Financial Freedom

I am about to enter a time of my life that up to now I've never experienced. I'm about a month or two away from owning our minivan. What is the big deal? Well in the past I would keep a car and then sell it before I could pay it off, usually financing the difference and thus sinking further into debt. Yeah I was young, and really stupid. I filed for bankruptcy in 2006. Again because I was rather stupid and I simply could not afford to keep up with two mortgages. Lord knows I tried for almost a year, but I had to call it quits eventually. I think there was a bit of a stigma that I put on myself because nobody wants to default on their mortgage. But because it would not sell, and I bought the home not really understanding that whole process (paid too much). Well I defaulted.

So out for under that rock I will finally emerge plus the car payment, suddenly I'm loaded. Well not really. I have credit cards to pay down, things to buy for my 5 and 8 year old cars (tires, brakes, alignments, and more no doubt), and my current mortgage to worry about. But I really couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel until now. A five year tunnel, and it was a long slog. When you think "Oh when we get this paid off and that paid off... it will be easy street then." but somewhere in my head I always had a voice saying "it will never happen." Well, it looks like it is going to happen and while no... the money will not be pouring in, it will be about $700 more a month. I can't think of anyone who would turn that down.