D(free) Day!

Today is a great day. It's "D(free) Day"!!!! I made the final payment on my student loans! We are now 100%, unequivocally, undoubtedly, unconditionally free from any sort of monetary obligation to a bank, credit card company or other lending organization. Free...free to do whatever we please. I can change careers, go back to school, bum around Europe...whatever. If I all of the sudden feel like I can best apply myself flipping burgers, I can do that because I don't owe anybody any money! Ahhhhh...

This morning I woke up, dressed up, asked Kim to grab a camera and meet by at the computer to take a photo of the momentous occasion! In five minutes I zeroed out a balance I have been working to diminish for 5 years.

So what to do in a world without debt? All of the sudden the money I make will stay in my bank account! So for starters I can take advantage of the economic downturn and invest more aggressively. Also, there is a house to think about down the road; I'll need a down payment for that. There is even a plan for a hike somewhere in or across the U.S. that needs funding to become a reality.

It really doesn't matter. What matters is that we have fought to (a) pay down debt and (b) not get deeper into debt, and today we won! Who cares what we spend the money on, it is about having the freedom to spend it on whatever you like!