Squared with my Hubby...for the most part

I recently sold my small little house in a quiet town in Southern Alberta, Canada. It's so beautiful there. Rolling hills and ridges. On one side prairie grasses as far as the eye can see mixed with brush and coulees and quiet streams and on the other the bold majesty of the Rocky Mountains wearing their pure snow caps high above the rolling hills like strong rulers. I miss the sweet smells of the prairie grasses and wild flowers. (far off look here)

As I was saying I recently sold my home there it took very good care of me and my two oldest children. Nice big back yard leading up to a pasture of horses. I have the opportunity to 'buy my freedom'. Freedom from credit card debt. That's a big one for all of us who have used credit cards to buy the things we can't afford, kinda like your eyes being bigger than your stomach at Thanksgiving Dinner where you eat to point of utter eruption at the seams and wish you could go back in time and take smaller portions. Most of our credit card debt was gained through the struggle of immigration. My hubby is an American citizen I met him while he was still attending school at University of Illinois at Chicago. I was making more money than he was at the time and hardly had any debt except my home and he had a small but modest savings account. We got married and between immigration and travel we aquired about 30,000 worth of credit card debt.

Some of you are gasping, holy cow did she just really say that to us and admit to us how much debt she had from all that? That's kinda personal geez I hope I don't make that mistake. The rest of you know exactly what I'm talking about cause you're there. Married to your debt with occasional flirtations of applying tax refunds to cut it a little more but alas, they know what they're doing. They knew the second you filled out the application that on my 30,000 debt they would make over 12,000 in interest cause they knew there was NO WAY that we could pay that off quickly.

If you are thinking about getting a new credit card...DON'T! STOP YOURSELVES! It's a trap and will end your freedom before you even notice that they've got you. If you HAVE to get a credit card pick one with lots of rewards and a low interest rate that you can use for your vacation and then pay off right away. If you can't afford to pay it off right away go closer to home you'd be surprised what's in your own back yard and still feels far away from home. Or better yet save money over a few years and plan your vacation well, this not only gives you time to be picky and thrifty but you might find package deals or big sales that you can come across to lighten your expense load.

I will be in the next few days, free. I smiled at my baby girl today with my burden lightened so much so that I felt like I was on air and said to her, so this is what it feels like to be free.

Remember it's just stuff. You can't take it with you, it won't impress everyone, and all it will do is clutter your home with 'things'. Save your money for memories. Vacations to see your children and grandchildren. Vacations to show your children parts of the world they might never otherwise experience on their own. College and mission funds to help them when they are leaving the nest and going out into the world. So much more important than that couch you always wanted, or that car you think you need when a used one gets you there.

I am now squared away with my husband. The guilt I felt all this time for the immigration and credit card debt we aquired just desperately trying to fly back and forth to see each other maybe 4 times a year is gone. I am free.