Be careful what you watch

 So, as I was on the treadmill this morning, I was watching Good Morning America or the Today Show, or whatever show is like that. It was showing how to take advantage of the credit card rewards program. It is sad that we are being marketed to have debt. 

LOOK, your credit score is based on your relationship with debt. It is NOT necessary to have to survive. There are some companies that use it to determine rates, but if EVERYONE would stop playing this I LOVE DEBT SCORE game, they would not be able to use it against those of us that choose to be debt free. 

How do you become debt free?

Put yourself on a budget. Every dollar has a name

Save $1000 emergency fund 

Place all debts smallest to largest(do not worry about interest and do not include mortgage)Cut up all credit cards. As you pay the minimum to each item, all extra money pays off the smallest debt. Now that minimum goes to the next one in line to payoff with any extra money, etc. 

Save 3-6 months of expenses (not income, but expenses)

Put 15% of household income into retirment

Save for childrens college/education

Pay off mortgage

Save, Give and Live

In that order, you will see that you will be giving yourself a raise. You will have more money. The money you have does not belong to you until you have paid off your debt. Then it is all yours, except for your expenses. 

I love to help people andteach them to get out of debt. I love the opprotunity to watch people grow and become financially free.

On another note, I am excited that I get to go on a trip to Disney World this weekend as a celebration for 25 years of working for a company. It will be a great weekend spent with my hubby to have fun and enjoy each other with no stress.