When my wife, Andrea, and I got married in 1996, we both had full time jobs. As we began to think about having kids, we started to realize the impact it would have on us. We asked ourselves “how are we going to have kids and continue to work full time?”
Paying for daycare didn’t seem like a good decision emotionally, and it wasn’t even do-able financially. Andrea wanted to stay home with the kids, but living on just my income wasn’t going to work. Our obligation to pay back our credit cards, car loans, and student loans was keeping us from living our lives on our terms. We had given control to the lender and we were imprisoned by the choices we had made. The worst part was, we weren’t sure how we had gotten there, or what to do about it.
We were in debt and had no money saved for emergencies, or the future. Retirement was just a wish. We knew that without a plan, we would forever be slaves, never living in freedom.
So, for the next 15 months, we studied how to break out of our financial prison. We learned how to pile up cash for emergencies, declare war on our debt, and solemnly swear to live within our means, forever and ever amen.
As we began to gain traction with our finances, we began to understand what can be accomplished when we believe in a goal, make a plan to achieve it, and take action. We began to win!
One month before our first son, Adam, was born, we finished paying off $28,000 in debt. Credit cards, car loans, student loans…..gone. This didn’t happen by accident - we had a plan, and we executed it.
When Matthew, our second son, was born almost 3 years later, we realized how fortunate we are to have two kids that will grow up with a mindset of giving, saving, and then spending. Because as much as we love our kids, we don’t want them moving back in when they’re broke!
Now, 12 years later, I get to use this experience to help others duplicate the path to financial freedom that we have laid out in front of ourselves.
If you want to begin to experience the kind of financial success that will change your life, request your free 30 minute consultation, or sign up for the free newsletter….and let me know what you want YOUR 2nd story to be!
