Debt free, oh glory be!

This topic speaks SO CLOSE to me and so ridiculously near to me that it's almost palpable. Debt is such a heavy burden that a lot of people have to bear and I feel like it's something that I've dealt with my entire life.

...I've always felt like I could never get ahead, I always owed something - whether time, money, deeds - it became a thing. I just knew that I'd never be ahead and I'd always be behind and the debt that I owed would be piling up for years to come. It wasn't hidden - but it wasn't really talked about either - but my family was in debt a large portion of my life too. So, it just seemed as if debt would always be something that I'd have to deal with.

I chose to go to a Private Christian college, Eastern Mennonite University, in Harrisonburg, VA thus beginning my debt journey by taking a plunge into a REALLY huge pool of debt. I had known that my debt was going to be decent sized - that's the price you pay for going to a university like no other ;) but at the beginning it seemed as if the scholarships and camp and church and Mennonite love would help me make it through.

To an extent, it did. However, I sped up my college process by taking online classes during the summers and winter breaks, I wanted my time at EMU to be treasured and well spent but also as short as possible so as not to accrue any more debt than I was already going to have. I graduated with a Liberal Arts and Elementary Education degree in 3 years. At the age of 21, on April 27, 2014, I officially had about $51,000 in debt from college costs alone. THIS FELT AMAZING. I mean, was it alot, yes! But, it was WAY less than others owed. So I thought I was doing good.

Then I got married :) to a completely debt-free, money minded, saver who helped me realize that this was still debt. DEBT. debt. DEBT. There's that ugly word again...I already hate this word because of it's meaning, but does anyone else get annoyed because there is a silent "b"...#frustrating. We started from the beginning - before we even got married we talked money, we talked how we wanted it to be an "us" thing not a "this is mine and this is yours" thing. Money was such a HUGE part (both good and bad) of my growing up years that I knew we needed to make this solid for us before we start adding more humans to our family. (because people, let's be real, debt affects THE ENTIRE family.) So, we started. We figured out that we could live off of  (AKA pay bills) Jared's paycheck and we put my entire paycheck towards my loans.

I know what you're thinking..how is this even possible..?!?!

The check I get as a Beachbody coach covered our extras, our spending money, allowing me to use my paycheck for my loans. At this time, I've been paying my school loans since October and have paid off $13,500. HALLELUJAH! On the way to being debt free. My car broke down and we bought a new one, so now we owe for that too. But it's okay - because we have a plan! And I know it's going to work - and I know that my beachbody business is going to continue to grow and thrive because I'm going to make it grow and thrive.

This is an opportunity that I DON'T WANT YOU TO MISS. Seriously, I'm 22 years old (each day this fathoms me) and I honestly don't know how or why this opportunity landed in my lap but I wouldn't change it for the world because it is changing MY LIFE.

**and now it's time for a 7:15 AM Polar Bear Swim** (it's for the kids, it's for the kids, it's for the kids...<--that's what helps me get out of bed. :) )