Clean Slate

I just paid off all my non-mortgage debt, $800, down from $6,000 earlier in 08. Kinda scary. After steadily building a savings/emergency fund, I wanted to keep it above a benchmark number. It made me happy, to see it there, growing. Earlier, I thought I would pay the debt in installments while reaching a savings goal. I surpassed the goal and still owed on this balance. Nonsense. I'd rather not pay a fee while they hold my debt.

Reading a few personal finance blogs was all the motivation I needed. It's great to celebrate and relish in an accomplishment, but I needed to detach myself from the importance of maintaining this account balance and take action. It requires courage. The end result was as satisfying as the monetary goal!

If it's on the card, it wasn't my money to spend. Sure the promise of miles seemed sweet, I managed a trip to Portland for my friends wedding. But when calculated, I received only 1 stinking percent, of what I spent, back! It's just a weapon of mass consumption! Try spending only cash for a week and see if you notice a down tick in accumulation. And don't buy online. It's too easy to click a few buttons. There aren't enough barriers, psychological, physiological, whatev's.

The card will be relegated to exceptional situations or when I plan to quick pay. Now, I can focus on getting the savings back and not be throwing pennies at my debt. Gone. Poof. Hooray! Back in black.