After being married for years to an unemployed hoarder with a shopping addiction, I am happy to announce that I am, as of today, completely free of credit card debt. It's been a long road, and honestly, I thought I would be ecstatic about it, but it doesn't feel like much of an accomplishment. It just feels like another day in the life.
Have you accomplished anything that you thought you'd be ecstatic about, but ultimately didn't really affect you?
The real joy & appreciation comes when you realize that what is yours really is yours.
At one point in life, my credit was so bad - they wouldn't take my cash.
But we work through it and we get things where we want them to be. Don't pay attention to the lack of feelings you thought you'd have; but rather to the feelings you are having. The freedom of not owing somebody an absurd amount of money at a 23.9% interest rate. The freedom of more cash flow as it's not tied up paying down that debt. The freedom to explore the world with said cash flow - creating "ecstatic" memories that you'll not soon forget.
Have you paused, thought about how bad it used to be and compared it to how things are now?
Not lately. Excellent advice. Thanks.
I found that moving to Indianapolis was completely underwhelming...
I like it here, for the most part.
@Nottheonlyone
It's not a bad place, but one does get weary of the gunshots.
@Holysocks Not as many in my neighborhood as there were 15 years ago.
@Nottheonlyone
I am sincerely glad to read that.
@Holysocks I am sincerely gladder to be able to say it! (And yeah, I did just make up a word.)
@Nottheonlyone
A wordologist is always welcome in my world.
@Holysocks I love making stuff up. I should do it more often!
@Nottheonlyone
Please do! Creativity brings about so many smiles!
Congratulations!
I recently pruchased a house. I thought it was going to make me feel super accomplished and happy, but I don't really feel any differently.
Have you farted in every room yet ..I find that lifts my mood when I move into a new place
@Simon1 Bahahahaha!! I’m sure I have. I haven’t actually kept track though. I’ll deliberately fart in every room again just to make sure
As someone who has pulled his own credit up from the doldrums, a big Congratulations to you! I love the feeling of being debt free.
Although it may feel a bit anti-climactic at the moment, I think that over time you'll feel the stress and anxiety have been replaced with a comfort that is much healthier.
Good job!
Congratulations! That is a major accomplishment! I've found that as I've gotten older, I get much more excited about what my daughter accomplishes than about what I do. Maybe she is my big accomplishment in waiting, and I'll really let loose when she graduates/has her career.
You don't feel much because this is the way it's supposed to be. You've returned to normal.
Actually, I realized I'm not ecstatic about it because I'm balancing happiness (about being debt free) and resentment (about how my ex promised to help but didn't). It's okay. Onward and upward!
Recording music. You pour your heart and soul into it, but every tiny little fuck-up is like a fingernail dragged across a chalk board.
I know this pain, too. Awesome that we are by default our own worst critics.
I was married to a 'comfort' spender. That'll ruin ya. I made her take all the credit cards and mortgage in the divorce
I was (and still am) happy to have the house, mortgage and all.
Will you marry me please?
Ha! No one would be more surprised than I would if I evet got married again!
@Nottheonlyone Nothing is impossible if you have the will and drive ! ??
@VAL3941 I'm afraid I'm missing both of those things, at least when it comes to the idea of getting married again.
@Nottheonlyone Thats my Baby, a girl after my own heart. After 35 years of single life I am still not interested in the institution of marriage.
Congrats on the accomplishment!
Of course it feels like any other day, this is the way to live comfortably
Yes, being a guitar player and lover of all things music and gear... I had finally bought all the gear I wanted recently... only to find out no matter what instrument I play, I sound like me through anything. So either a 50 dollar practice amp or a 4000 dollar amp makes no difference. Joe Bonamassa came to the same conclusion too, and its good since a gear addiction is expensive
@Bierbasstard Scams for what? I actually want the gear, so how is it a scam? If your thinking overpricing.. well lets discuss. I personally believe say an amp head, designed and built by a guyvia hand-wiring should command a high price. But to look at music gear in general as an investment? Well its not lol, its a pure loss. But thats not my goal. The goal for me was to get tones.. im an active player.
@Bierbasstard True that. Sure, a £300 guitar will sound better, hold tune better, and be more payable out of the box than a £150 one. And a £600 will be better again, but not twice as good. A £1,200 guitar will be a bit better, but very quickly you get into a curve where the amount of money keeps climbing, but the improvement becomes incrementally smaller. It becomes more about snob value and labeling.
@JeffMoffat I suppose my perspective is different on this topic. A snob is a perspective from someone else who is jealous of another persons achievements or is envious of them. The problem in my view is the fact that the ones calling others snobs don't seem to understand that it may have taken that person a long time to get the expensive gear. Why not celebrate success than suppress it? But at the same time you do have these people who seem to rub it in your face... I just would hope people can separate their opinions from facts, as from what i see people mostly react to a supposed "snob" instead of being happy for them. Just my 2 cents of course
@Bierbasstard I would agree on this if the music industry (At least the part that requires the use of those types of instruments) wasnt going down in flames... Since rock n roll isnt really popular anymore its not inspiring kids to pickup an instrument and learn how to play. Its a result of technology + youth. Who wants to spend 4 hrs a night learning guitar when you can pick up rocksmith for 60 bucks and play 5 buttons
Congratulations! The answer to your second question is not easy. It’s easy to remember things that I accomplished that I am very happy about. But it’s tough to remember inconsequential things. Regarding former relationships, those “accomplishments” always leave memories and probably cause psychological changes. They probably continue to affect us long after their express expiration dates.
You still married to the unemployed hoarder?
Nope.
@Nottheonlyone Good Woman and you learned your lesson.... Never again! Congratulations!!! Living Debt Free is best Revenge against the Lenders and Credit Institutions!