No Effort, No Results

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A little over a year ago my mom had major back surgery.  Over the years her spine had become so twisted that it was squishing her internal organs in a way that was extremely uncomfortable, and would only get worse.  Titanium rods were attached to her spine using large screws in hopes that it would force her spine to be straightened, improve her posture, and resolve some breathing and pain issues she had been dealing with for years.  She is in her mid to late 60’s and the doctors advised that if she was going to have surgery the time […] Read more »

Want To Achieve Your Goals? Improve a Little Each Day

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I turned the corner, and the numbers came into focus on the clock counting the finishing times of the 5K I was running on Sunday morning. The clock said 25:55 as I crossed through the inflatable finish line. My first thought was that of satisfaction in finishing under my goal of 27 minutes. The next thought was that I knew I could do better. It’s been a few years since I’ve done a race of this specific distance, so I wasn’t sure of what pace to start at. I started too slow, and then slowly increased my speed. My failure […] Read more »

How to pay $2,048 in debt before Thanksgiving by doubling-down

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Would you be interested in knowing how to pay off $2,048 in debt? We all know having a budget is important, but budgeting doesn’t work unless you do. That is why motivation, encouragement, and a vision to succeed is required when putting on the uniform as an Enemy Of Debt. Follow these three ideas to pay $2,048 in debt before carving your next Thanksgiving turkey.   The power of a post-it note Write your most urgent goal on a post-it note and stick it to your bathroom mirror. It doesn’t have to be prolific and it doesn’t have to be […] Read more »

Are You Perfect?

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Like most stereotypical males, I enjoy movies with lots of action and explosions. But I also really enjoy movies that inspire, and cause me to reflect upon the things going on within my own life. I got pulled into just such a movie one night last weekend. It’s one of my all time favorites, and I stayed up way too late to watch the ending. The movie is Friday Night Lights. Note: Before you non-football fans roll your eyes and click away, be patient for just a moment, this post has only a passing reference to football. My favorite part, […] Read more »

Use The 4 Keys of Consistency to Get Out of Debt

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When you decide to start getting out of debt, it can be hard because you’re attempting to live life in a new way.  You’re changing your mindset about money and developing new habits that you hope to be permanent. But while you’re in the midst of making all these changes, it can be easy to let some of those old habits and mindsets creep back in. Change is hard. That’s why it’s necessary to learn how to be consistent when you’re trying to getting out of debt.   It Takes Firmness of Character To Get Out of Debt One definition […] Read more »

Warning: The Long Term Effects of Debt Will SHOCK You

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Before we enrolled in our debt management plan, many of our credit cards had very high interest rates, some as high as 29.99%. We were making very little progress on the actual balance of our accounts, our payments going mostly to line the pockets of the credit card companies. I know I’ve paid an insane amount of interest to creditors because of our overspending. With the finish line of our debt management plan in sight, I wondered how different my financial picture would look if I had invested that money instead. What I discovered SHOCKED me. Ground Rules First let’s […] Read more »

How Does It Feel to Pay Off $100,000 of Debt?

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Last Thursday we made the October payment to our debt management plan. After hanging up the phone, I leaned back in the chair to let the gravity of the payment sink in. To be honest with you, my bottom lip trembled a little bit as tears started to form in the corners of my closed eyelids. With our 52nd payment, the amount of debt that we have repaid through our debt management program has hit the mark of $100,000. Sitting in a conference room at work with the door closed, I couldn’t quite figure out the exact reason behind my […] Read more »

What Do Long Distance Running and Getting Out of Debt Have In Common?

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I walked down my driveway and accelerated into my normal running pace as I crossed the line separating the concrete of my driveway and the asphalt of the road. I was excited to head out for a Saturday morning run, the target distance being five miles. I hadn’t run outside much lately but I had been doing a lot of treadmill running, and was sure it would all come back to me. Except it didn’t. I was expecting an effortless run, as I remembered enjoying so many previous times. What actually followed was seventy minutes of alternating between running, walking, […] Read more »

Pain is NOT a Lifestyle

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I walked by a chiropractor’s office a few weeks ago where a sign hung in the window that read, “Pain is Not a Lifestyle.” The meaning of the sign was obviously referring to physical pain. There is no need to walk through life in pain when the people inside the office can relieve it for you. But as I read the sign over and over, a wave of emotion and memories flowed through my consciousness as to how my life used to be full of so much pain due to my finances. I remember all the things I had once […] Read more »

A Taste of Financial Freedom

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On Saturday Vonnie turned the big 4-0.  Forty is the age where people question their place in life, reflect upon what they have or haven’t accomplished, and question their mortality. In other words, their 40th birthday can leave a person feeling old. I wanted to give my wife a day of fun that would make her feel special, and help ease her way into her fifth decade on planet earth. The night before her birthday I told Vonnie that she better get some rest because she was in for a very busy day. She started to ask questions, but I […] Read more »

The Winds Of Debt Only Blow In One Direction

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A windy day was in the forecast with gusts up to 40mph. I didn’t care, I was going for my run. The wind smacked me in the face almost immediately as I started off down the street. I tucked my head down, turned the volume up on my iPod, and cut through the wind for the first half of my run. Every step was a struggle, the end of each block a victory. I was grateful when I reached that familiar street corner that represented the half way point of my run. I smiled as I turned the corner, knowing […] Read more »