My Debt-Free Story

I found myself overwhelmed with the stress and emotions of having over $35,000 of debt.  I felt absolutely hopeless.  Overspending was normal to me and I couldn’t seem to break my habit. When it came time to pay bills, I had more bills to pay than I had money. I was going deeper and deeper in debt. It was horrible! I was over $35,000 in debt and headed toward bankruptcy.

I walked into my friend’s room to hang out one evening and immediately spotted the book. I started reading a story of a family who had completely changed their financial situation. This family was in worse shape than I was, earned less than me, and had more expenses since they had several kids. It didn’t take them long to get out of their money mess. My thought was that if these people were able to change their money situation, I should be able to as well. I realized how sick and tired I was of being bound by the “chains” of debt. When I finished reading the book, I found hope. I wanted to win financially like these people.

I was ready to face the person in my mirror. Right after I got on the plan, my employer gave me a bonus which funded my $1000 starter emergency fund. How awesome is that?!? In the past, I would’ve blown it on stuff, but this time I had a plan. While on the plan, I was paying off debt to the tune of several thousand dollars in good months. Toward the end of 2010, I hit some bumps in the road. Big changes at my job meant I’d be able to work little to no overtime. As a result, the momentum in paying off debt slowed down. Despite the circumstances, my wife and I won together 4 months after our wedding. WE’RE DEBT-FREE!!!

It feels fabulous being debt-free and not have to worry or stress about money. My wife and I were givers long before we got married. One of our goals is to be used by God to meet the needs of others through anonymous giving. How much will we be able to give now that we’re debt-free and on our way to being wealthy? That’s easy, A LOT. Money is just a small piece of the pie, but my goodness that piece is really sweet!

YOU are the answer to your money problems!  Stop looking for a bailout! It starts with a major decision to make “the plan” YOUR PLAN, and then sticking to it. No matter how bad you think your situation is, you can know how it feels to win with money by changing your habits, which in turn changes your financial direction. I hope my story inspires you to start the process of getting out of debt and to create an even better story than mine.
         
Give hope to others by sharing how my story has impacted you in the comments section below. Email me at jaysonnarag83@gmail.com if you want me to come alongside you and coach you to out of debt and improve your money situation. Don't be ashamed if you are in debt, but it is a shame to stay in debt and do nothing about it.