1 00:00:01,480 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: Hey ba fam, it's Mandy. While Tip and I take 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: one more week off to recharge our batteries before coming 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: back for season four, we're taking a look back in 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: the vault at some of our favorite episodes over the years. 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: This one stands out at one of our earliest hit episodes. 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: It's the story of Aga McClanahan and her husband and 7 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: how they paid off over one hundred ten thousand dollars 8 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: in debt. Hope you guys enjoy this look back and 9 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: stay tuned. We're back with new episodes September twelfth. All Right, 10 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 1: Brown Ambition, Fam, I am really excited this week to 11 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 1: have a very special guest with us. I love speaking 12 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 1: with her and I can't wait for you guys to 13 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: hear from her. Her name is Aja McClanahan. She authored 14 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: the book Debt Free in twenty four Hours, you can 15 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: find on Amazon dot com. Aja knows so much about 16 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 1: getting debt free because she went from one hundred and 17 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 1: ten thousand dollars worth of debt down to nothing, and 18 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: she did it in a really interesting way by choosing 19 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: on purpose to move to what she lovingly calls the hood, Englewood, Chicago. Aja, 20 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: thank you so much, for joining us on Brown Ambition. 21 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me, Mandy. This is going to be fun. 22 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,839 Speaker 1: I'm already excited. And I forgot to mention you also 23 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: founded the blog principles of Increase dot com. Right, yep, 24 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: that's me excellent. Well, I just want to jump right 25 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: in Aza. Tell me what you mean when you say 26 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: that you took a hand me down house in the 27 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: hood to help you pay off your debt, you and 28 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: your husband. 29 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, when just to kind of backtrack, my husband 30 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 2: and I got married, we had over sixty thousand dollars 31 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 2: a student loan debt, and then we, you know, very intelligently, 32 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 2: took on, you know, an additional you know, thirty forty fifty, 33 00:01:55,600 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: you know, sixty thousand. So we had debt at different amounts, 34 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: and it probably totaled, you know, around one hundred thousand, 35 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: a little bit more than that, and we were just drowning. 36 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,959 Speaker 2: We're on one income. I knew that I want to 37 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 2: stay home with my kids. That was like a non negotiable. 38 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 2: But you know, we had all this debt, We had 39 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 2: garnishments collectors, like everything that could go wrong financially was 40 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 2: going wrong. And in two thousand and nine, one of 41 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 2: our relatives, a relative of mine inherited a house in 42 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 2: quote unquote the hood. And I have to say the hood. 43 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 2: I don't believe. I don't like saying that because it sounds, 44 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 2: you know, kind of derogatory, but I need I want 45 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 2: people to know kind of the magnitude or the decision 46 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: that we made. We we live in the hood. If 47 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 2: you've heard of the term shyraq, you know that's that's 48 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: We're the neighborhood that coined that term. 49 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: If anyone's going to use the word the hood, I 50 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 1: feel like in this case you should be able to. 51 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 2: Yeah. But this so we decided to take this home 52 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 2: that the relatives you know who inherit this house, They're like, 53 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 2: I live in the cushy suburbs. I don't want to 54 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 2: live in the hood. Know, I have kids who are 55 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 2: in a nice school system. And at first we were like, 56 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 2: you know, this is a stupid idea. We never we 57 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 2: never do that. But you know, my husband and I 58 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 2: had we actually had this conversation like are we going 59 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 2: to be those people that get that thirty year mortgage 60 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 2: on a house or a condo? And we were like, no, 61 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: we don't think that's us And so we were like, 62 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: we want a house, but we don't want a mortgage. 63 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 2: We don't know how that's going to happen. If we 64 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: have to save or wait till we're sixty, we'll do that. 65 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:30,839 Speaker 2: But this opportunity came up, and so it actually took 66 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 2: a couple of weeks for us. You know, we're Christians, 67 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 2: so we prayed about it, we thought about it, and 68 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 2: you know, we went through that whole thing and we 69 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 2: had peace about it. So we actually said yes to 70 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 2: the house. 71 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: You know, and at this point, your girls are how old? 72 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 2: Oh, they were young. I think my youngest was one, 73 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 2: and so my oldest must have been like three or four. 74 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 2: And so this was I mean, just just to kind 75 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 2: of backtrack, this was it was serious because when we 76 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 2: moved in, there were holes in the back door. So 77 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 2: like this, this was a really serious decision for us. 78 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 2: But it you know, we've been safe ever since and 79 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: we actually enjoyed the quality of life that we have now. 80 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 2: We actually paid off all of our debt in twenty thirteen. 81 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: Congratulations, Yeah, thank you, we're totally debt free. 82 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 2: And go ahead. 83 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: I know that getting a house for basically nothing is 84 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 1: obviously one great way to start paying off debt, but 85 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: you still had to make a lot of sacrifices. So 86 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: can you talk to me about your getting out of 87 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: debt journey. But the you know, four plus years it 88 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: took you guys to whittle down that six figure debt. 89 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that was, oh my goodness. That's why I 90 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 2: wrote a book about it. It was it was pretty involved. 91 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 2: So during that time, we were actually cash flowing the 92 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 2: renovations on the house. It wasn't like totally moving ready. 93 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 2: We were also cash flowing some private school, which was 94 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,840 Speaker 2: very very expensive. Looking back, I don't know if we 95 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 2: should have done that, but hey. And then on top 96 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 2: of that, I was kind of supporting a fledgling business. 97 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 2: But it was the business. Actually it was pretty it 98 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 2: wasn't capital intensive, so it was really one of the 99 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: game changers for us to get out of debt. So 100 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 2: we're those Dave Ramsey debt snowball people, and so that's 101 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 2: that's kind of the method that we used. We you know, budgeted, 102 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 2: we uh. 103 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: With snowball method. I've talked about the snowball I feel 104 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: like Dave Ramsey's advice is so prolific that I knew 105 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: about the snowball method without even knowing, like it was 106 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,119 Speaker 1: Dave Ramsey's thing. But that's the isn't that the idea 107 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 1: where you start with your small your the debt with 108 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: the lowest interest rate first and then you continue kind 109 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: of paying it off one by one by one. 110 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, so actually the snow I think they called that 111 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: the avalanche method, when you start with the not to 112 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: be technical, but with the lowest interest rate. Actually his 113 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 2: his idea is to start with just the smallest debt 114 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 2: so you don't really have any regard for interest rates. 115 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 2: He and it seems counterintuitive, but what it does is 116 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 2: psychologically it just gives you those small winds. So it's, 117 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 2: you know, in the same vein, you start with the 118 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 2: smallest that get rid of that, and when you take 119 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,799 Speaker 2: the minimum payment, once that's done, you know, and apply 120 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 2: that to the next thing. So at one point we 121 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 2: had a debt snowball that was like three thousand dollars 122 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 2: you know, for like a month or you know, a 123 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 2: few months, you know, when we got towards the end 124 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 2: student loan, you know, three thousand dollars ballance, damn, let's 125 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,359 Speaker 2: pay it off. In addition to like all the utilities 126 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: and other obligations that we had. And then I also 127 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 2: want to mention that twenty twelve, which was like a 128 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 2: heat wave for you know, the country, especially in Chicago, 129 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 2: we actually had our air conditioning vandalized and we decided 130 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 2: not to get it fixed. Obviously we finish our debt snowball. 131 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 2: So oh well, we got different quotes. I think it 132 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 2: was like just to replace it was like three thousand dollars, 133 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 2: was is what everyone was telling us. Like maybe three 134 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 2: or four years down the line, someone finally came in 135 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 2: and said, hey, we can do it for it for cheap. 136 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 2: But at the time, all the quotes were like, we 137 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 2: have to replace everything. So yeah, we that was one 138 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 2: of those times we were like, man, why did we 139 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 2: move to the hood, Like the if we lived somewhere else, 140 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 2: no one would like steal a you know, an eight 141 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 2: dollar piece of copper from our AC and damage it, 142 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: and you know, recalled this havock. So we lived through 143 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 2: that heat rate way without AC. We had like a 144 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 2: window unit. We'd all cram into one room at night. 145 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: So what did your budget, what did your budget look 146 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: like over this time? 147 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 2: Uh? Yeah, so we basically I kept a really simple 148 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 2: budget in Google sheets. So I'm like kind of that 149 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 2: nerd spreadsheet person. So basically just writing down all of 150 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 2: our expenses and saying, hey, this is what we have 151 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 2: to spend for the month, and that's it. So we 152 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 2: would use the envelope system using cash. You know, if 153 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 2: we budgeted four hundred dollars for food for the month, 154 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 2: which is actually really low, I wish we had that, 155 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 2: but you know, that was it. You know, this is 156 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 2: what we paid out for this. So we cut out 157 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 2: weird things like we you know, my husband placed a 158 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 2: moratorium on buying paper towels. We stopped using paper towels 159 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 2: during that time. We didn't have cable, so we didn't 160 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:19,880 Speaker 2: make some sacrifices. 161 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:25,679 Speaker 1: Paper towels are a luxury. They truly are twelve dollars 162 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: for a pack. I mean, it's crazy. 163 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 2: I mean, if you're trying to get out of debt, 164 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 2: it's one of those things that you can forego. I think, 165 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 2: you know, for a little while, you have to not forever. 166 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: One of the things I like about your story is 167 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: that you took a house that costs no money, and 168 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: yet you didn't immediately start living as if you weren't 169 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: paying the rent. You really had to, like psychologically, you know, 170 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: put all that money toward your debt and probably live 171 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: on a lot, a lot less income than what you 172 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: could do, you know what I mean. Like, I feel 173 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 1: like a lot of people would move to a low 174 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: income house and then be like, oh, I have all 175 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: this extra money to spend, well, you know, you know. 176 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 2: For us to go out and like get a Bentley 177 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 2: in the hood, you know that really or even just 178 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: a super nice luxury car. You know, you don't want 179 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 2: to draw too much attention to yourself. So for practical reasons, 180 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 2: we just didn't like totally ball out, and obviously we 181 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 2: want to pay down our debt. But even today we 182 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 2: still kind of live like that because all those years 183 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 2: we were paying down debt, we weren't contributing as much 184 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 2: as we could to retirement. So we're kind of still 185 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 2: we're not it's not as severe, you know, the the 186 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 2: level of austerity and savings, but we're still pretty frugal 187 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 2: and we still try to save as much as we 188 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 2: can every month because of you know, all those years 189 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 2: we didn't save. 190 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: And does that one hundred and ten thousand dollars include 191 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: your student loan debt? 192 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 2: Yes, it does. 193 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: That's the bulk of it. 194 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, it was mostly student loans. 195 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 1: Sadly, I mean you're not alone, especially when you put 196 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: two people combined with college degrees. Talk to me about 197 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 1: what's the biggest payment you made, Like when was the 198 00:09:57,760 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: biggest chunk where you're like, I thought we were never 199 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:02,199 Speaker 1: going to get at this chunk paid off. 200 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 2: So it was it was one of our last student 201 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 2: loan bills, and it was one of my husband's student loans, 202 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,800 Speaker 2: which was like a private student loan. And originally it 203 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 2: was like twelve thousand dollars and we negotiated with them 204 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 2: and they were like, okay, at least pay the principal. 205 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 2: You know, it was so old, was like ten years old. 206 00:10:20,440 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 2: And so we ended up paying like, you know, thirty 207 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 2: six hundred, negotiating for thirty six hundred. And I want 208 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 2: to say, the last payment we made on that was 209 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 2: like three thousand dollars. So that was like our biggest 210 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 2: debt snowball payment. 211 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 1: So you negotiated your student loan, your private student loan bill. 212 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: I've talked about this and written about it. I'd love 213 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: for you to talk about that process. How do you 214 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:45,000 Speaker 1: negotiated that bill down with the private lender. 215 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 2: It was actually bizarre what happened because we had tried 216 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:50,680 Speaker 2: to do it maybe three or four years prior, and 217 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 2: we just couldn't get anything from them. The only thing 218 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:56,440 Speaker 2: they sent were the original was like the original promissory 219 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 2: note or something like that, and then that was it. 220 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 2: We wouldn't ever get a hold of them. And then 221 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 2: maybe four or five years later we got a hold 222 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 2: of them. Maybe they were just more desperate for money 223 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 2: at that time, but I got a hold of them 224 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 2: and basically over phone an email, just said hey, you know, 225 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 2: we'll pay cash, you know for this, and we took 226 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: out like a four oh one K loan and promptly 227 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,719 Speaker 2: you know, paid it back. It took us, you know 228 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:23,679 Speaker 2: a few months to pay it back, but because they 229 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 2: were willing to settle, we did take that loan, and 230 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 2: you know, it's since been paid back. I wouldn't suggest 231 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 2: that for everything, you know, don't cash out your for 232 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 2: a one K, But if you have the option to borrow, 233 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 2: you can sell a debt and you know you have 234 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 2: the cash lit or paid off, you know, it could 235 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 2: work in some situation. So that's that's pretty much what 236 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 2: we did, and then you know, paid the balance with 237 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 2: our debt snowball, but actually was talking to a student 238 00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 2: loan lawyer specialist quote unquote who let me know that 239 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:55,559 Speaker 2: it was outside, potentially outside of the statute of limitations, 240 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 2: so we didn't really have to pay it, but that 241 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 2: like after the fact, we had already paid it. So 242 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 2: I would encourage anyone who's like listening to this and 243 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:06,079 Speaker 2: you're like, oh, I have some private loan that I 244 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,680 Speaker 2: might negotiate down check and see what your state's statue 245 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 2: of limitation is, you might have to pay it. But 246 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 2: for us, it was like, okay, we did it. And 247 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,079 Speaker 2: then also if he ever wants his transcripts or something 248 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 2: like that, you know, you can be outside of the 249 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 2: statue of limitations, but the school doesn't have to do 250 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 2: anything else for you. They don't have to send you 251 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 2: transcripts or verify your enrollment or anything. So I think 252 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: it's you know, just good practice to pay your debts anyway. 253 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: But you know, if you're that's absolutely one thing to 254 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: consider it. But that's statute of limitations in most states 255 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: is at least ten years you're talking, and over that time, 256 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: it's likely I mean, you guys, you talked about being 257 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: in default and having creditors lenders coming after you, and 258 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 1: you know, debt collectors calling. So what was the impact 259 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,559 Speaker 1: of those loans on your credit and what's your credit 260 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:50,959 Speaker 1: like today versus back then? 261 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 2: Gosh, you know what, we actually don't really we don't 262 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 2: use credit for anything we like, We don't have a 263 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 2: mortgage or so. I actually don't know. I don't check 264 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 2: my credit score regularly. We we just for the first time, 265 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 2: I don't know how many years, got a credit card 266 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 2: to do like those rewards things. And we're not carrying 267 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 2: a balance or any so it's bad. But we neither 268 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 2: one of us know our credit stores because we don't 269 00:13:15,559 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 2: have any. We have no plans to borrow any money 270 00:13:18,920 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 2: for anything like in life. 271 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:25,440 Speaker 1: Aren't you curious? You can check it for free credit karma? 272 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 2: Yeah maybe, I guess for like fraud purposes. 273 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: This is my little moment to do the PSA where 274 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 1: you should you should at least pull your free credit report. 275 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: Do you guys check your credit reports and everything? 276 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 2: Yeah? So yes, we do check our credit report to 277 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:40,119 Speaker 2: see if there are items on there that are suspicious 278 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 2: or we're potentially fraudulent. But with that, we don't get 279 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 2: a score. I don't believe when we're like annual. So yeah, 280 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,080 Speaker 2: that's what I know what's on there, but I don't know. 281 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: Arguably that's the important part. But you can talk. I mean, 282 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: I get my score for free. There's a bunch of 283 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: different places. 284 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 2: Oh I didn't know that. 285 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: Okay, credit karma. I mean you should even check with 286 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 1: your credit card that you guys took out a lot 287 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,080 Speaker 1: of credit cards now are offering not just your TransUnion, 288 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: your or your Equifax or your Experience score, but credit 289 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:11,080 Speaker 1: card companies will offer your FICO score. Oh cool, and 290 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: Fiico is that like you know, gold Cadillac credit score 291 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: everyone uses. But oh yeah, I mean I can list 292 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 1: off credit karma quizzle dot com, credit dot com credit 293 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: says to me, those are the top four where you 294 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: can find That's how I track my credit score. Yeah, 295 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: i'd be curious to know. And you're right. I mean 296 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: that's just something to consider. You really don't need a 297 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: credit score until you need credit. And if you guys didn't, 298 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: you know, take out any credit that you wouldn't have 299 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: needed it. 300 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, we've been duly traumatized by we were just I mean, 301 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: some people have better credit stories than ours. But I 302 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 2: think you know, we were just immature financially, you know, 303 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 2: and so they left kind of like an indelible mark 304 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 2: in our brains around the use of credit. So it 305 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 2: just took us even a really long time to like 306 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 2: have a big discussion about this recent credit card and 307 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 2: we'll never carry a balance and we'll never pay injury. 308 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 2: So that was even that was like a big step 309 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 2: from well, some people were good with credit all their lives, 310 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,119 Speaker 2: and they don't. They don't have those terrible stories. 311 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: Who are those people, the people whose parents control their 312 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: card for them? 313 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 2: Maybe I don't know some people. I've met some people 314 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 2: and they're like, oh, well, this is what's wrong with 315 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 2: having a credit card. All you do is pay the 316 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 2: balance every month and you or whatever their stories are, 317 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 2: I don't know. We'll see. Maybe we'll become one of 318 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 2: those people. 319 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: It sounds like you are. But I think it also 320 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: has a lot to do with your upbringing and the 321 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: influence of your family, your parents and people around you. 322 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: You know. I grew up really watching my parents just 323 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: without credit cards. My mother, I always my mom's wallet, 324 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: I'll never forget it. When I was a kid, it 325 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: was always just this massive, like accordion wallet, and it 326 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: was just nothing, Like she would go to J. C. 327 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 1: Penny and look for the biggest expansion wallet she could find, 328 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: because that's how many credit cards my parents had. And 329 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 1: that was the environment I grew up. And so when I, 330 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: you know, started college, my idea was, oh, credit that 331 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 1: you just use that when you don't have cash. So 332 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: I'm curious what your upbringing was like financially and if 333 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: you think that, maybe you know how that played into 334 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: you your your eventual debt that you fell into later. 335 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:17,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I think I heard from my parents quite frequently. 336 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 2: You know, you have to get some type of credit 337 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 2: card to build your credit, do something to build your credit. 338 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 2: So when I was encountered on the quad at school, 339 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 2: you know, I was ink, you know, confronted with all 340 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 2: these tables with giving away free T shirts and you know, Pepsicola, 341 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 2: and they're like, oh, you have to do a sign 342 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 2: up for this credit card. I was like, oh, of course, 343 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 2: this is perfect. I need pizza which you're giving away, 344 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 2: and also I need to build my credit. So you know, 345 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 2: I sign up for a bunch of credit cards. 346 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 1: Was the pizza that good? I don't remember, it never was, 347 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: but that's how they get you on college campuses. 348 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 2: They do. Yeah, And I didn't have a job. I 349 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 2: didn't even think about like paying the bill or paying 350 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 2: it back. I was just like, I am building my credit. 351 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 2: I didn't I thought building your credit was just getting 352 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 2: the card. I didn't realize that you had to like 353 00:17:05,320 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 2: pay it back on time, and as agreed, missed that 354 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 2: part of the tutorial. So I think that and then 355 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 2: when people would demand payment, I'm like, who are these jerks? 356 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 2: You know, what do they want from me? So yeah, 357 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,320 Speaker 2: I think that probablayed a lot into my kind of 358 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 2: like my money story going forward. I just I just 359 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 2: didn't make the connection, even with student loans, like signing paperwork. 360 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 2: When I got my first bill, you know that six 361 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,439 Speaker 2: months you know, great spirit they give you. I was like, 362 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 2: the nerve of these people, how dare they like? I 363 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:39,560 Speaker 2: was totally shocked. 364 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: What about your husband? When did you guys meet and 365 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: when you got married? Was it something you guys talked 366 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: about before you got married? 367 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:50,920 Speaker 2: Yeah? So we met in gradeschol, junior high. We met 368 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 2: in Spanish class in junior high. And we got married 369 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:56,960 Speaker 2: in our mid twenties, like twenty four to twenty five, 370 00:17:57,600 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 2: and we did we thought we were doing like the 371 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:01,719 Speaker 2: smart thing. We're like, Okay, we're gonna sit down, we're 372 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 2: gonna write a budget, we're gonna write down all of 373 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 2: our loans and all that. And we did as much 374 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 2: as we could. But I think the problem with my 375 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 2: husband was that he had loans that had changed hands. 376 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 2: He didn't keep as good of records, and it was 377 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 2: kind of confusing. So I don't want to say like 378 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 2: he was a terrible record keeper, but at some point 379 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,239 Speaker 2: I ended up consolidating all my loans and I just 380 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:29,119 Speaker 2: had like one payment for everything. But he had like 381 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 2: things here, things there, private loans from the university. So 382 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 2: it was just, you know, it was just a confusing thing. 383 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,880 Speaker 2: So things for him were like scattered and all over 384 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 2: the place. So what we thought we had captured in 385 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 2: our pre wedding planning, you know, there were just more 386 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 2: loans that got uncovered how we started. You know, the 387 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 2: month we got married, this letter came, this phone call came, this, 388 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,360 Speaker 2: you know. So it was like big like Biggs coming 389 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,920 Speaker 2: out of the woodwork. So when it was all said 390 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 2: that we had about the same amount of student loan, 391 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 2: I just was more aware of my total balance, whereas 392 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:06,720 Speaker 2: he wasn't. 393 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:08,439 Speaker 1: Was he kind of cocky about it, like, oh, I 394 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: only have this much. And then a month later you're like, oh. 395 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:16,199 Speaker 2: No, no, no, I don't think so. I think he in 396 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 2: his mind was still kind of unsure. He's like, these 397 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:22,920 Speaker 2: are the numbers I'm writing down, and we'll just see 398 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 2: after you married me. 399 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 1: Let me get put the ring on first, get the 400 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: you know, get the wedding certificate, and then we'll start 401 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: digging deeper. 402 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:36,640 Speaker 2: It's funny, exactly, and that's exactly that's how it panned out. 403 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:42,640 Speaker 2: And I was a little you know, I was jostled 404 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 2: by that, like, okay, we have this, and then the 405 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 2: next month this letter comes. And then when I tallied 406 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 2: everything up, I'm like, this is not the amount that 407 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,360 Speaker 2: you said. You know, you said it was this amount, 408 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 2: and now we're here at this bigger amount, and we're 409 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 2: just like, you know what, whatever, we're Mary, we we're 410 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:00,200 Speaker 2: gonna have to make it work. You know this, it's 411 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 2: not enough of a problem to get a divorce over. 412 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 2: Let's just make a plan and figure it out. And 413 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 2: that's ultimately what we did. Like when we got the plan, 414 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 2: after I read Dave Ramsey, I'm like, okay, this sucks, 415 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 2: a terrible situation. But now that we had a plan 416 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 2: that kind of brought hope to the situation, and you know, 417 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 2: we worked it out. 418 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: I was gonna ask if there was ever a time 419 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: that it put strain on your relationship, because I know 420 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: money and relationships they go hand in hand, but they 421 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,959 Speaker 1: also can be really they can be tough. Oh, very 422 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 1: young in your mid twenties. What do you know now 423 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,360 Speaker 1: about money relationships that you didn't know a decade ago. 424 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:38,919 Speaker 2: Oh my god, that's such a loaded question. I think 425 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 2: one of the big issues really to me is that 426 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 2: either's communication is one just figuring out how what are 427 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 2: people's money management style? So if you have someone who's 428 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,919 Speaker 2: a super cheap skate and someone who's like, you know, 429 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 2: their lavish spender and they expect certain things to be 430 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 2: a certain way. For example, my husband likes he can 431 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 2: from one of those families where they celebrate every single 432 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 2: holiday every like Sweetest Day, Valentine's Day, Anniversary, Like I 433 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 2: have to get a gift on every holiday. And not 434 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:15,200 Speaker 2: to sound like a terrible, ungrateful wife, because I do 435 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 2: like gifts, but at the time, you know, just me 436 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 2: being a little more high strong as a individual. I'm like, 437 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 2: I appreciate the Sweetest Day gift, but we could have 438 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 2: used this for a student loan payment. 439 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,880 Speaker 1: Like that was wait, what is that even a sweetest Day? 440 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: What is that? 441 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 2: Oh? You don't know sweet? It's like it's the October 442 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 2: version of Valentine's Day. Sweet? 443 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:39,640 Speaker 1: No, I did not like Swedish fish fish or. 444 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 2: Sweetest, sweet sweetest, like you are the sweetest person. 445 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:45,520 Speaker 1: I have never heard this in my life. Wow, they 446 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 1: are digging deep. Okay, that's where they dried the line. 447 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:53,400 Speaker 2: And I think I've gotten a gift like every sweetest Day, 448 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 2: my god. And so just communicating about our expectations around 449 00:21:58,480 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 2: like how do we even celebrate holiday? Do you do 450 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 2: a lot of Christmas gifts? Do you not? So just 451 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 2: learning up front what people's money if you're going to 452 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 2: discuss when you get married, like how many kids do 453 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 2: you would have? Do you? Are you a studio person 454 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 2: orre you a big five thousand squrif food house person 455 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 2: or you know, also talk about what do your money 456 00:22:15,720 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 2: have it? So when you clear that up, you know, 457 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 2: that's one thing and the other thing is just not 458 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 2: having enough money. If there's like overbearing debt, there's just 459 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 2: there's really not time to do anything. I mean, there 460 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:30,719 Speaker 2: were times when we were working to payoff debt. You know, 461 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 2: I was like hustling because I had, you know, a gig. 462 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 2: I was, you know, getting paid hourly, you know, working 463 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 2: from home. And and then you know that summer where 464 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 2: we you know, had everyone in the in the room 465 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 2: because we had one air conditioning unit. You know, things 466 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 2: are not as romantic when all your kids have to 467 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:48,679 Speaker 2: stay in the room with you, everybody, you know. So 468 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 2: just like little things like that have an impact on 469 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:57,360 Speaker 2: your relationship. And now just being debt free, we have 470 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 2: more room to dream a little. Like so my husband's like, 471 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 2: and this is an actual example, he's always like, you know, 472 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 2: give me my drop talk. He wants this classic car, 473 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 2: and it's something we don't have to argue about, like 474 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,000 Speaker 2: are you kidding me? As broken as we are, we 475 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 2: can actually say, oh, you know what, let's up actually 476 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:18,880 Speaker 2: open let's open up another broke which you can't. Let's 477 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 2: throw some money at it every month and see where 478 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 2: it is in three years. Like that's those are the 479 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 2: things that you can do when you're debt free. But 480 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 2: if you're like head over heels in debt and you 481 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 2: have someone who who's kind of way of coping or 482 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 2: escapism is buying things and stuff. You know they're gonna 483 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 2: be problems, So debt helps. It doesn't help everything, you know, 484 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 2: being death free, but it helps. I would say a 485 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:42,680 Speaker 2: lot of things. 486 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 1: I'm soaking up all this knowledge for my cause I 487 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: told you I'm getting married soon and I'm just going 488 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 1: to be soaking up all this insight. Thank you for this. 489 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 1: Although living together before marriage, I'm telling you that also 490 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: can open your eyes to some conflict points too. For sure. 491 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, you kind of Well, my husband and we knew 492 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 2: each other for a long time, but we had a 493 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 2: pretty short courtship, so we moved together when we got married, 494 00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 2: and fortunately, I mean it was such a blessing, Like 495 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,399 Speaker 2: he's so laid back and it just worked out. There 496 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 2: was there were no big surprise shockers he is he's 497 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 2: actually pretty much a cheap skate like me, so it 498 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 2: just we deel better. I think. Really. The only kind 499 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 2: of hitch there was just the communication and just knowing 500 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 2: like or like, seriously, are you going to celebrate every 501 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 2: single holiday like his family is, like the family who 502 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 2: celebrates their birthday for a week like Monday we're gonna 503 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:36,439 Speaker 2: do this. 504 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 1: Oh no, no, no, no, no, no no, those people are 505 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,919 Speaker 1: not That does not happen. No, I know those people. 506 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 1: I do. And I'm like not going on Facebook, not going, 507 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: not going, not going. 508 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, and so then but then you have to think, 509 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 2: even as a family, but if that's something that's really 510 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 2: big and important to them, me and my husband have 511 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 2: to have that conversation like, Okay, of all these seven events, 512 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 2: which three are you going to choose? So we don't 513 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 2: I have to spend all this money. Like that's a 514 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 2: real that's a real conversation that we have to have. 515 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 2: And when you're getting out of debt, you know, people 516 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 2: get offended like you didn't show up at this thing 517 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,359 Speaker 2: or so like all that stuff happens and you just 518 00:25:15,400 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 2: have to manage all that and it does, you know, 519 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 2: it makes things stressful. 520 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:22,920 Speaker 1: Well, let's switch gears for a bit. Because you you've 521 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,400 Speaker 1: successfully achieved your goal of becoming a stay at home mom, 522 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,280 Speaker 1: right yep. So you have your business at home, your 523 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: girls at home, the schools at home. Do you ever 524 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 1: go crazy? 525 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:39,560 Speaker 2: We do get a little stir crazy. So we try 526 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 2: to you know, how do you separate it? How do I. 527 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. 528 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 2: So my husband's really great at you know, he'll let 529 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:49,959 Speaker 2: me get that time alone that I need. Like sometimes 530 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 2: I'm like I have to go out to Starbucks or whatever, 531 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 2: get some work, or he'll you know, he'll help me 532 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:56,879 Speaker 2: and make provision, he'll take them in the evening or 533 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:00,480 Speaker 2: we figure it out. I don't feel they're a lot 534 00:26:00,480 --> 00:26:04,880 Speaker 2: of times that I feel super overwhelmed, because if I do, 535 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 2: then I'll just take a break and I'll stop working. 536 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 2: I'll stop working. I don't have the many bills to pay, 537 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 2: so I can be kind of on you know, off 538 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:14,640 Speaker 2: and on work. 539 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: You can control your own schedule basically. 540 00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, in a nutshell, and I just want to also, 541 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,400 Speaker 2: you know, kind of drive home the point that I'd 542 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 2: never made a whole lot of money in my life, 543 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,400 Speaker 2: Like my husband has always been the primary breat winner, 544 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,359 Speaker 2: and you know, I've been you know, I've kind of 545 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 2: trailed behind him and income. So you don't need a 546 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:36,679 Speaker 2: lot of money to do this. We were, you know, 547 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,000 Speaker 2: I was always myself personally was kind of on the 548 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 2: lower end of the income scale, but just being disciplined 549 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 2: with the money helped, you know, pay down. 550 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 1: The debt and again one hundred and ten thousand dollars gone. 551 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: That is amazing. Congratulations to you and your family. 552 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:52,639 Speaker 2: Thank you, Mandy. 553 00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 1: So do you have any plans? I guess I have 554 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: to ask any plans to move anytime soon. 555 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 2: I don't have plans only only because I actually do 556 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,919 Speaker 2: like the quality of life that we we live. I 557 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 2: can live, I you know, I get to control my schedule. 558 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 2: If I want to take a break from working one month, 559 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:14,440 Speaker 2: two month, three months, I can. Earlier last year we 560 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 2: spent six weeks in California because I didn't want to 561 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 2: do Chicago winter, so you know, and then we did 562 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 2: lots of other traveling too. So like being able to 563 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 2: travel be with my family, that to me is priceless. 564 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 2: Like no big home in the suburbs can't compare to that, 565 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 2: So I don't I thought, you know, when I was younger, 566 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 2: I thought that was like my end goal in life, 567 00:27:37,280 --> 00:27:39,240 Speaker 2: to like live in this big, huge mansion in the 568 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 2: suburbs with these you know, crazy tripped out luxury cars. 569 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 2: But you know, I guess, you know, those those desires 570 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 2: have waned a little bit, only because I feel like 571 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 2: I have a good life right now, so we'll see 572 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 2: that could change. I may want to move because of 573 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 2: the weather, but that's the only reason why. 574 00:27:57,440 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: No. I love that message. You found what's important to you, 575 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,679 Speaker 1: and you invest in those things versus the things that 576 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:06,160 Speaker 1: aren't so important but that you know, culture tells you 577 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:09,200 Speaker 1: you should have the mansion in the suburbs and such. 578 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a good summary. 579 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: Wellgan, thanks so much, and everybody. You can find Aja's 580 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:18,879 Speaker 1: work at Principles of Increase dot com and her book 581 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 1: is called Debt Free in twenty four Hours, which is 582 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 1: on Amazon dot com. 583 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:25,680 Speaker 2: Right, yep, it's available there now. 584 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 1: Excellent, all right, Aja, thanks so much, Thanks Fanny. 585 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 2: This was fun.