Are You Debt Free?

I've been debt free for about 9 years now ....
and if I want to buy a house or 2 ?
I would purchase a fixer upper for around $1 to $10,000

Fix it up enough to live in one room - and then finish the house while living in it ... and depending on the job I did on it ? I would probably sell it for several other houses to continue to do the same ....

I might keep it if it had enough land for animals.

We are on schedule to be free and clear by the end of the year with the exception of our house. Our method? Ignore all the stupid people on tv who say they can get you out of debt. You own your credit rate, don't let anyone near it. They can only hurt it. Pay of one bill. Take that money and double up on the next bill. How you choose which to pay off is your decision. We chose highest interest rates first. Once credit cards are paid off, we close them. Any that charge yearly fees or membership fees, we closed them. Forget all their promises. Trusting anyone else with your credit is like asking a pedophile to babysit your kids. Get tough on yourself. We now actually have a savings, we're almost out of debt, and we sleep at night. We started a while ago, so even while I was unemployed (8 months on unemployment) we were able to work on our debt. Judge your purchases by need it or want it. If you really need it, save for it. If it's a want, think about the interest you will pay to purchase it. I've got so I can walk away from a great sale with out batting an eyelash. I don't care how cheap it is, if you don't have it in your pocket, you can't afford it. The only way to beat the banks at their own game is stop giving them your money. We have gone to a credit union. They never took a bailout, and they treat us professionally. I could go on all night. The best thing to remember is just exercise some self control. YOU CAN DO IT!!

Aside from my house, which will be paid off in four years, nothing.

Oh, and the National Debt has been at an "all-time high" pretty much forever. We were debt-free in the 1800's and haven't looked back since. LOL

Plus I have a $15,000 emergency fund

Congrats - That is AWESOME!

It's the American way... and I'm a true American. LOL

I "wish" ! Oh Lord how I wished !

hell....i wish but thanks to the ex i'm not!!!!!

Hell no...OPM (other people's money) baby! Using leverage is the most efficient way to create wealth if you know how to deploy properly.

Yes I am, it has been a educatonal journey.I use credit cards for
convience and pay them off when they are due.Debt is a good and
neceaasry evil.When it is done properly and not for the idea of keeping
up with the Jones's.I was in debt most of my life houses, cars,kids
education.I tried to stay with in the boundries of my earnings.

We do not use credit cards, so we have not debts on that end, and thank God our house will be paid for next August.

Americas national debt is worse...I get it from my country!

I figure if I sell my kids I should raise enough to be debt free. Wife said she wants to rent me out, told her I would have to give change.

Because of tax breaks and the low interest rate I secured when I last refinanced the home, I don't see a reason to pay off the mortgage. The government encourages me to have debt.

I work for a non profit credit counseling agency. I'm so thankful for working there at such a young age because I know all the ins ands outs of credit and purchasing loans.

Seriously, I wouldn't be debt free if it weren't for my job.

I have student loan. No interests before I'm finished. Besides I just use a small amount of the loan.

I have a mortgage and all the fun stuff that come along with home ownership.

money money

I have the potential to pay all my debts and be debt free, but I manage my debt carefully to improve my credit score. It is working marvelously. I keep the actual funds making money faster than my debt is accruing interest.

I'd rather go without than make a purchase that would put me in debt.

i think that's an excellent attitude! :)

married with kids, not me debt free. But I'm happy with situation.

Trying to find a better paying job right now though!

fortunately i am without debt -- other than regular monthly bills. it took a long time to get here, but it's definitely a relief!

I'm recently out of college and just paid for a traditional wedding. You do the math! Oh, and there's three years left until my car officially belongs to me ;-)

I've got lots of disposable income and no debt. viva la gays!

no debt, pay everything off monthly. But I don't have a house, sometimes I wish I have morgage debt. :-P

A little debt along the way is a good thing, to be used as a record of on time payments when applying for a loan or mortgage.....but, I am woking on keeping it low, just paid off 1 credit card, and will soon pay off another....I own 2 houses, with a small amount owed on the second house.....I guess you'd say I see carrying some debt as a necessary evil, but I keep it down to a very small amount......

I don't have any debt

you probably don't have a house either. Wait until you buy a house and then you'll have debt (or at least you likely should).

I guess I'm lucky. I just bought a small place of my own (even though I'm never there, haha) and I' still debt free.

yes,debt sucks.especially when you cant pay it back.im on dissability from the state right now waiting to hear from social security.i have barely money to live let alone pay anything else.

I save most of my money and spend it when I have to

umm... i don't get the term of the question so... well, i'm still in school so w/e...

i was debt free in 2001 with everything paid off! but then i was in a relationship with me absorbing of most of the expenses then things went down from there after the relationship fell apart. i'm not whining at all; i'm trying to get my life back on track and turn my misfortunes around so i try to do what i can. it's not the end of the world IF it's not the end of your life!

Hang in there, Eddie....good luck to you...

Um, some of you guys are probably better off than me. You will die with a will, I will die with BILLS. :) If there's an expert out there, please let me know.

lol smokey... will do....and if you hear of one ...please let me know! ; )

um....debt free...i have never known that feeling..lol