5 Reasons Why I Live Debt Free
How many people do you know that live debt free?
Now, if your anything like me, in the past that answer will remain unknown until you decide to change and start to talk openly about your financial situation with the people closest to you. For my closest friends and family they know I live debt free because I choose to talk about my relationship with money.
At the current age of 31, I’m happy with the life decisions that have led me to my debt free lifestyle. I think back to all that I went through and I realize my younger self was just screaming to be heard and to be noticed. I was so busy living someone else's idea of how to live life I was ignoring the life I desired to live. I want to share with you some of the reasons why I choose to kick the monkey off my back and live debt free.
The 5 Reasons I choose to live debt-free:
1. Character.
So all my close family and friends will get a kick out of this. My memory isn’t winning any prizes, don't be insulted if I ask what your name is one or ten times. When it came to small debts like paying back a friend the next day for a meal I found all my energy going to remembering this one thing. The thought of owing someone money and then forgetting was an image I did not want to portray. In the process I lost out on living in the moment and remembering a name or two.
2. A dog chasing its tail.
Now that you have that image let me give you an example of a human chasing a debt tail. Picture this; While working overtime to pay the credit card bills, you find yourself daydreaming of getting away on vacation somewhere far and tropical (or close and cold if that's your thing). Fast forward your on that dream vacation only to find yourself stuck in your head and disconnected because you can't stop thinking about how much money this is costing you, fast track your holiday to being back at work. Back to working overtime to pay on what is now an even bigger debt. Does this sound like a nightmare to you? I did one round of it and trust me, its a nightmare.
3. Stress.
I remember back to a time I lost my job. At this time in my life I was deep into living what I like to call a “ Normal Life”. I had a house payment, car payment, loan payment and credit card payment. I relied so heavily on that job to get me through each month that as soon as it was gone panic and stress set in.
4. Doing something you don't want to do.
When I had lost my job, in order for me to pay the bills I was forced to find work that I didn't like. I had no time to stop and choose. The choice was made, work or lose everything. If working a job that’s not your passion wasn't bad enough, imagine working overtime at this job. That's right, when there are debts to be paid I was the first person to sign my life away to overtime. In the process I lost out on personal time.
5. Living like someone else.
This has to be my number one reason why I choose to live debt free. I found myself going into debt just to keep up with how everyone else was living. Vacations, eating out, and unnecessary toys. It took some time but I finally realized I had been ignoring my life principles and in the process lost touch with what I valued in life. The moment I started to listen to myself I realized the only reason I was in debt is because I was choosing to live someone else’s life and not my own.
Conversation starting question:
If you had zero debt payments what would you do with your extra money?
Well there it is friends, my 5 reasons why I choose to stay clear of debt.
In closing I want to encourage you to spark a conversation with 1 close friend about living debt free, what that might look and how it would feel.
Thanks for reading all the way to the end!
