credit card debt | brokenredeemed

Three years ago my mom gave me Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University (FPU) kit for my birthday. While I was a little skeptical, at first, I read the book and listened to the CDs on my way to and from work…and I allowed Mr. Ramsey to change my perspective on how I handled money.

So, when my boyfriend (now hubby) and I were getting serious, we watched the DVDs together. I could tell he was a little skeptical, as well. However, he gave it a try. He saved up and purchased my engagement ring with cash, and when we got married, we did so, debt-free (you can read about that here); even our honeymoon was paid in cash! During our first 7 months of marriage we worked hard at paying down our debt, which included his car and my student loan.

In November, we discovered we were pregnant! Being just one payment shy of having the hubby’s car paid off, we went ahead and made the final payment, and then pushed pause on our debt-snowball; only making a minimum payment on my student loan each month. Then, we saved during the pregnancy. We did purchase a used car, with cash, when my car went out of commission earlier this year, but then we continued to save. After this mommy and baby came home from the hospital, we used the money we’d saved to pay off the hospital bills, and put a huge chunk down on my student loan.

And on October 31st, 2017, we made our LAST student loan payment, making us DEBT FREE at last!!

Now, we’re on to Step 3, and then on to what Dave calls Step 3B, which is a down payment for a house. And guess what! YOU can do it too! It takes hard work and self-discipline, yes, but it’s possible!

Have I mentioned that after baby girl came, I left my job!? I’m now a stay-at-home mom, because we made good financial decisions based on Dave Ramsey’s principles!

Do you have any dreams or goals that you continually push aside, because your finances prevent you from chasing them? Perhaps you should check out Dave Ramsey’s FPU. You won’t regret it.

7 Baby Steps

Step 1: Save $1000 Emergency Fund
Step 2: Debt Snowball
Step 3: Save 3-6 months of Expenses << This is where we are now!
Step 4: Invest 15% of Household Income
Step 5: College Funding for Children
Step 6: Pay off House Early
Step 7: Build Wealth & Give!

It’s been a while, since I’ve posted anything, much less regarding how my debt-free journey is going. I’d been slowly chipping away at my credit card and student loan debt, but what really made a huge dent thus far is that I received a refund earlier in the year (primarily because I’ve been paying interest towards my student loans) and my mom graciously surprised me with some money she’d been saving for me.

These two unexpected gifts allowed me to completely pay off my credit card (woohoo!) and the smallest of my 3 student loans. Most of the second to smallest student loan has also been paid off (it should be gone by the end of this month), leaving just the largest of the 3 loans. This means that I’ve paid off $3270.20 in credit card debt and $4011.72 in student loan debt within the last year!

That’s a lot of money! I could only imagine what I could have done with this $7281.92 if I didn’t have these debts.

Goals

For me, this journey to becoming debt free is important because I want to be in a place where I can give freely and generously. There has been many a time when I’ve wanted to help someone or bless a cause, financially, and have been unable to do so because of debt. One day, I want to be able to offer services to aid and bless those around me. With this goal in mind, it’s easier for me to give up the things I want now, so that I can be in a better position to serve later.

What goals do you have for your future? Can being debt-free help you reach those goals?

Whatever you do, be sure to create a plan! Like Zig Ziglar says, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” Be intentional with your finances and your time.

7 Baby Steps

Step 1: Save $1000 Emergency Fund
Step 2: Debt Snowball << This is where I am!
Step 3: Save 3-6 months of Expenses
Step 4: Invest 15% of Household Income
Step 5: College Funding for Children
Step 6: Pay off House Early
Step 7: Build Wealth & Give!

And remember, the 7 Baby Steps really begin when you create a budget (and stick to it)! Two great applications that I personally use to help me create a budget are the new Dave Ramsey application Every Dollar and Mvelopes. I can’t use Every Dollar on my phone, since it’s only available for iPhones, so I use the Mvelopes app for my Android. Be sure to check them out and tell me what you think!