Welcome Money Saving Lords and Ladies, fellow debt slayers. We’re still winding our way through the wilds of debt reduction. We’re transforming our minds, we’re sharpening our practical debt slaying tools, we’re battling with the help of others. We only have about 10 days left in our journey. I hope you’ve been inspired and challenged. And best of all, I hope you’ve learned something you didn’t know.
Today, let’s talk about something fun – learning how to celebrate. SPOILER Alert: I reveal exactly how much we’ve paid off since beginning our journey in April of 2008.
Day 21: Celebrate the Journey
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| Our payoff pile is still on our slightly messy fridge. Also in the bundle, 2009’s Dave Ramsey Studio Christmas card & a button that reads “To Have More, Desire Less.” |
Debt slaying adventures can be a long journeys.
They can drag on for weeks . . .
or months . . .
or in our case . . . years.
Your journey might even be counted in decades.
In order to maintain momentum, you’re going to need to develop ways to celebrate the small victories in a long battle. Otherwise, you’ll be prone to becoming weary. Or perhaps even give up the fight.
Obviously we didn’t pay off over $85K ($85,847.96 as of today, but who’s counting?) in a matter of days. It’s taken 34 full months to get that far. There have been smaller battles and even a few major victories along the way.
What’s your initial goal?
The smallest debt in your debt snowball? $1000 paid off? $500 paid off? $5000 paid off? All of your credit card debt? Your car loan?
Once you meet a small goal, you need to celebrate.
Of course knowing me, you should realize that celebrating doesn’t always = spending money. Our earliest victory dances came in the form of writing the date on a paid off debt and then magneting it to our refrigerator where it would be visible when we were coming and going. Each time I passed that pile of paid in full statements, my heart rejoiced.
We knew we were on the right path. We knew that we had to keep on going.
When we paid off our car, I shared a humbling and rather humorous personal antedote on Queen of Free (it’s vintage QoF for sure and if you don’t giggle, you’re simply too stoic). When we slayed the Target VISA Dragon in February of 2010, we planned a trip to Great Wolf Lodge to celebrate as a family. Of course we paid cash and got a great deal. 🙂
And when the Evil Sorceress Sallie Mae breathes her last breath?
Of course, we’ll scream we’re debt free.
And we’re paying cash to go to Disney.
And we’re going to give away as many copies of The Total Money Makeover
Celebration = momentum. Celebration = a way to share your joy. Celebration = changing the lives of others. Celebration = an outward expression of an inward change.
Celebration is life giving, both for you and those around you.
How do you celebrate your debt slaying victories?
