Paid off the Credit Card!!!!!

[kellyarms20]

Congratulations! We paid off a car 2 months ago and I felt like shouting it from the rooftops! Life happens. For us, we have a plan and try our hardest to stick to it. But you know how that goes. My in-laws send little gifts from time to time and it always seems to come just when we really need it. I'm so happy for you!

 

[superme80]

...or have someone steal your identity and you have no idea you are in credit card debt! It took me years to clear that debacle up (yes, I know now and learned the hard way to check my credit scores...)! So I'm in the "but for the Grace of God" category as well as the CONGRATS it's a great feeling camp

This happened to my mom back in the 90s. The woman went to prison. She got out a few years later, and did it again! It took my mom forever to get it all straightened out.

 

[tink1970]

Your poor mom! Mine was a family member so the choice was press charges (? prison) or work hard to pay it off and rebuild my credit. I'm a sucker so I chose the latter...

 

[superme80]

Your poor mom! Mine was a family member so the choice was press charges (? prison) or work hard to pay it off and rebuild my credit. I'm a sucker so I chose the latter...

I want to say she pressed charges. It was before major credit card usage, so the woman took her driver license number and wrote fraudulent checks in her name. The last time it happened was about 15 years ago, so I am a little hazy on the details.

 

[kreckl]

Congrats! That must feel wonderful!

 

[nancygirl1]

Celebrate away, op. I just paid off our credit card tonight, too! Woo hoo! We had a summer of numerous emergencies and expenses that wiped out our emergency fund. We've been floating some credit card debt since August, but now it's gone!!!!

Here's hoping the next several months are kind to us all.

But for the grace of God go I. Things can change for any of us in the blink of an eye.

Yes, things CAN change in the blink of an eye. I was hit from behind by a pick up truck while I was stopped at a red light. I've been out of work for a year. Previous to the accident we had paid off quite a bit of debt and were doing well. Now we're a financial mess...among other things.

I'm looking forward to when we can pay off our debt and live on cash.

Congrats OP...

 

[DVCcurious]

One word of caution for everyone who pays off credit card debt after having it a long time:

credit card debt and weight gain are similar. They are both about self control. I am 5'4" and 155 lbs. I'm about 30 pounds overweight. I topped out at 160 in 2008. Since then I've dropped my weight as far as 140 once, and 150 on a few occasions through better diet and exercise. But here I sit today at 155. I don't have the self control to permanently change, so I keep creeping back to the weight where I feel comfortable.

So if you had credit card debt of $5000 (to pick a number) for many years and you paid off the debt there is a strong probability you will have $5000 in credit card debt within 3 years. Just like me and my weight, you feel comfortable at that $5000 mark. Even though you WANT to lose the debt and I want to lose the weight, we don't want it more than we want to splurge on clothes/eat some ice cream.

I know how to lose weight, I need to snack less. I just can't do it. I don't have the will power. It turns out I'd rather be 155 and enjoy some chips and cookies, than be 130 and never eat a chip or cookie. So would you rather be debt free or would you rather buy something you want, but don't need? Only you know the answer to that question.

If you want to stay debt-free you have to make life changes. The question is whether you have the will power to do that or not. I hope you have better luck with your debt than I do with my chubby-ness.