Our Four Year Debt-iversary!


11 Comments
Four Year Debt-iversary

This week marks four years of being debt free. (!!!) It’s hard to predict where we’d be if we’d never made the decision to get out of debt. All we know is where we are now. But I don’t think it’s a stretch to say all of the financial goals we’ve met in the past four years have been reached because we made the decision to get out of debt. Here are some of the things we’ve been fortunate to accomplish since that fateful day four years ago:

Bringing our debt balance from -$20,000 to $0 (the x’s and o’s) was important. But even more important than the tactical stuff was actually setting that goal and making the decision to live debt free. Committing to that goal and working toward it as we paid down our debt has affected everything we’ve accomplished financially these past four years. The amount we owed to others (read: student loan providers) changed, but more importantly, we changed.

Because of that decision and ultimately becoming debt free, we’ve made some pretty major changes. Johnny is now pursuing self-employment and we’ve started a side business. We don’t know where this chapter will take us, but we couldn’t have started it in the first place if it weren’t for our finances, built solidly on a foundation of freedom from debt.

Getting out of debt is an exercise in restraint and sacrifice. And sometimes it’s hard to see the payoff because it can be years away. Saving for retirement, for instance, won’t feel validated or worth the effort until we retire thirty years from now. But with each passing day, month, and year of being debt free, it’s becoming very easy to see all the good things that have come because of that initial, audacious goal we set to get out of debt.

While we certainly don’t miss having debt, we do miss that camaraderie of fellow Debt Monster fighters. And while we might be fortunate enough to have gotten out of debt, we’re cognizant of the fact that many of you reading this are not yet out of debt. Ours is hopefully a story of hope. Know that we’re you’re greatest advocates and cheerleaders and want you to succeed. If nothing else, we tell this story and celebrate this day on our blog to remind you that not only is it possible, but that you, too, will someday celebrate your debt-iversary. And we can’t wait to celebrate it with you.

We’re taking a few days off to spend time with family and regroup from a busy past few weeks. Johnny and I have set aside a night in the coming week to talk through what we hope to bring to OFB in 2016! We’re excited for a new year of all kinds of nerdy financial talk. We hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

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11 Comments

  • Reply jolie December 23, 2015 at 9:32 am

    Gorgeous pic of your daughters. You two have done so well keeping yourselves debt free through two pretty big moves. Thank you for being so inspiring. Have a great holiday break.

  • Reply Violet December 23, 2015 at 10:07 am

    And look how far you’ve come! Congratulations and have a wonderful holiday!

  • Reply Money Beagle December 23, 2015 at 11:25 am

    That’s awesome, and your list goes to show the one simple truth about debt freedom in that it opens up so many possibilities that you didn’t have or had to compromise on prior. Great work and thanks for sharing!

  • Reply Cat@BudgetBlonde December 23, 2015 at 5:27 pm

    Congrats on your debt free anniversary! That’s awesome!! I can’t wait to see what you accomplish in the next year. 🙂

  • Reply Lisa December 23, 2015 at 8:52 pm

    Thanks for all the excellent financial information you continue to share. Wishing your family happy holidays, good health and much success in the coming year.

  • Reply Ellen December 25, 2015 at 11:40 pm

    Congrats guys! My husband and I have been trying to slay (or at least maim) the Debt Monster for almost a year now. In 10 months, we have paid off over $25,000 in debt! We still have a lot to go but it is really encouraging reading your blog! Thank you so much!

    • Reply Joanna December 27, 2015 at 1:38 am

      Wow, that’s so incredible, Ellen! Keep up the awesome debt slaying. Major Internet fist bumps and high fives from us to you.

  • Reply Tamara S. December 26, 2015 at 3:33 am

    That’s awesome to hear. I was reading through your blog sometime this past Feburary/March and one of your posts gave me the final push to set up a 529k plan for our three children. I’m so glad we did and its amazing to see it add up at the end of the year. Happy Holidays!

    • Reply Joanna December 27, 2015 at 1:36 am

      So happy to hear that, Tamara! Way to go!

  • Reply Ramona December 28, 2015 at 5:39 am

    Congratulations for your debt-iversary.

    It’s been close to 4 years as well for me (next March) since I got out of debt and it’s been a great ride ever since. Being in debt was an issue for me and always felt like it dragged me down. It did teach me the importance of proper money management, budgeting, tracking expenses etc., so I finally had something to benefit from. And a pretty hard lesson learned as well 🙂

  • Reply Melanie December 30, 2015 at 9:31 am

    It’s funny, sometimes (lately) as I’m sitting down outlining my financial goals for 2016 and getting frustrated that I can’t seem to hit every single savings goal, I forget how far I’ve come and how well I’m doing. Being debt-free is an amazing feeling, and I believe my talking about finances with my significant other recently motivated him to take a matured CD and pay off his credit card debt, having him join the debt free group as well! Good things are happening 🙂 It’s good to remind yourself how far you’ve come! Congrats!

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