Are you out of your mind?, get out of debt.
No seriously, don’t be sitting here on steem, get out there and work out how to eliminate debt from your life.
If you must persist or you have taken all the steps you can to do this then you may continue on dear reader.
A treat for me
Today I went for a walk with my dog for about an hour. We had a treat and stopped in for a coffee at a local place. You will notice that I said treat, that is something that is out of the ordinary. It had been about 2 weeks since I purchased a coffee prior. It was really nice, Brodie and I walked down to the ocean front and sat watching the sea just happen. The wind was soft but smelt of salt and the light peeked through the clouds giving a warmth on my skin as I enjoyed the taste and feeling of warm coffee.
I am trying to paint you a picture of just how nice this moment was. I could sit and appreciate it for the entire time the coffee lasted. I am one of the few people around that does not have debt aaaand have income producing assets. It is a feeling that everyday is more powerful than the coffee moment to be able to understand that there is not a debt spectre lurking around.
This article is written for those with debt. Those without debt know only too well the pure joy that comes from being financially free.
My Story
I retired 3 years ago at the age of 35. Before that I had a $400k mortgage and some credit card debt but nothing too major for the average Western Australian. The way I retired was that I saved most of my money, bought boring investments and worked really, really hard.
Who do I owe my debt?
I am grateful to my grandfather who taught me the value of hard work and the value of a dollar. My goal from when I got my first job was to retire at 30. I didn't quite make it but at 35 I walked out of a job that paid me a fortune so that I could spend time with the one person who I owed the most to. I got to spend the last 6 months of my grandfather's life with him, living under the same roof and sharing in the time we had left. I would have liked more time with him, but I got to spend all the time he had left to give me, without worrying about being in debt or having to go to a job.
Debt or Time
What I would like to stress to you is that when you have your time back, you get to spend it how you want. Teach your kids that you don't need to be in debt to have a good life. I see a job is something that you do to earn money, work is what you do to create. I try and create everyday now and although my grandfather is gone, his work ethic and his attitudes live on through me.
The only debt you should have
The only debt that is worthwhile having is the debt of gratitude you owe to people who make your life better. I am grateful to all those living and not that have influenced my life to what it is today. I hope that I am able to give others as much as I have been given.