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  • Life After Debt: Surprise it’s Awesome!

Life After Debt: Surprise it’s Awesome!

Brent Pittman —  05/07/2012 — 14 Comments
Killing a Dragon

There is life after slaying the debt dragon.

There is life after debt—and it’s fun! No, seriously it’s great! Come over to this side of the fence as quick as you can.

After you get out of debt there is a ton of cool stuff you get to do (you could do it before, it just wouldn’t be the best choice)

Life After Debt: Who Are You?

If you’ve been struggling to get of debt for a long time, and then one day. BAM! You’re done, the last check is mailed off and you don’t owe anyone a dime. You’re debt free!

It could be surprisingly anti-climatic at the end of the debt-free road. You’ve fought the dragon so long that your identity is tied to that stupid dragon. Your identity is no longer dragon debt slayer. It might be hard to put down your sword, but it’s time–the dragon is dead.

Without the dragon who are you? It will be a time of redefining yourself, your priorities, and your goals.

The next day the sun will rise and you’ll trot off to work, just like when you had debt. Life will be surprisingly the same, but with a sense of freedom. You’ll have a new swagger in your step.

Guess what?

Life After Debt is Awesome

Debt has forced you to do things you didn’t want to do at times you didn’t want to do them. You’ve got new goals now. Time to work on your 3-6 months of emergency fund and save for annual expenses.

What can you do after you’re out of debt and have savings? There are countless possibilites, but you have a choice.

You have a choice. Let those words sink in.

  • You can choose where your money goes, rather than having been predetermined by your debt.
  • You have a choice how to spend your extra money. You can choose to have fun.
  • You have a choice to give more when you’re out of debt.
  • You can choose where to invest and what items to save for.
  • You have career choices. If you have $0 debt and 6 months of savings, you could start your business (I did).

Life after debt is full of choices. Choose wisely.

What will life after debt look for you? If you living life after debt–What are you Choosing with your freedom from debt? 

Photo Credit (swanksalot)

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Brent Pittman

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Brent is a financial coach and writer looking for the perfect donut. He believes personal finance should be both fun and accessible to anyone willing to learn.
  • http://mymoneycounselor.com/ Kurt @ Money Counselor

    You nailed it. The best, non-monetary aspect of ‘life after debt’ is freedom of choice I think. And freedom not to do things you don’t want to do because you must have the money from it just to hand over to a creditor. Ugh.

    • http://www.ontargetcoach.com/ Brent Pittman

      Kurt! So true. Slaves don’t get a choice. 

  • http://carefulcents.com/ Carrie Smith

    This is very timely for me right now! I’m on schedule to become debt free with the next 2 months and I’m so excited. The deadline can’t come fast enough! But as I was thinking of my long-term goals, I noticed I haven’t really thought what I would do with my money once I don’t have any debt payments. There are so many more choices and options available. It’s easy to get carried away. Thanks for the encouragement to choose wisely!

    • http://www.ontargetcoach.com/ Brent Pittman

      2 months! Wow! You’ll have to throw a big end of summer celebration party! 

  • ImpulseSave

    How very exciting! It’s so inspirational. I can’t wait to be debt-free, but I know that is several years off. Even still, every small step towards that goal makes me imagine what it will be like to be 100% debt free – to owe nothing to anyone! How wonderful that will be. 

    • http://www.ontargetcoach.com/ Brent Pittman

      It’s a great feeling! Do the work, reap the rewards. 

  • Greg Pare

    Obviously, with choices comes a great sense of freedom as well. This only grows once you pay off the mortgage.. My wife was able to retire (in her forties) because we threw all extra money at the mortgage. Now we are giving and saving more than ever! Focus on the end goal more than ever.

    • http://www.ontargetcoach.com/ Brent Pittman

      Greg, very encouraging and impressive to have a paid for house!

  • Whitney Sparks

    It is fun! It’s really cool when you purchase a car and use CASH. You don’t think that you can actually save up that much, but it can be done when you don’t owe everybody else.

    • http://www.ontargetcoach.com/ Brent Pittman

      Good show! A brand new car or new to you? Either way a great accomplishment.

  • Jose Figueroa

    For us life after debt is about power. We gained control. We can now dream again and think about the future instead of just thinking about how we would make it every month. Choice is a powerful word and w/o debt you get to choose what’s next!

    • http://www.ontargetcoach.com/ Brent Pittman

      Jose, choice is a beautiful gift. What’s next for you?

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