Debt has a negative connotation. Talk to anyone about debt, and they’ll have strong feelings against it. And those that are debt-free wear their badge proud.
No debt is better than debt, and I believe your choice should be to choose debt freedom. However, I also believe debt can be viewed with a positive lens.
Today, I want to invite you to embrace the gift of debt with five positive attributes of debt.
1. Finding a New Career
Part of your debt-free journey should include creating multiple income streams. The genesis of many six-figure bloggers was documenting their efforts to pay off their debts. Examples include Michelle Schroeder of Making Sense of Cents and Natalie Bacon of Online Business For Her, who started as a personal finance blogger and is now a life coach on her way to 7 figures per year.
Some have created companies based on skills they learned while blogging about debt, such as Grayson Bell of iMark Interactive. And some have become authors of best-selling books and leaders of big online businesses such as Ruth Soukup of Living Well Spending Less, or Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom.
2. Stop Being Wasteful
Becoming debt-free is best done via mixture of increasing income and decreasing expenses. Your efforts to reduce your costs tend to bring awareness to how much you over-consume regularly.
You’ll become a watcher of your spending and notice how you waste money on items such as convenience type products at the grocery, disposable diapers, and repair jobs that are easily DIY. Once you’re debt-free and able to pay for these things, you may choose to revert to spending your money on these types of expenses, but it will be done so with intention.
3. Become Part of a Great Community
Community is one of the best aspects of the debt-free journey. As an example, search for the hashtag #debtfreecommunity on Instagram. It has over 743,000 posts!
The followers of this hashtag are a supportive group and great encouragement to one another. I am always inspired by their stores and can’t help but be excited whenever anyone announces they’ve made it.
4. Learn new skills
In efforts to cut expenses, you may avoid eating out, thus start cooking more at home. You may repair your clothes rather than buying new ones. Other examples include learning to make laundry detergent and dryer sheets instead of buying them at the store. You’ll get creative and find many ways to slice your costs and as a result, learn a new skill. I learned to cut my husband’s hair because I didn’t want to pay a barber. I now cut both his and my son’s hair each month.
5. Feel the Glee of Being Debt Free
I saved the best for last. I get tears in my eyes nearly every time I hear a family do a debt-free scream on Dave Ramsey’s radio show. I rarely listen, but I love the glee you can hear in their voice, and you know all the hard work and sacrifice that went into their journey. Coming out on the other side is nothing short of pure joy.
Like anything that requires hard work and sacrifice, the feeling of accomplishment when it’s done is irreplaceable.
Accept the journey you’re on.
Accept the gift of debt.
You are not bad because of your debt.
Enjoy your journey to debt freedom, because there is no better place than right here.
And there is much to so much to gain from it.
Do you think of your debt as a gift? Let us know how in the comments below.
Read more:
Debt Experts You Need to Follow
How to Afford Your Honeymoon Without Going Into Debt
Paying For College Without Loans
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