Monday, January 28, 2008

Debt Free

This is at least the fourth go-round for The ABCs of Financial Success at our church. Each January, Pastor Barry does a sermon series on finances, and church-wide in Sunday school classes we do The ABCs of Financial Success - pastor's book on how to become debt-free. Pastor's been debt-free for a couple of years now. Before we moved to our new property/building, our former church property/building was debt free. This new building is slated to be debt-free by July 2009, and that from a multi-million dollar construction loan & mortgage. We moved in in July 2004. These people don't mess around.

And, no, after four years we (our family, that is) are still not debt free, but we are on our way. Hopefully. I say hopefully because our main plan for getting out of debt has been predicated on the paying off of one of our cars - a $600+ monthly payment. We would then roll that payment over and begin the process of systematically eliminating our credit card debt. However, that car had major engine trouble last June, and we have been fighting with a mechanic to get it completely fixed and fixed properly since about August/September. I thought it better to plunk several thousands of dollars into the car when it was so close to being paid off rather than buying a new car. My husband might argue that in retrospect, it wasn't such a great decision. I still think it is, despite all the hassles. I suppose had we taken it directly to the dealership, we'd have had better luck and less hassle, but we were sure we could get the engine replaced for less than what the dealership was quoting.

All that to say that we should all endeavor to be debt free. Not knowing which way the financial winds will blow with the upcoming elections and change in national leadership, it would be better for us all not to be burdened by debt. I hear talk of recessions, and even possibly, a depression. But I don't know enough about finances or politics to know how to read things, and to predict, even the slightest bit, what the future holds for us.

I would just say, do everything you can to increase your income and reduce your debt.

Meet me back here in January 2009 to see how our debt-reduction efforts are going.

1 comment:

L.A. Mitchell said...

A great reminder, Jen. Thanks :)