I was reminded, by a senior adult who attends our church, that back in the old days before credit was readily available, people who got into financial trouble would sell their stuff to make ends meet. One of the key selling points of “credit” is that it provides security against possible financial catastrophes. Think about how differently you would live if you KNEW, I mean KNEW, that you could not depend on credit when things got tight financially. What if you could never, ever, ever borrow money again, no matter what? What decisions would you make? What products / goods / services would you choose not to purchase? Getting out of debt was a joy for me. Saving up some cash money was fun. Now, the real hard part begins. If I’m truly going to be debt free and credit free for the REST of my life (50+ YEARS ?!?) I’ve got to make some really, really good decisions. (The truth is, in the back of my mind, I know that if things get too tough, I can run to the “safety-net” of credit. Or… can I?) Is this No Credit Needed thing a passionate belief or just an interesting experiment? Until now, it’s been cool to see if I can do it. Now I have to decide if this is really, really how I’m going to live. Am I willing to make the sacrifices necessary to be credit-free? I’ve made it almost 2 years. I’ve not borrowed any money, and I’ve not missed using my credit cards. I’ve slept better than ever before, and I’ve totally enjoyed the journey. Now, I’ve got to do the planning and the work necessary for an ENTIRE life of credit and debt freedom. Wow.