09 October 2009

Dream #1 - No Debt

Good morning everyone! Ok, so as promised I’m blogging about my dreams that have become my motivation. The first reason – the thing that will be the first one to be checked off is paying off our enormous amount of debt. I know that this isn’t as fun as travel or photography, but its an essential MUST in order for us to continue on checking off those dreams.

The student loans that we’ve taken out over the last 4 years is overwhelming and quite depressing. I would never trade my education for a dollar amount and having the accomplishment of earning my degree is truly priceless – so with that disclaimer out there I can rant a bit? Haha no, I’ll behave. The harsh reality of our situation is that Charlie and I didn’t receive any federal or state grants for retarded reasons – but ya, everything over our little university grants had to be loans. It’s a long and tangled mess that usually puts me on the bitter-train so I’ll spare you the details. J

I can tell you that having the stress and pressure of having the loans piling up every year, getting those quarterly statements of the interest that is accruing, trying to pay for living expenses, enjoy life, keep eating…it gets exhausting. As much as we don’t want it to, it consumes our thoughts and ability to do a whole lot. The idea of having to start paying off my student loans was a huge factor in my decision to go into the Masters program here at LSU – even though I’m not 100% sure that’s where I should be in my life.

So this motivation of getting everything paid off and being financially “free” is a HUGE dream. We don’t want to say that money is the number one motivation in our lives, but rather we want the freedom that comes with not having to worry about every cent that leaves the bank account. I don’t want to spend my life hours working hard, missing time with my husband, someday my kids, and not enjoying their lives because I’m chained to the reality of paying off debt from my education and trying to provide a life. I want the freedom of being able to going on vacations – guilt and stress free – taking my kids on trips, being able to be at their soccer games or dance/music recitals. I don’t want to be absent 24/7 and constantly occupied by the stress of money.

Right now our goal is to have at least my student loans paid off by next year – Charlie’s by next Christmas? Its possible, the business is taking off and this is the main flame under our butts. J I don’t know how many of you have student loans hanging over your heads – the idea of grad school is looming in front of you and its terrifying (& expensive), or mortgages, credit card debt… things to pay off and that are looming over your heads is stressful and it adds a negative shade on life. Lets work on getting rid of that, de-stress your life a bit? It’ll be worth it.

Tomorrow’s post will be more exciting – Medical Schools! Yay! I’m super excited to share with you all the possibilities that are coming up for next year. I’m so proud of Charlie and we are blessed with options.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

wow. how lucky are you to even have the POSSIBILITY of paying off your debt in the near future. i wish one of us was going to be a doctor. haha. don't think i haven't tried to convince matthew. nothin doin. so... hopefully we'll have our student loans paid before we're dead. if i said we'd have to wait to have kids until that happened... we'd be adopting at 85. not cool. :) good luck getting rid of some of that nasty debt. i'm right there with ya, sister.