Why?

WHY do we want to be debt free?

Today, we are 80% credit card debt free. We are so close we can taste it, and it taste GOOD. So we've been tossing around ideas of how to tackle our next goal, and what exactly that goal might be. But this post isn't about that. It's about WHY. Why be debt free? I'm sure almost everyone would answer the same way-to be able to buy what we want, to fix what breaks, to be secure, to no longer be a slave to the lender. I agree, those are my reasons too.

But aside from the normal everyday answers, I believe each person has their own why. My main reason for wanting to be debt free is to prove something. We got married young, I was 18 he was 19. I had just graduated high school the month before and he'd only been in the Marines for a year. My parents were very supportive, but they were probably the only ones. Sure, everyone gave us well wishes, but they also would ask "Are you sure this is what you want?" or my personal favorite..."but you're both babies! Are you ready for this?" I could scream for every time I heard that. And then of course, when we visit back home old friends will ask "So, are you guys still married?" Umm..YEAH. Why wouldn't we be?

Now I do realize these are sad, but valid questions given the culture we live it. But I feel like it was almost expected of us to fail. But we refuse to fit the mold the young couple, struggling to make it. We want to be the exception, and for people to not question us, but use us as examples of how it CAN and DOES work. And, for us, part of that is being debt free at a young age. What will that mean for us? Being debt free at 24 will mean I don't stress over money and I will never lose sleep at night over a credit card bill. I will not live paycheck to paycheck, I will have an emergency account that gives us peace, I can afford my pet, and to keep him healthy and happy. We can travel, with cash and thank ourselves for a wonderful time, not Visa! We can drive new (to us) cars that we enjoy, we can fix what breaks, when it breaks. It will mean that David can deploy to war, and not worry about me while he's gone. We can buy a house and make it our home. We WILL retire millionaires, neither of us having ever gone to college, and we will NOT BE SLAVE TO THE LENDER.

So, what will being debt free be like for you, and WHY is it important?