At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I'm repeating something I've said before--I'm wholeheartedly committed to paying off our debt. I'm talking about the credit card debt, not the house and the cars, which I look at as ongoing, long-term debt. I was doing pretty well in this endeavor until Christmas came along. Then I took the extra money I was throwing at the credit card companies every month and began putting it toward Christmas. I started making minumum payments again, which get us nowhere fast.
But it's time to get back on track now. I'll keep chipping away at that mountain, which has actually developed over the years into a mountain range. The mountains that resulted from a couple years of unemployment, and from 10+ years of being underpaid and getting lost somewhere in the 99%. The mountains that became a little higher after two open heart surgeries and large pharmacy bills with inadequate insurance. Those mountain peaks that developed when, I admit it, we sometimes allowed ourselves to live slightly beyond our means even though that certainly did not mean extravagance by any stretch of the imagination. We permitted ourselves indulgences and treats along the way, something I certainly will never regret.
The carrot that dangles before me is just imagining how freeing it will feel to be clear of that debt! To have that large sum of money spent on bills every month to use at our discretion. Not to worry about where the money is coming from when a major appliance breaks, a car needs repair, or an emergency comes up. To make those long-planned-for home improvements and to take those dreamed-about trips. It all seems a long way off right now, but with our noses to the grindstone I have faith that our perseverance will pay off in the long run.
No comments:
Post a Comment