I just need to take a moment to boast a little, because I feel so awesome. At the beginning of last year I decided to do something about the debt that was beginning to overwhelm me. Too many nights were spent laying awake wondering how I was going to get out of the hole. Well, this morning I sent in my final credit card payment! I also paid off a student loan and a loan from a family member when I needed a new car. I added everything up and it's nearly $20,000!!! And that's just the stuff I paid off. I have another student loan and my car loan, but those are manageable and the car gets deducted from my paycheck. If I include payments on those, I'm up to $30,000 paid off in 2 years. It took things like staying home when my friends were going out, turning the thermostat down in the winter, growing a garden and learning how to can, and taking every odd job I could find including consulting, baking, and soap making, but it all feels worth it now. I look forward to a new life of saving ahead for purchases, and having an emergency stash for those unexpected things that pop up. It will be nice to get my tax refund this year and not have to immediately send it to a credit card.

What a superb way to start the new year. I'm doing a happy dance in my jammies now!