A Year (a life?) Without Credit Cards

Well, it has been well over a year since we have used a credit card. Unfortunately, I don't know the exact date we shredded the credit cards, but we freed ourself from consumer debt six months later on February 22nd, 2007, by making the last and final consumer debt payment we will ever make to payoff a chase credit card. The only debt we have left to payoff are our student loans. Tamra and I have vowed to never have consumer debt again. It's one of our "No Matter What's".

We have to thank Dave Ramsey and his book, The Total Money Makeover, for sharing the wisdom of living debt free along with a plan to become debt free that works. Living below our means has changed our life and we are planning a debt free life for us and our girls. We do plan on getting a small mortgage on a house that we can payoff in five years or less while we payoff our student loans. We hope that we will be able to help our girls start a debt free life by setting a good example, planning to help them pay for college and maybe even help them with a starter home.

Over the next few weeks, I'll share how we did it. But for now, I would recommend renting Dave Ramsey's book at the library. It's a quick read (it's motivating) and this book has the potential to change you life, too! You just have to do it!!!