Parting The Sea of Red

 It’s been just over a year since I made my last student loan payment and experienced living debt free for the first time since I was 18.   If you can avoid any major life changes in the year after that big moment, please do so.  But, I write that last sentence knowing that, for most of us, big life changes and the timing surrounding them are out of our control.   At the time I paid off my last debt, I was temporarily living with some friends who offered me their basement when my teaching position was cut.  I was offered a long-term sub position in a new district for the coming year and needed to find an apartment that was affordable, cat-friendly, had a garage (car thefts have been skyrocketing in my area) and within reasonable commuting distance to work- and the only options were expensive.  I had also promised myself and God that if He got me out of debt, I would enroll in seminary as I felt He was calling me to do.  The transitions from roommates t...

 I'm currently training for my third marathon. To be honest, I don't enjoy the long training runs, especially in the summer heat.  But, I'm looking forward to the moment when I finally cross that finish line in October. And, I've had to sort through a lot of bad information along the way..."Run the full 26.2 miles regularly in the days coming up to the actual race." (No, bad.  Bad idea.)  "Just drink water, not sports drinks."  (Ever hear of electrolytes?). "This training plan worked for me, so it should work for you- never mind that I'm a guy/collegiate athlete/a sprinter..." It's been a lot like my debt-free journey. It's easy for me to remember the day that I realized how much debt I was in: July 11, 2015.  I was in my hotel room getting dressed for my brother's wedding when I saw the notification from Mint on my phone, saying my net-worth was NEGATIVE 75,000.  I knew when I finished graduate school that I had a lot of de...

 Getting into trouble is the fun part.   Living off junk food, staying up all night playing games, sleeping all day instead of getting work done (unless you work the night shift!), skipping class, and reckless spending are all fun.   Getting out of trouble sucks.  There's no way around it. Trying to reclaim your health after months of living off junk and being sedentary is brutal.   Trying to power through the day after spending all night on your phone is miserable.  And, as a teacher, I see the kids frantically trying to catch up after slacking all semester (and it usually doesn't get them very far!).   Digging your way out of debt is brutal.  There's no way to make it easy. I love a creative challenge.  I had fun going to the dollar store and picking out my glass containers and marbles.  I've had fun tracking my journey on social media and sharing what has worked and what hasn't.  I love teaching Financial Peac...

 Okay, right off the bat, maybe that title is misleading: it took a lot more than a teacher's salary to pay of 75 thousand in debt plus interest, or at least, to do it in five years.  It took a lot of side hustling, getting creative, and finding what resources were available to me.   Right off the bat, about three years into this journey, my parents paid off about $30,000.  I honestly had a hard time accepting their generosity as it felt like letting someone carry me partway through a marathon race course.  But, they told me that they had put lots of prayer into it and felt that this was what God was leading them to do, and they would sleep better at night knowing I was so much closer to being out of debt.  One of my pastors also pointed out to me that, sometimes when God sees us busting our tails to pursue a goal He has given us, He will bless our efforts in unexpected ways.  Knowing that such a gift was God's and my parents' way of saying, "We s...

 (This post will contain some affiliate/referral links- if you sign up, I'll receive referral incentives!) Let me preface this post by saying this: using apps to make money is a way to supplement your income, but it won't get you out of serious debt or break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle unless you want to be on your phone all your waking hours.  Don't kid yourself into thinking you don't need to find a part-time job or that you can charge whatever you want on a credit card because you will use these apps to get caught up later! That said, some of these apps are a nice way to earn a few extra bucks, especially if you have time to kill on a snow day, waiting in a long line, or because you are quarantined due to a global pandemic.  Sometimes I work on them while watching TV or waiting for my dinner to finish cooking.  Why not?  Survey apps: Swagbucks:  This is probably the most popular app and the way I make the most money, because there's so many options....

In the midst of Covid-19, I'm doing okay. I'm concerned about my loved ones who may be vulnerable to the virus (and I'm not wild about the idea of getting it myself.  It sounds brutal!).  I am SO sick of the mask debates and conspiracy theories from both sides.  But, financially, I'm doing okay. There are so many factors that play into this, and it's by God's grace.   Some of it is by decisions He has guided me to make and education that He has provided for me through Financial Peace University and other sources.  Some of it is completely beyond my control.  Between my time at home, the stories I have read from others, and the commentary I see on social media, I've had plenty of time to think about what has prepared me for this time and what can better prepare me for the future. Beyond My Control: My full-time career being one that I can do online from home.  When I declared an education major in college, there was no way of seeing what ...