Hear ye, hear ye, Money Saving Lords and Ladies! It’s Freedom Friday where I bi-weekly share our progress in becoming completely debt free. It’s also your turn to share your story of debt slaying. Whether you’ve paid off every cent you owe, are just getting started, or live somewhere in the in between, we want to hear from you! We’re better together, share your story and make us all stronger.
At many points along our journey to becoming debt free, I’ve felt a little less than significant in our efforts. Yes, I do my best with the grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation, bill paying, budgeting, and taking care of the Princesses. And I make a bit of a side income. With the emphasis on wee little bit.
But most of the financial responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of the King of Free.
He is the primary and almost sole breadwinner.
In fact, in the early days of journey (September 08ish), I quit a part time job that =ed exactly what we were paying on the debt snowball and we had to start all over again. We both agreed that it was the right thing to do (for more than one reason) but it was still a very difficult call for us to make – to essentially eliminate our early momentum and begin again when literally had just started.
And so there are days when what I do seems so monotonous and insignificant. Dishes, laundry, potty training, shuttling the girls to and fro, making breakfast, making lunches, making dinner, mowing the yard, picking up toys, picking up toys, picking up toys, picking up toys . . . overseeing homework, doctors’ appointments, and then waking up the next morning to do it all over again. Even typing the list makes me want to sigh.
While I do know these little things make a difference, it’s hard not to feel frustrated with myself for not making a more significant financial contribution to the process.
And yet I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Living in the tension is never easy.
The tension of doing what you’re doing because it’s what you’re supposed to do vs. doing what you want to do because you want to do it.
When I really evaluate it, there is no insignificant factor when you’re on a debt slaying journey. Every little bit, every little effort is part of a greater whole, a greater good, a greater aim and purpose. And so I press on through feelings of “not enough” to realize that much has been done through us and in us during this process.
$99,269.20 since April 2008.