photo courtesy of Will Hirzy
No, we're not Debt-Free yet, but we have lightened our non-mortgage debt load by almost $15000.00 since October! That's more than $1600/month going straight towards debt on average! WOW!
It is with this in mind that I randomly deem today July 3rd, 2008 as
Financial Independence Day!
While on this debt-dumping journey I feel it's important that you take every opportunity to celebrate your progress in various ways. Some of the celebration may be legitimate, and some of it may be random, contrived, or just plain non-sensical. (Ahem - like this post) But no matter what, the fact remains that the accomplishments should be recognized whether great or small.
We've only been at this for 9 months and so many positive things have come about as a result of this experience. This blog, many of the friends we've made, the lives we've touched and the people that have touched ours - much of it has stemmed from our mission to wipe out our debt for good! It is truly changing us and the way we use ALL of our resources, not just our money. This thing is deep!
Monday will be the one year wedding anniversary for my wife and I. And I can truly say that I never imagined it could be THIS way. Now, hear me out... Marriage has lived up to every expectation and hope that I had, but before the debt-freedom initiative entered our lives, I had envisioned a life where I was going to have to work much harder for the happiness of my family. I was willing to sacrifice -- for my wife and future children -- the thought of possibly NEVER retiring so that I could make ends meet, put the kids through school and one day build a dream house with my wife. But I never, NEVER thought life could be lived this way. I'd never seen it done, I didn't think it was realistic, and everything about my lifestyle and buying habits was completely opposed to it.
This experience has taught me that ALL of those things and more WILL be possible because of the sacrifice we're putting in now. And we're still only at the beginning it seems. We've knocked out just above 25% of our consumer debt excluding the mortgage. And as you'll remember we've paid off 10 of the 30 -- or one-third -- of the accounts we started out with.
I'm not saying it's been all easy street, but it's been well worth it. I see my family walking with a vision and a purpose that is both awe inspiring and humbling. I never thought I could be 'this' guy. To my wife of one year, I hope you hear the excitement in my voice, this one’s for US!
So yes, we still have a lot of the 'baby' present in our 'baby steps' lol. But we are making great progress...
And that to me is cause enough for celebration,
@W
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