A Little More Debt Free

As a pre spring break activity, a few of us girls decided to go to see the film, "Confessions of a Shopaholic".  If you have not heard of this film, based upon a book series, the basic gist is that it is a light-hearted film, sprinkled with some romantic interest, between this young woman MASSIVELY in credit card debt... way more than I could ever fathom... and is running away from the debt collectors, all the while trying to make her way up in the magazine world by writing for a financial magazine.  A shopaholic, massively in debt, telling other people via magazine column how to manage their finances.  Talk about a bit of irony here.  Anyway, one lighthearted movie later, where the heroine manages to pay off all her debt with a bit of sacrifice, it got this little one thinking that perhaps it was time for me to pay off the rest that I owed on my VISA.  

Now, I had debt nowhere NEAR the extent that this character in the movie.  Mine had just accumulated over the past few years, as I was living in Charlottesville, paying for things which I "needed" at the time, which I could not have necessarily paid off completely at that moment, as well as things which were actually necessary but that I still could not have paid for in cash... Because I had needed that cash to pay for my credit card the next month.... I now see what a vicious cycle it all is.  I have no regrets... except that this has gone on for way too long. 

Personal take-home message of the movie, Confessions of a Shopaholic: Do not end up like her.

Action taken to avoid said fate:  I paid off my entire bill for last month, a total, which although not as high as it once was, totaled over $1,500 (but no more than 2, I promise-  I will keep the actual figure between me and VISA).

Result of this action is that I feel weird.  It is a good weird, and one I am still getting used to.  But is it an odd feeling like some sort of negative security blanket is now gone.  I do not know if that even makes sense, because generally security blankets are a positive force in one's life.  However, it is the best I can do.  However, all in all, I am now debt free.  And the current purchases which have been made, I know that I will pay off the entire sum in full, and will have ample left over to pay my student loans (that will not go away for another 11 years) and have some change to add to my savings. 

It is a good feeling.... and is one that was inspired by a silly little chick flick movie before spring break.