As 57% of Americans struggle financially, Life Zemplified joins nonprofit Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI) in drawing attention to the state of Americans’ financial health and the debt crisis. #FinHealthMatters !
Consumer debt and I had a thing. We started out on friendly terms. Early in our hookup, the fondness grew between us. Things got ugly a few years in as debt’s demands increased.
You see, I kept believing I could handle the love affair. I probably could have, except I became too dependent on the relationship. Wanting each new high to bring me happiness.
Then debt began to expect way too much of me. I realize now it was my fault, thinking I could have my cake and eat it too. Yet, back then I did not understand this and debt’s demands just didn’t seem fair.
The romance became very one-sided. If I failed to pay attention to debt on his special day, he would get angry and even punish me a bit.
Deep in, the stress and worry became constant. I pondered how to keep this relationship from destroying me. Mentally and physically I suffered. I feared repercussions if I did not manage my interconnection with debt right.
I feared I was too far in with no way out. A few missteps and I may never recover. Debt’s demands on me were growing. I knew walking away was not an easy option. Yet, somehow I needed to dig deep and take back my life. It was vital to my health and my future.
My attention turned to ending the relationship with debt versus managing it. Debt was too good at the game, and I had lost the desire to play. I’d grown tired of his noise. It was time to find myself again and take back my life. Time for me to stop the struggle and stress, and time to focus on eliminating debt!
Reaching deep, I cinched my belt, sold off mementos of our relationship that no longer brought me joy and rid myself of his unnecessary baggage. Once I cleared the physical clutter, the mind clutter started clearing away too.
Today debt is out of my life. Out completely. I’ve never been happier or financially healthier. I’m thrilled! So thrilled in fact; I crafted a song on eliminating debt, with help from Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” – video below.
“Debt’s Out”
Well we had no choice
All the costs and bills
Makin too much noise
‘Cause we bought new toys
Well we can’t afford ya
Can’t find a loan
If that don’t annoy ya
That’s a drag
Debt’s out for summer
Debt’s out forever
Debt’s been blown to pieces
No more payments
No more notes
No more loan shark’s dirty looks
Now we got no loans
And we got no stress
And we got no struggles
We can’t even think of a debt we miss
Debt’s out for summer
Debt’s out forever
Debt’s been blown to pieces
No more payments
No more notes
No more loan shark’s dirty looks
Gone for summer
Gone past fall
We won’t go back at all
Debt’s out for summer
Debt’s out forever
Debt’s been blown to pieces
Debt’s out completely
Eliminating Debt
Financial health to me means choosing yourself and your family over things; Eliminating debt and unnecessary stuff to focus on greater freedom and security, and strive for financial independence to care for ourselves and not burden others.
Breaking up with and eliminating debt takes time, but eventually, debt’s blown to pieces.
The Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI) reports:
- 23% of US households cannot save because they spend more than their income
- 28% of US households are either unbanked or underbanked
- 43% of Americans struggle to pay bills & credit payments
- 57% of Americans are struggling financially
Let’s improve these numbers. Please share this post and get the word out. #FinHealthMatters
Please let me know what financial health means to you in the comments. Thanks for reading and sharing!
If you are experiencing major financial difficulties that are affecting your daily life and mental health, causing severe depression and even thoughts of suicide, please see this post for helpful resources.
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Debt creeps up quite suddenly. It is like a hypnotist forcing you to do things without your full control. Once you break that spell though, debt’s hold vanishes into the ether of time.
Very well said DDD! Thanks for stopping by!
I love this: “Financial health to me means choosing yourself and your family over things”. Consumerism tries to tell us that choosing things (the boat! the tv! the x, y, or z!) is somehow making your family’s life better. Not so! Or at least, not in excess!
I like the addition of a little Alice Cooper too 😉
Thanks, Mrs. AR! I, of course, agree completely 🙂
Love the focus on freeing up time for yourself and your family. That’s my main goal as well! Thanks for sharing.
Great goal Lance 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Selfishness never does belong in relationships :). I completely agree – it’s about being able to focus on the things that matter and not things. Once I realized this, it was the absolute turning point.
🙂 Thanks Kathryn! I wish I would’ve learned it sooner, but I’m glad I finally realized it when I did.
I’m with Adventure Rich, your definition of Financial Health as “choosing yourself and family over things” is rock solid, and something more folks need to hear. It’s SOOO easy to get seduced by the Devil Known As Debt, and you have to be intentional to go against the flow and choose Financial Health instead. Great post.
Yes, let’s keep spreading the word, debt is no good. Thanks Fritz, appreciate your comments!
Haha I love it! Now whenever I hear Alice Cooper I’m going to think of your song ??
Thanks Lily! The night before I wrote this post I still wasn’t sure what to write but then I dreamt about “School’s Out” and that was that. I’ve not been able to get the song it out of my head since.
Terrific spin on #finhealthmatters, Amy. Debt and I have had a long, slow breakup. First, it was credit card debt I had to lose, but I didn’t worry too much about other things. No since in going in debt for a few new books or dinners out, but what about needs? Everyone borrows money for cars, right?
Then I started having second thoughts about having car loans. Why should I pay more for the car than I had to? And why pay for a new car? But everyone has to have a mortgage. Now, even mortgage debt is something I’m actively trying to shed.
Mostly, though, financial health to me is when you have your short-term money management tight enough to focus on long-term goals. If you’re stuck in the now, you’re just managing financial crises, and that’s not health. You have to start thinking and acting about the future: plans, possibilities and contingencies.
Thanks Emily. Long slow breakups can be painful, but the important part is that they happen when needed. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on financial health. I agree. The future is coming so we need to think about how we want our lives to be in it.
Great post, Amy. My favorite line — “Debt was too good at the game, and I had lost the desire to play.” Sometimes you win when you recognize it’s time to get out of the game.
Good luck with the contest. And thanks for the lyrics. Now I have a new song to replace the crappy ones I wake up mentally singing, thanks to Mr. Groovy.
Thank you, Mrs. Groovy. It was fun to try and write a different kind of post from the norm.