Paid Off The Credit Card!

[SDoolittle]

I've been working hard to pay off some debt before I retire in a few months, so that I can afford to pursue my dream of fishing professionally. I just made the final payment on a credit card bill that I was awarded in my divorce a few years back. That bill has been a monthly reminder of the biggest mistake of my life. The feeling of knowing that I never have to make another payment is indescribable! 

[clayton86]

In in the same boat except not retiring I'm paying off credit cards and debts acquired in my divorce. Can't wait till I'm done with them 

[Last_Cast]

12 minutes ago, clayton86 said:

In in the same boat except not retiring I'm paying off credit cards and debts acquired in my divorce. Can't wait till I'm done with them 

 

45 minutes ago, S. Doolittle said:

I've been working hard to pay off some debt before I retire in a few months, so that I can afford to pursue my dream of fishing professionally. I just made the final payment on a credit card bill that I was awarded in my divorce a few years back. That bill has been a monthly reminder of the biggest mistake of my life. The feeling of knowing that I never have to make another payment is indescribable! 

I've heard my dad talk about divorce and debt my entire life, never fun.
Sorry you guys had to go through that.
Makes me not want to get married. 

[Gundog]

Congrats Doolittle. Now you can spend that extra cash appeasing the bait monkey. 

[buzzed bait]

nice job man!!  i paid off my truck a few months ago and not paying that bill was like hitting the lotto!  the wife and i are nearly debt free, i mean very close, aside from the house we bought nearly 3 years ago....  seems that one might be with me for a little while!

[Darren.]

Well done! Debt is no fun. Wish I had none 

One son is in college now, paying his way, 3 more
to go. Then we will be able to pay everything off...we
hope.

4 boys eat entire refrigerators. Grocery bill was fine
before they hit puberty.

[Turkey sandwich]

Congrats!  I got crushed in college, and it can make life rough, for sure.  I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and it feels amazing.  Good luck at the weigh ins!

[gardnerjigman]

Congrats man! We pay $12k a year in daycare. Can't wait for them both to be in all day school!

[roadwarrior]

On 5/1/2016 at 7:40 AM, Last_Cast said:

 

I've heard my dad talk about divorce and debt my entire life, never fun.
Sorry you guys had to go through that.
Makes me not want to get married. 

A simple solution is to just buy a house for someone you don't like!

 

[Last_Cast]

46 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

A simple solution is to just buy a house for someone you don't like!

 

no

LOL

[SDoolittle]

2 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

A simple solution is to just buy a house for someone you don't like!

Fortunately, there was no house involved in my divorce. I think what hurt the most was that she took my truck and my bird dog. If that's not the makings of a country music hit, I don't know what is!

[Gundog]

16 minutes ago, S. Doolittle said:

Fortunately, there was no house involved in my divorce. I think what hurt the most was that she took my truck and my bird dog. If that's not the makings of a country music hit, I don't know what is!

I'd laugh if that wasn't so sad....she took the dog! That is just spiteful.

[South FLA]

Congrats! Now work on a 1 year fund to cover all your expenses and then pursue your dreams!  

[JayKumar]

Congrats man, that's huge. Advice that I'm sure you understand is to NOT incur debt to fish professionally.  That kills a lot of guys. Good luck brother, hope to see you in the bigs!

[Catch 22]

On ‎5‎/‎1‎/‎2016 at 7:50 AM, S. Doolittle said:

I've been working hard to pay off some debt before I retire in a few months, so that I can afford to pursue my dream of fishing professionally. I just made the final payment on a credit card bill that I was awarded in my divorce a few years back. That bill has been a monthly reminder of the biggest mistake of my life. The feeling of knowing that I never have to make another payment is indescribable! 

AND your a free man,some utopia there too

[Raul]

On 1 de mayo de 2016 at 7:40 AM, Last_Cast said:

 

I've heard my dad talk about divorce and debt my entire life, never fun.
Sorry you guys had to go through that.
Makes me not want to get married. 

I would say it depends with whom

I am happily married, I don´t know if she is  but one thing is for sure, everything is mine.

[Catch and Grease]

I'm scared of building up a debt... I have been considering taking out student loans but I'm scared That it will screw me later in life.

[Bluebasser86]

On 5/20/2016 at 2:19 PM, Catch and Grease said:

I'm scared of building up a debt... I have been considering taking out student loans but I'm scared That it will screw me later in life.

I can say that I'm glad I didn't. My wife is a couple years older than me, thousands of dollars in debt to student loans, and makes less money than I do. Granted, it all depends on what you choose to major in and if you're able to find a job in that field, but with the way the economy is, I'd have a hard time doing it. 

[Senko lover]

It's crazy how much it costs to go to college, I'll be paying my way through it and it's near impossible to do so without student loans. I'm trying to be the exception to that, I already have over 5k saved up in the bank, but that's a drop in the bucket as far as college expenses are concerned. 

I've thought about going the military route and having them pay for my college, still thinking about that one. 

[SDoolittle]

43 minutes ago, Senko lover said:

I've thought about going the military route and having them pay for my college, still thinking about that one.

Worked for me! I used the Army's tuition assistance to get an A.A. and a B.A., and I was able to transfer my G.I. Bill benefits to my kids.

[Catch and Grease]

On 5/24/2016 at 8:54 AM, Senko lover said:

It's crazy how much it costs to go to college, I'll be paying my way through it and it's near impossible to do so without student loans. I'm trying to be the exception to that, I already have over 5k saved up in the bank, but that's a drop in the bucket as far as college expenses are concerned. 

I've thought about going the military route and having them pay for my college, still thinking about that one. 

The way I see it is, why go to college when you can buy a boat... Lol!

[Cgrinder]

Hooray getting rid of credit card debt. High five.

And now, thread hijack!

Student loans aren't bad, or at least don't have to be. Community college can be very reasonable (Pell grants alone covered my tuition and books) and any good CC should have an easy transfer plan to get you into a reasonable four year school with two years down. Subsidized loans should cover housing. Scholarships and awards are also a thing. While you're in school, work ~20 hours a week somewhere (empirically supported to correlate with better grades compared to students who don't work or work too much). Stay on top of your interest and keep it paid off. Choose something you like but also something that makes money. Also some places of employment will pay for your Master's, which is pretty sweet.

Alternatively, learn a skilled trade. Weld stuff. Welding is manly and respectable. Sort of profitable too, I understand? Raider will chime in here.

G.I. Bill's a good idea if the armed services interest you. Of course then you belong to Uncle Sam for a while and that's really a different conversation entirely.