share? Have you ever found yourself in the same boat? How did you get out, or–if you’re still there–how are you coping?
I know it’s a lot worse in a partnership when one person is a spender and the other is a saver.
My best tip is to save for big purchases and not to buy them on credit. Then you can enjoy them fully without the dread of future payments (for years!) hanging over your head.
I am very “lucky” in that way, if you can call it that. The Boy and I are both committed to getting out of debt this year. If we’d met years earlier, it would not have been a good fit. I was seriously anal about money (sounds funny now), and he was a compulsive spender. But we’ve both learned our lesson. No more debt!
I completely agree with your tip. Only buy what you can afford. I don’t even want a car payment.