I have been debt free for (almost) three years.  The following is inspired by a conversation that I had recently with a good friend - a buddy of mine who has decided that now is the time to do something about his debt.  I’m very proud of him, and I hope this post inspires him - and you!

1.  I now live in the present, and not in the past.

2.  I no longer worry about late fees, interest rate changes, interest payments, lost payments or finance charges.

3.  I have peace of mind.  If something were to happen to me, my wife would not have to worry about our finances.

4.  I earn interest.  I don’t pay interest.  This feels awesome.

5.  I am now acutely aware of the value of a dollar.  In the past, if I could make payments, I could afford it.  Now, if I can’t pay for it, I can’t afford it.  This basic shift in thought has radically changed my life.

6.  I no longer dread going to the mailbox.

7.  I can afford to fund retirement accounts.

8.  I can afford to fund education savings accounts.

9.  I am free from the emotional baggage associated with debt.  It’s impossible to adequately describe how good it feels to be debt free.  Suffice to say, if I had known how awesome being debt free feels, I would have gotten out of debt a decade ago!

10.  I can, hopefully, inspire and encourage others.

11.  I am setting a much better example for my kids.

12.  I am able to give more time and more money to those who are in need.  There are only three things one can do with money - give, save, and spend.  It feels good to save.  It feels good to spend.  It feels great to give.

13.  I now know that I can establish a goal, push through difficult times, and change my life.  These truths are helping me as I now focus on my health - losing weight and becoming a runner.  I might has been replaced by I will.

14.  I now make big plans.  I have learned to dream of a better and brighter future for myself and my family.

15.  I spend a little extra on nicer things for my wife.  In the past, credit card debt crippled me.  Now, with a proper budget and some forward thinking, I can actually plan for nicer things.

16.  I can disregard every credit card application that comes my way.

17.  I have found solid financial footing.  With my debts eliminated and an emergency fund in place, I feel much more secure than I did three years ago.  None of us knows what the future holds, but I feel much better now than I did then.  Much better.

18.  I can listen to my man Dave Ramsey and smile knowingly when callers scream “We’re Debt Free!”.

19.  I have a deep respect for those who have paid off much more than I paid off - and for those who are still in the midst of their debt reduction journeys.  I am amazed by some of the debt reduction stories that I have read over the past four years.

20.  I can write this post.  When I started No Credit Needed, I had one goal.  I wanted to be debt free.  It took 10 months, but I managed to pay off my last debt in February of 2006.  Since then, I’ve done my best to be honest, open, and forthright about my struggle and my successes.  I hope that this site blesses you as much as it has blessed me.

If you are ready to get out of debt - and start your own journey towards being debt free - may I suggest the following resources?

No Credit Needed Debt Reduction Guide

No Credit Needed Debt Reduction Free eBook

Debt Reduction 101