Remember last November when I came out of the debt closet? Well, as many of you know, I’ve been plugging right along (actually, moving closer to warp speed) since then and last week I hit a milestone. I paid off my second of three credit cards. I’m at the half way point to being debt free. In the last eight months, I’ve paid off $10,000 in credit card debt.
I always have a difficult time saying that I’ve worked hard, because I know I could have worked harder and I know that there are so many hard working people out there who haven’t had the advantages I have. But, I’ve worked my ass off for this.
Something just clicked for me in November and I became a million percent determined to do this. I am still as determined now as I was at the start. Perhaps even more so. I’m on track to be out of debt by the end of this year, which is so close I can feel it.
It’s not that I hadn’t tried before. I’d made a few half-hearted attempts, but it was so overwhelming. I was 25 and $20,500 in debt. I was getting by with avoidance and counting on someone or something to come along and save me. It took me too long to take responsibility for my debt, because I just couldn’t believe I had fucked up so terribly.
But, something changed in me the minute I decided to get serious about my debt and it has changed my life. That’s why I’m writing this on my personal blog.
I really don’t know how to describe it. I guess because I was doing something I felt more empowered and in control of my life than I ever had before. I guess because I wasn’t hiding this big dark secret, I felt more authentic than I had before. I guess because I’d discovered I could handle big challenges, I was no longer walking through life terrified and waiting for an anvil to drop. I guess because I realized things could be another way–I didn’t have to live with the burden of debt–a whole new future opened up to me.
For as many people as there are who overestimate the importance of money to life, there are also a lot of people who underestimate it. Debt was crushing me and stressing me out and making me wonder if I could really do all the things I dream of doing. It felt like I could never get the upper hand, because every month there were new bills and growing interest. Fighting back has taken a lot of work and I’ve had to sacrifice the comfortable lifestyle I’d grown accustomed to, but this is so much better than that. This is living authentically. And this is being so close to freedom you can taste it.
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I adore this. “Something just clicked for me in November and I became a million percent determined to do this.” Isn’t it incredible when you just click into gear like that? I’m so proud of you for doing this, and for such determination, too :)
I am so proud of you, and thanks for writing about this and inspiring the rest of us! It seems impossible to do, but it really isn’t!
This is awesome. Good for you! I’ve also been working toward paying off close $10,000 in debt, and I’m only weeks away! I’m so close I can taste it! It feels pretty amazing, doesn’t it? It was last June that I started to get really serious about it. I’ve been pretty broke since then, because a huge chunk of my income has just gone straight toward that debt, but once I’m debt free I will feel a huge weight lifted from me. Go you!!! Keep up the hard work!!!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – you inspire me to get out of debt, Ashley. I know you’ve worked hard for this, and that’s why you deserve it! I’m proud of you!
I’m so happy for you! I’ve been following your story since you started it, and I hope you can inspire more people to work harder at getting out of debt. I know that if I were in debt I’d be inspired. Hell, I’m inspired now to be proactive about it!
Well done Ashley! The effect this has all had on you is visible in your writing; you seem to have a lot of energy and drive. It’s very admirable.
I am so amazed at your determination and dedication and I love your other blog. It such an impressive accomplishment and you should be proud because you HAVE worked hard. It’s such an inspiration. Good job and good luck on the rest of it!!
This is an amazing feat!!! Congrats on this, Ash :)
I feel you exactly. I have recently decided enough was enough and I made the decision that I was gonna change ways; the looming milestone of 25 years was also a nice motivation.
Way to go and thanks for sharing!