5 YEARS

5 YEARS ago I moved to Houston and I was in a world of debt.

I don't want to go into all the reasons, etc but let's just say it wasn't ALL me. Someone else helped me out - and I didn't appreciate it. I had other bills that were all me like when my AC went out and my school and just other assorted things. I moved to Houston with 80K in debt - and that did not include my truck. I was in a MESS.

I got this job and we get bonuses and things here and I also worked REALLY hard and I also didn't shop much and tried to just be really frugal. Conrad helped a LOT in that he paid the house payment and all that - and really let me use my paychecks to get this debt knocked down. I started the Dave Ramsey way. I picked the smallest card and paid as much over the payment amount as I could. When that card went away I picked the next card- sent the payment in and all the rest I had leftover (which was more than before because card # 1 went away) ... and so on.

I have done this for 5 years. We still went on trips and we eat out. I belong to a gym and Massage Envy. I still bought Christmas and I made sure I had new clothes when I needed them, but there was NO crazy spending during this time. I worked HARD and Conrad worked hard too - just by the support and by not requiring me to contribute 1/2 to our household.

I am ESTATIC, PROUD, overwhelmed to say that yesterday I paid the last $886 towards that $80K. It's done, over - I didn't declare bankruptcy - even though there were days I thought I would. It is OVER OVER OVER.

I think I owe $7K on my car and really at this rate I could pay it off in 3 months. It's nothing I'm not used too. But Conrad and I are meeting this weekend and we'll decide. I think I am going to increasse my 401K to the match amount and THEN we shall decide what to do with the extra. The options are pay off the car, save for the house/furniture or else Conrad will maybe want me to make the land payments (and overages) now as we get closer to the building the house. We're just not sure yet.

But the albatross is GONE off my back and his and I could not be MORE pleased !!!!

Kah