Wow!!! What a month so far. Things are finally calming down. I had a few interviews in New York and California. At the end of the day, I like where I am currently and where I am heading at the moment.
By paying off all my consumer debt and medical and having an emergency fund, I have this sense of content in my life. I no longer feel like a hamster on a wheel, trying to out earn my spending. For those of you where I was, it is worth the struggle and sacrifice to be debt free.
The way I would explain it is you are at the bottom of a hill and there is a path going up the hill. It is heavily wooded, sometimes you can get a glimpse of the sky but the view is obscured. Its buggy at times and dark, sometimes you slip on the loose gravel. When you get to end, you see this spectacular scenic view and for that moment you feel in awe of what you have accomplished. That's what getting out of debt felt like to me.
Now, I am back at the bottom of that hill and looking at a much steeper longer journey – paying off the mortgage. At first like the last hill, it looks daunting. I can't even see the top. I am standing at the bottom in the shadows and am in awe, is it too high, am I ready for this, maybe I can just rest a little more?
Then my inner voice speaks up, "What are you waiting for? There aren't any escalators here."
And with that I continue my journey.
(My refinance went through. My mortgage will be 353,000 at 4.5% for 15 years. I have shaved off 11 years and around $267,000 in interest.)
Mid May Update
May 13th, 2009 at 06:40 pm
May 13th, 2009 at 06:49 pm 1242236954
good work on the mortgage.
May 13th, 2009 at 07:23 pm 1242239009
May 13th, 2009 at 07:45 pm 1242240305
My only thing waas no american banks.
But always nice to know the options that are out there.
May 13th, 2009 at 08:29 pm 1242242994
May 14th, 2009 at 05:32 am 1242275572
May 14th, 2009 at 02:18 pm 1242307082
Since things have started to settle and calm down, I can have more confidence in remaining in my job and eventually going back to 100%.
May 14th, 2009 at 06:54 pm 1242323684
May 14th, 2009 at 09:33 pm 1242333197
My breakneck pace of debt repay has slowed in favor of EF saving and spending on some luxuries (vacations, rental cars). However, things are chugging along, albeit more slowly, and will pick up pace again if AS's job situation improves and nothing else bad happens. In other words, my next infusion of cashflow, if there is one, will go toward debt repayment.
Good to hear from you!
CJ