Debt Free News #26 – Deacon Hayes

Getting out of debt is one of the greatest joys on the planet! Don’t believe me? Try it. Those that have achieved debt freedom know it and those that want debt freedom need to be reminded of it. Life is tough sometimes but it’s a lot nicer to be facing the many obstacles and unforeseen circumstances life throws at us without debt making it even tougher. Getting out of debt is a marathon not a sprint and it takes time to get there but it is so worth it. If you have debt and are wanting to rid yourself of […] Read more »

A Marathoner’s Guide to Getting Out of Debt

In life, it’s our experiences that shape who we are and how we handle adversity. Most lessons can be applied across the board and help us in ways we never expected. Today I wanted to highlight the similarities between training and running a marathon to the process of getting out of debt. As most of you know — Travis is a machine — and although he faced some challenges along the way while training for his 3rd marathon, on Sunday he completed it and reached his goal. Achieving debt freedom involves some of the same dedication, sacrifice, and intense focus […] Read more »

Debt Free News #25 – Scraps

Every debt free story submitted is special. I smile from ear to ear every time I read a new submission. I’m equally as excited about today’s Debt Free News because today’s story comes from someone who has followed Enemy of Debt since the beginning.  It was readers like Scraps that kept me on the path to educating the world about debt and living a debt free life. Scraps is special to me because we have continued to chat over the years and we have often emailed back and forth about things she’s going through or just to chat about something […] Read more »

The Joneses Are Buying an iPhone5. What Should I Do?

One of the coolest gadgets ever made is about to release the latest version — the iPhone5! All you hear around the water cooler is how your friends and co-workers have already pre-ordered it and are actually losing sleep in anticipation of its release. Your drab, but functional iPhone4 seems like the first phone ever made and the pressure to upgrade is pulling at your purse strings. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the iPhone! It has revolutionized how we interact and surf the web, interact with our friends and family, and in my opinion is quite possibly the best invention […] Read more »

Enemy of Debt: Best Debt-Focused Personal Finance Blog

Some of you may know that we recently attended the second annual Financial Bloggers Conference known as #FinCon12. We networked, brainstormed and listened to others inspire us to make EOD (and our personal blogs) an even better experience for those of you getting out of debt and wanting to learn solid personal finance. Enemy of Debt was nominated for two Plutus Awards — Best Debt Focused Personal Finance Blog and Best Multiple Author Personal Finance Blog. We won Best Debt-Focused Personal Finance Blog!! I may have created and launched my passionate mission to eradicate debt from this world, but without […] Read more »

Short Term Sacrifice For Long Term Gain

One of the biggest lessons we learned while getting out of debt was that sacrifice was critical to our success. And by success I don’t mean paying off our final debt before we die, I mean paying off our debt as fast as we could SO WE COULD LIVE…NOW! Think about that for a second. People spend money on things they want now (instant gratification), but isn’t that what I was getting by paying down my debt as fast as I could? I was instantly gratified each time I paid down my debt. And now we are definitely living although […] Read more »

Debt Freedom and Optimal Health is Ultimate Freedom!

I’M KICKING OBESITY’S ASS! Do you want to know how I feel RIGHT NOW? My idea of freedom has been elevated, expanded and has completely evolved into something I never expected. In other words, I thought debt freedom was total freedom but I’m blown away by the ultimate freedom I’m beginning to explore. If you thought I was some kind of freak before (about debt), now you’re going to think I’m a raging lunatic because the freedom I see before me has opened my eyes and has my undivided attention. In My World If you have debt and are not […] Read more »

The Power of Choice and How You Can Reclaim Your Life by Mastering It

Do you feel like you lack the willpower to succeed in achieving your financial goals? You might be surprised to learn that your lack of willpower is not the problem. That’s right willpower is not your problem. The real problem is that you’re not taking the time to make the choices that will help you reach your goals. That sounds so simple but it”s true. Some people might disagree with that but let me explain. For years I have struggled with the consequences of my bad decisions — both in health and in finances. On my journey to health, I’ve […] Read more »

What Motivates You? (And Why it Matters!)

What motivates change? Think back to all the times you were motivated into action and try to remember what it was that triggered that response. I’d be willing to bet that most of the time the changes were made in order to solve a problem. It could have been to lose weight because of a concerning doctor visit or to get out of debt after looking at a credit card statement. Our desire to solve a problem motivates us into action so we give it our “all” until our stress levels reach a tolerable level and we no longer feel […] Read more »

Psychology and Money – If You Know Something Isn’t Good For You, Why Do You Still Do It?

I’ve long been a fan of dealing with the psychological and behavioral issues related to how we manage money. It’s the things we do with money that take us to where we ultimately end up. One of my favorite websites is The Psychology of Money. I also like Psyblog – Understand Your Mind. 😀 Having recently stepped up my efforts to lose weight and become healthy, I’ve been facing my own behaviors when it comes to my eating habits. I have a history of binge-eating which has ultimately led to this vicious cycle most people know as the “yo-yo diet” […] Read more »

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try AGAIN!

Are you a debt-hating maniac like I am? Are you successfully working your way out of debt so that you can live a less stressful and more financially productive life? If you’ve been reading this blog for any time at all then you probably know I believe more than anything in your ability to eliminate the debt from your life. Keep chopping away at your debt and one day you will reap the rewarding benefits of that freedom. Unfortunately, some people never find their stride. They’ve tried everything they possibly could, yet getting out of debt seems so unreachable to […] Read more »

Debt Free News #24 – Jeff Lundberg

The Enemy of Debt Questionnaire – Congratulations to Jeff Lundberg! How much debt did you have and how long did it take you to pay it off? We paid off over $65,000 in 22 months. How does becoming debt free actually feel? Does it feel better than you imagined it would? We paid off our last debt (besides the mortgage) last month. It feels great! We’re very excited to start building wealth and being able to give!? What were some of the struggles that you had to deal with along the way? Was there ever a time where you almost […] Read more »

What Will You Sacrifice for Freedom?

C-H-A-N-G-E. People hate it! People hate having to change anything, sometimes regardless of the benefits that lie ahead. Change is uncomfortable and sometimes a little scary. The fear of having to face something unfamiliar can often paralyze us into inaction. Sometimes change is forced upon us and sometimes the choice is our own to make. So whether we like it or not, change is a very big part of who we are. We may as well embrace it. In terms of personal finance, change is constant. And when it comes to debt change can save you from financial destruction. Nobody […] Read more »

Have You Ever Considered Hiring a Financial Advisor?

I’ve always held the position that if you can do something yourself, you shouldn’t pay someone else to do it for you. From car repairs and home remodeling to weight loss and personal finance. Over the last year I have realized some things that have caused me to reconsider that approach. Until I met Travis Pizel, you would have heard me say things like “avoid debt relief companies like the plague”, but have since realized that what method you choose should depend on what’s best for you. I generally try to base my opinions on a case-by-case basis. I think […] Read more »