| Three years ago I was $30,000 in debt. | | | | was used to help pay off debt. |
| I had $15,000 in consumer debt (credit cards and an | | | | Hard choice #2: I got a second job. In my case I |
| auto loan), and I owed $15,000 to my mom. I felt like | | | | created a window cleaning business. Window cleaning |
| I was swimming in an ocean of debt with no sign of | | | | is inexpensive to start and fairly lucrative...I averaged |
| the shore. | | | | about $24/hour washing windows. I could set my |
| My income as a real estate agent was around | | | | own hours to fit my real estate business. I still do this |
| $35,000/ year. Scary, huh? | | | | business on a part-time basis. This extra income went |
| I got myself into this trouble the way most people | | | | to paying down my debt, and now that I am out of |
| get themselves into financial trouble... poor decisions | | | | debt, is now being saved, so that I can buy a new |
| based upon taking the easy, instant gratification path. | | | | car with cash. |
| Today, I am debt free except for my mortgage, | | | | Hard choice #3: While working on paying off my |
| which I consider "good" debt. | | | | debt, the real estate market went crazy. Real Estate |
| I'm going to tell you how I got out of debt. These | | | | agents, including me, were making two or three |
| ideas are a bit difficult to put into writing, but if you | | | | times their regular incomes. In our area this boom |
| read this article carefully, my experiences and | | | | went on for about 24 months. Most agents were |
| suggestions may help you to achieve the debt-free | | | | buying themselves new, larger homes and beautiful, |
| life you dream of. | | | | new luxury cars. Not me. I was busy paying off my |
| What has worked for me can work for you if you | | | | debt. I admit that I would look longingly at the new |
| are willing to follow a more difficult life path than you | | | | cars in our office parking lot, but I knew that the |
| are on right now. The choices I made, so that I could | | | | good times would, in due course, end and those easy |
| get out of debt, only worked for me because I was | | | | payments would starting getting hard to make. |
| willing to do "whatever it took" to get out of debt. | | | | Easy choice #2: Towards the end of the "hot" real |
| This "whatever it takes" philosophy was very | | | | estate market I had about $30,000 in equity in my |
| important to my success, and will also be very | | | | little condo. I sold it and moved into a condo that |
| important to your success. | | | | was a little larger (800 sq. ft. vs. 420 sq. ft.) My |
| Selling your "future self" into slavery: | | | | mortgage payments were larger, but I used part of |
| Most people, including me, prefer to take the easy | | | | the profit to pay off my Mom. The rest was used to |
| path in life; "Buy now, pay later". We do this, not | | | | buy my new condo. By that point my debt was |
| realizing that we are putting our "future selves" into | | | | down to about $9,000. |
| slavery for the debt we create today. What you buy | | | | The good, the bad and the end of my debt: |
| on credit today, your "future self" will have to try to | | | | I received an inheritance this year, some of which I |
| pay back when your future self (you) get your credit | | | | used to pay off the rest of my debt. This inheritance |
| card statements. | | | | was given to me by Betty, a woman I was dating. |
| If you think about it, why would you do that to | | | | My sweetheart, Betty, died of cancer in December |
| yourself? You wouldn't do that to a friend. You | | | | of 2005 and left me some money from her estate. |
| wouldn't do that to your Grandma. Why do it to | | | | Even though she wanted me to have the money, I |
| yourself? You need to learn to like yourself enough | | | | would gladly have given it all back and everything I |
| not to create this future slavery. You have a choice. | | | | owned just to have her back. The ability to pay off |
| You can look forward to a future filled with freedom | | | | my debt using this money was truly bitter-sweet. |
| and prosperity, or a future of slavery to your debt. | | | | While she was alive, Betty enjoyed debt-free |
| Don't intentionally give up your freedom. Your choices | | | | prosperity and she knew how important it was to |
| can create a future heaven or a future hell for you. | | | | me to be debt free too. She left me one last |
| When I realized this important truth, I totally changed | | | | blessing: freedom. |
| how I looked at life. I realized that, "If I am tough on | | | | In the end I received an unexpected blessing which |
| myself today, my future self will have a gentle, more | | | | helped me get out of debt faster. I feel strongly that |
| prosperous life, filled with exciting choices". | | | | had I not been willing to do "whatever it took" to |
| With that truth firmly in mind, I started making the | | | | get out of debt, I may have never received that |
| harder choices. The delayed gratification choices. The | | | | final blessing. I think life provides us with what we |
| get out of "debt-slavery" choices. I started walking | | | | want, if we are willing to pay the price. We may not |
| the more challenging path towards getting out of | | | | have to pay the full price to become debt-free, but |
| debt. | | | | we have to prove we are willing to pay the full price, |
| How I freed myself from debt-slavery: | | | | before the universe helps us out. |
| Easy Choice #1: I stopped creating more debt. Period. | | | | It's up to you. You can become free of your debt by |
| Hard choice #1: I sold my home and bought a tiny | | | | being tough on yourself. Make the harder choices. |
| condominium. I lived alone and didn't need a home | | | | Take the more difficult path. Don't sell yourself into |
| that big, and I didn't need that big mortgage | | | | debt-slavery. If you do these things, your financial life |
| payment. I moved from my 1400 sq. ft. home into a | | | | will become gentler and easier as time passes. This |
| 420 sq. ft. condo. My mortgage payments were cut | | | | concept works. Try it, I dare you. Then let me know |
| in half. The money I freed up from switching homes | | | | about your success! |