Debt FREEdom

I’m going to be very frank in this monologue so consider this your warning – and my disclaimer. If you don’t like what you read on this site (ever) feel free to leave and never come back (ever). I just write what is on my mind.

It seems as though anytime I speak of our upcoming trip, people automatically assume we won last week’s $240 millon powerball multi-state lottery, inherited some money, or robbed the local One and Two Thirds Bank. I have found myself trying to actually answer questions like, “Are you independently wealthy?” or biting my tongue after statement like, “I wish I was rich.”

I’m not sure what irks me more about these statements . . .

• i’m not ‘independently wealthy’
• i don’t have it made (financially anyway)
• people, albeit subconsciously, assume that i’m not capable of pulling a feat like this off on my own
• that have, albeit subconsciously, already decided that they are unable to pull off a feat like this on their own

Ultimately, I know that it’s not the first two reasons that upset me. I have come to terms with not being wealthy and have decided that it’s not what I need to be able to carry out my life’s work. In other words, I’m not going to spend every waking hour chasing wealth.

What it boils down to isn’t the fact that I don’t have a lot of money. I am able to quit my high paying job and leave the country for 4 months because I don’t have a lot of debt. I don’t mind telling you that the only debt I do have is a few thousand dollars in student loans (and the interest on those is low enough that I’m willing to take the hit and not pay them off early). Just 6 short months ago, on the other hand, I was on the path of most of the people who can’t understand how on earth we can afford such a trip – lots and lots of debt.

I also understand that people don’t automatically assume that I am incapable of pulling off a trip like this. That leaves one reason – the reason I am writing this is because I want other people to experience what I am just beginning to feel. By just being close to debt free, I’m experiencing freedom. My hunch is that in 99% of the instances when people don’t know how we can do this (financially) I could answer their question by saying, “We have no debt”. It would be refreshing if they could then take that information and translate it to their own situation. It would be even more refreshing if they would be disciplined enough to eliminate their own debt.

I realize this all sounds a bit arrogant. I do understand that there are people in situations of debt that are WAY beyond their control. What I also realize is that we spend too much time bitching about what we can’t do and too little time trying to find out why we can’t do it or what we can do about it.

I’m no rich kid. I’m not extraordinarily lucky. I’m certainly no genius. I am determined. I am willing to learn (from my mistakes and those of others). I am going to succeed – mainly because I refuse to accept less.

So, in the end; frank? yes. arrogant? maybe. false? no way.

my half-hearted apology if this offended you [see sentences 1-3]