In the exact same week, I taught ninth graders and adult nursing students the same lesson on exponentials- about compound interest. It was amazing how different the discussion was in the two different settings. And no matter how much I tried to bring my experiences or the questions of the nursing students into it, the 9th graders simply weren’t there.

btw, i also took the plunge…my resignation is efefctive Wednesday. =)

I never followed the heard. I retired debt free at 55 with no regrets. One of the many things I learned along the way is who my true friends are. It took me sometime to realize you want people in your life to support you, not bring you down.

Always do what you think is best for Aron. If these people are your friends, they will be there for you no matter what your house looks like, what kind of a car you drive, or what toys you own.

@Money Blogga: Much success to you as you turn things around.

@AaronO: I like your “support group” idea; I agree. It is great to come to this site to read Trent’s great post as well as your comments. It’s nice to check out the diversity of perspectives.

I am elated to say that as of Mar 18th my credit debt will be down to $0. Woohoo! And my emergency fund is still growing.

No regrets indeed!

Last weekend, I was just thinking about getting a new car. Now I realize I don’t really need it. I should rather go out and do something instead of buying something.

That is why it is useful to set up savings accounts for things that you feel like doing, while paying down your debt! You can contribute a little to it everytime you pay the debts (invest in future pleasure AS WELL as reimburse the past!) Then you can go down south or get the flat panel TV without feeling guilty. When all debt is repaid, you continue treating yourself with things that TRULY interest you, putting a little more on it. It’s just a matter of delays: when you pay with a credit card, you treat yourself then pay for it. With savings, you pay for it and then go for it. Eventually, when debt is cleared and the first treat is paid, you go for it and come back without the debt… Great feeling! almost priceless! (this technique doesn’t exclude savings for investings, emergencies, etc., it’s a matter of allocating the money wisely)

I choose a life that feels good, rather than one that “looks” good.

I choose to eat meals made from whole foods, at home in the company of people I love, rather than dining out on expensive plates of sodium- and cholesterol-laden delicacies that upset my stomach when the check arrives.

I choose to spend my weekends with good people, learning new things and exploring the art and culture of my city, rather than forking over $60+ to stand in lines for engineered, artificial “experiences” and “adventures.”

I choose to participate in like-minded communities, both here and in person, rather than watching people navigate contrived living arrangements designed to create maximum conflict to garner better TV ratings.

I choose to be gratefully self-supporting through my own contributions, rather than suck up more than my fair share without being willing to work for it, and still complain that other people have more and better stuff than I do.

I choose to share my time, money, and resources, however modest, with those less fortunate than I am rather than hoarding my blessings and complaining about the decline of civilization.

Thank you, Trent, for supporting my choices.

Best Wishes,
D4L

It’s definately a process of reminding yourself what is important though. I just watched “The Pursuit of Happyness” last night and think it’s a great movie that we all need to watch from time to time to remind ourselves how fortunate and blessed that we are and that there is nothing wrong with hard work to get where you want to be in life. With so much talk about ‘passive income’ and ‘how to be rich’ books, etc I think many of us have lost sight of the fact that there is nothing wrong working hard (even at a normal 9-5 job, albeit not glamorous) to acheive your dreams.

18 to 29 is more than a decade.

Those friends of your are dummies. ;)

The hardest part I find is being at work or with friends. None of them seem to care about paying debt or saving money. I know that we are all comparable in our salaries – and I have a lot less debt than they do. They spend like crazy, eat out 2-3 times a day, and have all of the latest technology toys. They tell me that I “will be 60 by the time I am debt free and by then I will be too old to enjoy the things they have now”.

Sometimes, I feel like I am the odd ball. I really cannot understand how they can drop the money they do on expensive items like golf clubs, laptops, trips down south, and flat pannel TVs – without a second thought.

I don’t know how I could afford the same items even though we make a similar amount of money.

I guess this place is like my “Support Group”.