Our Debt Free Family

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3 Advantages of Being Debt-Free

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advantages of being debt-free

If you have ever lived paycheck to paycheck you know it is no cakewalk. Oftentimes, people are living this way because they don’t have all of their debts paid off or their cost of living is simply too high. Relieving that stress is only one of the many advantages of being debt-free. Here are some more to inspire your journey.

3 Advantages of Being Debt-Free

Anyone who has decided to embark on their own debt freedom journey probably knows most of the benefits of living a debt-free life. However, here are three perks you may have not considered yet…

  1. You get an instant pay raise. When all of your debts are paid, you’ll have more free income to spend, save, invest, and live your life with. Think about it. Every monthly payment you are making now towards an account will now be yours to spend as you wish. For us, that would mean more than $1,000 in extra cash month to month.
  2. You’re able to have more fun. Instead of borrowing money to go on vacation or biting your nails over the cost, you can stash away money more easily for fun things. You may feel like you are pinching pennies to make these things happen but you are able to freely take vacations and go out to have fun without worrying about where the money is being borrowed from.
  3. The potential to gain wealth is greater. Being debt-free will open more doors for you than you could imagine. You can create a plan to generate wealth for yourself and your family. You might even be able to become a millionaire because you’ll have the freed-up money to start saving and investing. If you are able to build up your net worth this way you are more likely to be able to leave behind a legacy for your family.

Debt Freedom Does Have Some Disadvantages

Believe it or not, not everything that comes with debt freedom is beneficial. There are a couple of disadvantages to being debt-free too.

  • It can have a negative impact on your credit score. You would think paying off all of your debts would have a positive impact on your credit score but it can sometimes have the opposite effect. If you work to pay everything off and avoid debt altogether, your score may go down because you have no way of proving you will pay for things on time. This can make it hard to get a mortgage or loan of any type.
  • You may feel out of touch with the rest of the world. Debt freedom also puts many people out of touch with the things going on in the financial world. For instance, if you are focused on paying things off and stashing money away you may miss a big investment opportunity. It can also make you feel withdrawn from family and friends. While everyone is out on Friday night, you may make the conscious decision to stay in and save money.

That being said, the advantages of being debt-free outweigh the cons every time when it comes to improving your finances. So, don’t let these two things stop you from pursuing your debt-free lifestyle.

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How to Tell If You Are Suffering From Burnout

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burnout

Here lately I’ve been feeling pretty burnt out. I’m burnt out on work. I am feeling burnt out with friendships and daily activities. All in all, I am really feeling the need to unplug, take a step back, and just breathe. However, I always find myself feeling guilty for taking that time off. I should be working, doing this and that. That guilt got me thinking about how burnout affects other parts of my life and how to identify when that break is needed.

Signs of Burnout

Signs of burnout can be different for everyone, but there are some common symptoms that many people experience. According to Psychology Today, if you are feeling any of these things you may be experiencing burnout on some level:

Physical/Emotional Exhaustion

  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Depression
  • Increased illness due to weakened immune system
  • Insomnia
  • Impaired concentration
  • Loss of appetite
  • Physical symptoms, such as chest pains, heart palpitations, and headache

Cynicism/Detachment

  • Feelings of detachment from others
  • Loss of enjoyment in things you usually love
  • Negative self-talk or pessimism
  • Self-isolation

Lack of Accomplishment Due to Burnout

  • Feelings of apathy
  • Irritability
  • Lack of productivity
  • Poor performance

Avoiding Burnout

Burnout is not unavoidable. In fact, there are a number of things you can do to make sure you don’t run yourself ragged (I just haven’t been doing them). Mommy Thrives is a mom blog that has covered some great ways to avoid burnout that you should try and implement in your day-to-day life. Here’s a quick list…

  • Change up your routine
  • Keep up with self-care
  • Schedule days where you are not working at all (or doing anything else for that matter)
  • Start a gratitude journal

How Burnout is Affecting Me

Like I said, great ideas, but I have not been doing any of that. I’ve been feeling a bit drained recently and I began thinking about the last time I truly took time off for myself. When you look at the list above, I ticked just about every box. Getting things done has been difficult. Some days it is hard to focus on all of the things that need to be done. It impacts my mood, my productivity, and, at times, it has an effect on our finances too.

More recently, I have had a lot of trouble sleeping, which was the biggest sign for me. Normally, I sleep pretty well and get around eight hours per night. Over the last few weeks, however, I have been waking up multiple times throughout the night. The sleep tracker on my smartwatch says I average between 30 and 50 minutes of deep sleep per night (Woah!). Now, this lack of sleep could be contributing to the rest of my symptoms, but when it comes down to it, I am burnt out. Period.

My mom always says, “The only thing you have to get done today is what you get done today.” I laugh when she says this because I think of my to-do list, which is normally about a mile long. But, really, how do you start to recover from burnout? What do you need to do to climb out of it and come back to your regular duties actually feeling refreshed?

Steps to Recover

Healthline wrote a great blog post about burnout and how you might be able to best recover if you hit that wall as I have.  Some of the suggestions include things like being firm about your boundaries and leaving work at work (two things I always struggle with). The blog also talked quite a bit about being in-tune with your own personal needs. On your days off, clear out your schedule and just relax. I’ll be honest, on my days off I’m usually running around checking even more things off my to-do list.

The Mommy Thrives blog mentioned mental health days and going on a hike. Hiking is one of my favorite things to do and I have not been on a hike since August 2019 (Yikes!). When it boils down to it, I’m not taking my downtime to truly tune into my personal needs or do anything I really enjoy. Instead, I’m thinking about all the things I could be doing.

Well, thankfully, I have a supportive husband who has seen this burnout coming from a mile away. He has been pushing me to do more things I enjoy and things to help my stress levels. I have started taking two yoga classes a week (which has been amazing) and in about a month we will both be unplugging for a long weekend at the beach. We never got our honeymoon and still actually have an Airbnb gift card from our wedding two years ago, so we will get one night free. While I’ll still have a month of work to do in the midst of this burnout, it is so nice to know I have these things to look forward to, to help me re-center.

Readers, how have you been able to recover from burnout in your own life? What tips do you have?

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What Is the Real Problem Behind This Couples’ $232000 in Debt?

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$232000 in debt

Occasionally, I also write on another personal finance website called Saving Advice. The site, which typically gives out financial advice and insights into saving methods, also has a blog section where everyday people can blog about their finances. There are a number of people who have blogged there for over a decade. One of the newest members is what recently caught my attention though.

An American Debt Story

In the original post, the blogger outlined their debt and broke it down into accounts. Immediately, people began to comment on the couple’s astounding debt figures. After having paid off more than $60,000, they remain $232,000 in debt. From the post:

A bit about myself, I’m a thirty-something-year-old woman living in Alaska with her husband who’s in the ARMY and 3 children (16yo girl, 13yo girl, and 4yo boy). I’m a Dave Ramsey enthusiast although I do disagree with some of his teachings (for example, saving $1,000 for emergency fund).

The comment section was full of suggestions on what the family should do as well as other personal stories to help her know that she’s not alone. In fact, a lot of people on the site have paid off six figures in debt. But the real question is how does $232000 in debt accrue?

How Do You Get $232000 in Debt?

First and foremost, if you take a look at the original post (linked above), you will see that the family has FOUR car payments they are in charge of making. This one of the biggest red flags on the list of their debts. They also have tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt. There are also a number of personal loans and student loans listed as well.

All in all, there has been very little reflection (on the part of the blogger) on what got them into this situation, to begin with. They owe payments on a Prius, truck, van, and RV. There is no doubt with three children that the van is likely needed, but the other vehicles are excess. The blogger says that they use the Prius for Doordash, but even the average Doordash salary would not excuse the monthly cost in car payments.

When it comes to “how does this happen,” it is the lack of self-reflection that plays a huge role. When a problem arises, a loan came through for them in an emergency instead of a savings fund. They have also made a lot of unnecessary expensive purchases.

My Thoughts

Of course, I still hold quite a bit of my own debt. We have not been able to make much progress on our debt freedom journey in recent months, but we are able to truly examine our finances. At this time, while she’s made a huge step in blogging about their debt, she hasn’t truly examined their finances.

She lists budgeting as one of her hobbies in the first post. However, she is still budgeting outside of what they actually have coming in. She is budgeting around debt payments and loan money. I think before she truly makes progress beyond the minimum payments she will have to identify what got them there in the first place.

For our family, we continued to go into debt because we overspent or thought we could afford more than we actually could (i.e. higher rent, too high car payments, etc). This is because we lived paycheck-to-paycheck our entire lives. So, when we got paid, it was “treat yourself” day. Because of this, we have to budget a set amount of money for “fun” activities so we don’t splurge. The reasoning behind their family’s debt will likely look different and so will the solution.

Readers, what do you think about this couples’ $232000 in debt? What would you suggest for them? 

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How to Keep Up With Your Resolutions

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keep up with your resolutions

A lot of people spent time reflecting on last year and setting fantastic goals for 2021. While we didn’t set any hardcore New Year’s resolutions this year, many people still did. The biggest triumph of all though is being able to stick to your plans and reach those goals throughout the year. Below are a few tips on how to keep up with your resolutions (even when you lose steam).

Setting Reasonable Goals

First and foremost, it is key to set reasonable goals for yourself. If your aspirations are too lofty, you may wind up running out of enthusiasm early on. Instead, focus on more obtainable, smaller goals that will help you reach longer-term aspirations that you may have.

When setting personal goals, it is important to have a “big picture” in mind. For instance, if you are setting a debt payoff goal for the year, think about all of your financial goals, not just your debt freedom. If you want to invest, save money, and buy a home, be sure to include those things in your planning too. Be sure you are setting reasonable goals for yourself within the grand scheme of things.

Another thing many people suggest is setting SMART Goals for yourself. We discussed SMART Goals on the blog a while back, you can read more about them here. SMART Goals can help you hone in on the specifics of what you’d like to accomplish, when, and how.

Tips to Keep Up With Your Resolutions

If you find you have trouble trying to keep up with your resolutions, you’re not alone. A lot of people abandon those dreams by the end of January (seriously). However, there are a few tips you can consider to help better set you up for success.

  1. Keep your goals specific. As mentioned above, the more specific you are in your goal-setting, the more likely you will be to reach them.
  2. Make exact plans as to how you will accomplish it. You won’t reach your goals if you don’t have a plan of action.
  3. Plan for how you will cope and learn triggers. Much of the time, resolutions are about resolving bad behaviors. You should learn your triggers (i.e. spending triggers) and figure out how to cope without giving up focus.
  4. Replace bad habits with good ones. If you are an overspender, become an over-saver.

Last but not least, pick a change you actually want to make. Many people spend time trying to reach goals they don’t truly desire. For example, people strive to live healthier lives and at the beginning of each year commit to exercising every day. That isn’t something most people want to do. Instead, you can find ways to live a healthier lifestyle (i.e. make time for outdoor activities and eat better).

No matter what, it is important not to lose faith in your goals and aspirations. Everything takes time, especially when it comes to lifelong goals. Be patient with yourself.

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Barbara Friedberg Shares Her Secret to Wealth

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secret to wealth

Barbara Friedberg and I had a chance to sit down and have a chat recently. Usually, when I talk to people about their finances they are sharing some inspiring and amazing debt freedom stories. What is most inspiring about what Barbara had to say is that she never really had any debt, to begin with. For her, the idea of accruing debt never occurred to her. (Why couldn’t I have had that mindset, right?)

Here’s a look at the highlights of our discussion and the full video below.

What is the ‘Secret’ to Wealth?

According to Barbara, the secret to wealth has been hustling. There has never been a time she and her husband didn’t have multiple jobs or hustles at once, she said during our interview. Here are a few more of the highlights of the discussion…

  • Investing is a huge part of Barbara’s key financial plan. She emphasizes that everyone should invest in some fashion.
  • Emergency funds are another must, but it should be whatever amount makes you feel comfortable (i.e. three months, six months, or a year+ of expenses).
  • Be flexible with your finances, especially right now. Be ready to make changes and look for new ways to make money.

Have a listen to the full chat below.

Final Thoughts

I enjoyed getting to talk to Barbara. Her mindset and ideas about money are something to be looked to for motivation. No matter where you are financially, you can hustle and make your goals happen and succeed.

As far as the secret to wealth or success in your finances, I think Barbara was right in many ways. You have to be willing to be a little uncomfortable to truly improve your situation. No good change comes from being comfortable. Paying off debt is uncomfortable. Living frugally to meet savings goals can be difficult. Hustling to get by or meet your investing goals can be nerve-wracking.

In the end, though, it is all worth it. Your financial freedom will be your reward. For every uncomfortable moment during your journey right now, infinite comfort awaits once you are free from financial worry.

Barbara A. Friedberg, MBA is the owner of Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance and the Robo-Advisor Pros review website where she delves into all of the popular digital investment advisors like Robinhood and M1 Finance.

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How Brian Paid Off $30,000 in Student Loan Debt His First Year Out of College

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Paid off $30,000 in student loan debt

Any time someone chooses to seek debt freedom and succeeds in it is amazing to me. Dave Ramsey’s “debt-free scream” is always a heart-warming celebration to see online and speaking to people who have paid off debt always inspires me. Brian Meiggs’ story is yet another inspiration. He took the time to participate in a quick Q&A to share how he paid off $30,000 in student loan debt.

How He Paid Off $30,000 in Student Loan Debt

When it comes down to it, Brian was able to pay off his student loan debt by pure determination. When he graduated, that was his sole focus. He did not want that debt to have a hold over him for 10+ years, as it does with so many other graduates. Here is how Brian Meiggs got started on his journey and led him to debt freedom.

paid off $30,000 in student loan debtQ: Tell me a little about yourself. What inspired you to seek financial freedom?

A: My name is Brian Meiggs and I’m an entrepreneur who spends most of my time building finance-niched websites from the ground up and making them profitable. Some of my recent projects include My Millennial Guide, Saving Junkie, and SavingExpert.

I’ve always been a hustler. In college, I bought used iPhones and flipped them for a profit. I had a few corporate finance jobs after college, but I found myself bored and without a purpose. I knew I didn’t want to work a 9-5 until I retired so I looked for a way out. I started a blog and eventually, it took off, and now I do it full-time. I enjoy every moment of it and the freedom it brings.

Q:  How much debt have you paid off?

A: I graduated from college with around $30,000 in student loan debt. Being a 23-year-old, that is a lot of money. I spent so much time building a rock-solid budget and maximizing my income in order to tackle this debt. I paid off all of my student loans within one year of graduating college. It was so liberating.

Q: How long had it taken to get to where you are financially?

A: It definitely took me a while to start making my desired income. I thought back and reflected, “man, I’m really doing it!” What helped me reach my income goals was looking at other bloggers who were making anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 per month. I figured if they could do it, why can’t I?

It wasn’t until my 3rd year of blogging that I felt comfortable with quitting my day job. I was working as a Credit Risk Manager making around $85,000 per year. Once the income from my blog was making me more money per month than my job, I felt comfortable quitting.

I have a funny quitting story, but that’s for another time. Now, I’m making more than six figures per year with all my websites. I simply enjoy the financial independence and not the money itself.

Q: What was the key to your success?

A: My success came from looking at other bloggers who were successful and trying to make my website better. I’m at a tipping point where if I really want to grow, I’m going to have to hire a full-team to help with management. I really enjoy running everything myself but if I want to continue to grow, this needs to happen.

Q: What is the most important part of your finances?

A: The most important part of my finances is continuing to maintain the lifestyle I am currently living. I’m not opposed to splurging on things that I want or saving every penny. I recently purchased my dream exotic car (BMW i8) and I have no regrets about it.

Q: How do you stay debt-free now?

A:  Staying debt-free is done successfully by spending less, finding additional sources of revenue and scaling that up, and having a budget that I actually follow.

Q: What is something you wish you could tell your younger self about money?

A: Money is passive. It comes and goes and while it can make you temporarily happy, creating memories and experiences whether solo or with friends and family, that’s more valuable.

Q: What is your favorite quote?

A: “The root of joy is gratefulness”  – Brother David Stiendl-Rast

Q: Is there anything you would like to leave readers with?

A:  I just wanted to thank you for reading my story and learning a bit about me. I would say the best way to invest is in yourself. Never stop learning or teaching yourself new skills. Every day you should be better than the day before. What do you want in life? Go out and get it. Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th. 

Closing Thoughts

Looking at the success in Brian’s story and how he paid off $30,000 in student loan debt, I thought to myself, “Man, I wish I had done that!” Could you imagine starting out your adult life with absolutely no debt? Hopefully, sharing his story inspires other young people to consider doing the same or taking similar approaches to pay off debt and focus on financial freedom.

Readers, what do you think about Brian’s story? How would paying your student debt off immediately impacted your finances? Was it ever a possibility? 

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Debt-Free and Never Looking Back: How Scott Paid Off $72,000

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Paid off $72,000

Last week, I had the pleasure of sitting down and chatting with Scott Maderer of Inspired Stewardship. Scott and his wife have paid off $72,000 in debt and, since then, they haven’t looked back. Seriously, no credit cards, no mortgage, nothing! Here is a look at Scott’s amazing story and how becoming debt-free helped him regain control of his life.

Scott’s Story

During our chat, I found out that Scott and his wife paid off all of their debt in just about two and a half years. Here are some highlights from the discussion…

  • Scott began seeking debt freedom because he was finding himself depressed because of his finances.
  • They don’t currently stick to a strict budget, but they spend next to nothing on entertainment (thanks to an extensive DVD collection, which he will talk about).
  • He and his wife will never carry debt again. They don’t even have a mortgage now.
  • For Scott, having a plan but being able to roll with the punches has been vital to his success.

I’ll let you give the full interview a listen below.

How Scott Really Paid Off $72,000

In one part of our chat, Scott talks about what has led him to be successful in his debt-free journey and what has kept him free of debt since. For him, there was a “never again” moment where he knew he would never want his finances to have such a stronghold over his life, especially his debts.

This is key for many people to maintain their finances after reaching their debt freedom goals. Having that moment where you realize you truly do not want to hold debt anymore and you don’t want to put yourself in that situation ever again can be life-changing.

If you would like to learn more about Scott or reach out to him about his story he has set up a special page for Our Debt Free Family readers here. 

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My Word For 2020: Productivity

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productivity

Social media has changed the world in so many ways (some good, some bad). One thing it has certainly done (for me) is provided me with new, interesting ways to think about things and approach projects. Recently, I have seen people choose a word to represent the year to come. Many people have chosen words like “hustle” or “positivity.” My word for 2020 is “productivity.”

Why I Chose This Word

Of course, everyone wants to be productive, but I chose this word this year because last year was really busy. Even though I was running around and felt exhausted and busy constantly, I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to. Then I came across this inspirational post on Facebook and it really spoke to me. It said…

Be productive, not busy.

When I read that I was like, “that’s it! That’s what I need to focus on.” It is kind of like that old adage “Work smart, not hard.” I want to focus on improving my everyday processes to reach my goals (both short-term and long-term). Before starting projects, I’ll analyze what the best approach is to protect my time (and money).

Productivity Goals

A lot of my productivity goals for 2020 will require a bit of planning. To start, I’ve begun waking up just a bit earlier every day and jotting down a brief schedule of what I have planned. If you saw my last post, I talked about my main goals for the year and I plan to achieve each of these by being productive and planning out my day.

For instance, to achieve my goal of learning German, I will carve out 10 to 20 minutes every day for a quick lesson. To be able to read a book a week, I am scheduling about an hour a day devoted to that alone. My goal of practicing self-care every day will be achieved by waking up just a little earlier and taking care of my skin and practicing yoga.

Our main finance goal of paying off at least half of our debt will also be helped along by being productive instead of busy. Last year, we were a bit frantic with our financial plans. This year, we will track every penny and have a set plan for paying off our accounts.

All in all, I am hoping that setting a goal to be more productive (and less busy) this year will free me up to do more of the things I enjoy, like spending time with my husband, hiking, reading, doing makeup, and crafts. As I’ve stated in the past, a huge part of me being successful in life, and in my finances, is being able to achieve a balance. That’s why I’m choosing to be productive and NOT busy this year.

Readers, do you choose a word to describe your year? What is yours?

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What is the Best Debt Advice?

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debt advice

People are pretty much always willing to offer up advice, even when you haven’t asked for it. Throughout my debt freedom journey, I’ve received advice from a number of individuals, but how do you decipher what advice is good and what you should let go “in one ear and out the other?” Here’s how to determine if the debt advice you’re receiving is something to consider or not.

What is the Best Debt Advice?

So, there’s no best advice when it comes to paying off debt. Everyone’s finances are different, therefore, their approach will need to be different. However, there are certain pieces of debt advice that have consistently helped people.

  1. Make a budget and stick to it. Believe it or not, budgeting for repaying your debt makes it easier to stay on track. Not to mention, having a solid budget will keep you from overspending, which is what causes most people to go into debt in the first place.
  2. Avoid taking on any new/additional debt. If you have become accustomed to swiping your credit card for things, this can be difficult. Consider hiding it or even cutting it up. Additionally, you shouldn’t take out any loans to consolidate your debt. It will almost always prevent you from making significant progress towards your goal.
  3. Set realistic goals for yourself. Many people fail at making realistic goals when it comes to their finances. If you stretch yourself too thin, you’ll cave under stress. Be sure to budget money for fun things and set realistic time frames for debt and savings goals based on that.
  4. Contact your lenders if you’re having trouble paying. We’ve all had issues making payments at some point. The best thing you can do if you’re struggling to repay a lender is to give them a call. Most will work with you on repayment and some will even give you a break on late fees, etc.
  5. If you can’t pay cash, you can’t afford it. Cash is king. If you don’t have the money in the bank, or you haven’t budgeted for the purchase, you can’t afford it. It’s that simple.

While these five pieces of debt advice are solid, not everything everyone tells you is going to help you pay off your debt. Here are a few things to consider.

How to Determine What Advice is Good

Be wary of anyone telling you there’s a “cure-all” to your debt problem. No single approach is good for everyone. You’ll need to cater your debt freedom journey to your personal needs. It may be worth looking into certain approaches if what you are doing isn’t working, but what works for someone else won’t always necessarily work for you.

Additionally, don’t listen to anyone telling you that taking out more debt to consolidate or further your progress is a good idea. You will only be hindering your ultimate goal of being debt-free. Instead, consider ways you can cut spending or earn more to help pay off your debts.

The Best Piece of Advice I’ve Ever Received

Since starting my own debt-free journey, I’ve received all kinds of advice from several different people. Some individuals have suggested consolidation loans, others have said to use all of my savings to pay off my debt, and one person even told me that I didn’t have to pay certain debts off (seriously).

The best piece of debt advice I’ve ever received, however, was this: be patient with yourself. There is no roadmap to debt freedom. The journey looks different for everyone and we all have to feel our way through things. For us, we’ve had to learn to live on one income, hide the credit cards, and focus on living a cash-only lifestyle. That may not work for everyone, especially for families with children.

It is easy to get frustrated when you aren’t seeing progress and it is even easier to simply give up. Finding patience for your journey and yourself is key to becoming debt-free.

Readers, what is the best piece of debt advice you’ve ever received? 

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Is Your Outlook Holding You Back?

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outlook

Most people look at me stunned when I say my husband and I have a debt freedom goal. One of my best friends literally lives on credit cards, while others scrounge paycheck to paycheck just to be able to go out to eat and live above their means. What I’ve found is that it isn’t your financial situation that sets you back from reaching debt freedom. In most cases, it is your outlook that makes the difference.

I’m Overly Optimistic

I must admit, I am an overly optimistic person, especially when it comes to the future. After all, it can be whatever you want to make it, right?

This can be both good and bad. Sometimes I do fail to see what could go wrong or when things just aren’t possible. I refuse to accept “can’t.” My husband, on the other hand, is someone who thinks of everything that could possibly go wrong and finds a solution for each of those problems before they even happen. We balance each other well that way.

However, my positive outlook has been beneficial in many areas of our lives. From our debt free journey (we are $20K+ down in a year) to our fitness journeys, positivity has been key!

How a Positive Outlook Has Helped Me With Weight Loss

If you don’t already know, I have been on a weight loss journey alongside my debt freedom journey. Over the past three years, I’ve lost about 132 pounds. My husband has lost 70.

outlook

One thing losing weight and paying off debt have in common is that they are both difficult. Extremely difficult. I have to look for inspiration daily to keep on track with both of these goals. Whether I find a new inspirational person to follow on Instagram, read some inspirational article or book, or simply have a dose of daily affirmation, positivity keeps me moving forward.

Positivity and Paying Off Debt

They say there are characteristics most debt-free people have. One of these, for us, is a positive attitude.

We took a look at our finances a couple of weeks ago so that I could provide a debt update here on the blog. When we tallied everything up, we’d paid off $22,565 over the span of a year, bringing our $65,000 debt down to around $40,000.

There are plenty of days we both want to quit and run a credit card for something or take a break from payments to go on a trip. We are both able to keep a positive mindset when it comes to paying off our debt because we know how great it will feel once we reach our goal. We already know what it feels like to hit goals in our weight loss journey and can’t wait to feel what it feels like being debt free!

All in all, a negative outlook could really harm your chances of meeting any of your goals. If you don’t think you can do it, you won’t. Clear your mind from negativity and move towards your newly painted future, whether it be health, finances, or other goals you have in mind.

What do you think? Has a negative outlook ever impacted your ability to meet goals? 

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