Here is a video clip from CBS News that I watched about the high level of consumer debt. It is concerning to see the debt path that a great number of consumers are going down. You start to feel overwhelmed, trapped, and the longer the debt is there the greater the feelings are.

A few of my favorite department stores encourage further debt as I pay for my purchases.  The first thing they ask is if I will be using my department store credit card and if I say no they ask if I have one.  If I don’t they ask if I’d like to get one to get a discount off my day’s purchase by getting and using their department store credit card then.

A couple of years before I got married brought experience with credit cards I didn’t have before.  I had expenses and purchases to take care of and it was kind of neat just starting college and having this “extra” money now available with my new credit card.  As time went on the debt grew.  I made payments as I was supposed to and was hoping that when I finished my college degree I would get a great job that would help me pay down my credit card quickly.  But I realized as time went on that I needed to take care of as much of that debt as I could now and not add to it.  My husband brought even greater knowledge of handling debt than I already had.  Together we overcame that debt quickly and set plans to avoid the debt and invest our money wisely.

I’m grateful for the feeling of freedom and not feeling overwhelmed, because I am avoiding debt and being in control of money.