Research shows that money is one of the major causes of divorce. It’s quite
sad that money, which is a medium of exchange is now the destructive tool in many marriages. It was revealed that money problems began in some cases even before couples headed to the altar. This simply meant that a loan was used to finance the wedding. I heard the story of a lady who took out a loan, a huge amount to finance her wedding.
Five years after the wedding, she was still paying the debt and the unfortunate thing was, the union had been dissolved through divorce proceedings. Some other cases were about personal debt that puts unnecessary pressure on the Union. At a point I began to search within, about my attitude towards money. I was in the same category with people who would not care less about their finances. I knew that if I did not do something about this as soon as possible, this could create serious problems during marriage. I came up with a plan to get rid of the debt accumulated through foolishness and unforeseen circumstances. I believe if I did not take a stock of my finances, then things would only get worse.
Confronting reality was one of the most difficult things to do and one of the most rewarding. Clearing most of my debts meant delaying lots of gratification. I had to learn how to turn a blind eye to the latest technology. I had to resist the temptation of the beautiful alligator shoe in the shop because of the outstanding debts that were hanging over my head. The transformation from a bad habit to a new one was like a death sentence, but in all honesty, it was worth every strive.
Today I looked back and was glad that I went through the process. This process had boosted my confidence to face the outstanding student loan head on and pay it off as soon as possible. I’m so glad that I no longer suffer from financial cancer. One main thing that has helped was a statement I heard a while ago. The person stated that the more you get into debt, the richer some people become, this statement was heavy on my mind for a while. My foolishness were enriching someone else, this propelled me to start making drastic changes to my finances.
The self-discipline process is also preparing me for the future, thinking more often about retirement and children’s education. A wise man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, I don’t want to pass on my bad spending habits to generations to come, therefore I was forced to embrace the truth and embarked on the debt free journey. This is one of the legacies that I’ll pass on to the next generation.