Broke-Ass Student

September Financial Update – I’m Debt Free!!

Sep 10th, 2009 by Jennifer Lynn

I wake early and head over to the desktop to flip the power switch. Yawning, I hear the computer hum to life as I shuffle over to the next room to perform the usual foraging ritual for breakfast. Thump around a bit through the cupboards, grab a handful of cereal from the box (there’s no milk) and splash water from the faucet into a glass (coffee container is empty).

I settle back in front of the computer with my morning feast, popping Fruit Loops in my mouth, patiently waiting for everything to finish loading. After typing in the appropriate information, my bank account opens.

The balance: $265.

As of yesterday, $1,062.88 had been posted from my bank to my credit card bill, my hard-earned wages busting/tearing through cyberspace to perforate the final outstanding payment owed (with interest, of course); digits whisked away on a lethal, one-way debt termination expedition. And now I’m left with …

The doubts start piling up – I peer suspiciously at the monitor. Surely there’s some mysterious purpose for this chunk of change still sitting on its ass in my account. An overlooked bill, perhaps, stuck on a dusty shelf somewhere, forgotten. In fact, I’m certain there must be a setback somewhere, something to muck everything up because this damned debt is so ingrained in me now and, Jesus, after all these years, how can it really just be … dissolved?

Holding my breath, I tap the keys again to prudently recheck the account balance — my fingers slip, I get the url wrong and pause to wipe dusty grains of cereal from my palms, to start over — suspecting that couple hundred bucks has suddenly, cruelly been gobbled up by some hellacious bank fee or other.

Nope. Still there. Two hundred and sixty-five dollars.

Exhaling slowly, I lean back and stare stupidly at the screen. I pick bits of stuffing from the arm of the chair as I evaluate this completely foreign transition of having an extra pile of dough at my disposal; so staggered, I haven’t even considered how to commemorate my new debt-free world.

With a cup of coffee, seems like a good place to start.

=^..^=

Posted in Debt, Financial Management | 29 Comments

29 Responses to “September Financial Update – I’m Debt Free!!”

on 10 Sep 2009 at 3:13 pm1Edgar

Congratulations you did it. Now what?

The problem I been having once I know I am debt Free I go and spend the extra cash I have and next thing you know I’m back to square one and it sucks. keep us updated
on 10 Sep 2009 at 5:20 pm2Alan

Congratulations!
on 10 Sep 2009 at 7:22 pm3veronica

Congratulations! That is awesome! All that hard work has paid off — literally.

Wishing you all the best. The world is yours …
on 11 Sep 2009 at 4:57 pm4Sarah

Congratulations! I’m so proud of you!
on 22 Sep 2009 at 6:01 am5Dara

Congrats! I just started following because I’m a recent grad who is having some trouble with debt… I haven’t even really gotten a grasp on how much I owe and how hard it will be to pay it off because I don’t know how much my utilities will be yet.

I have been looking through your blog and it gives me hope that I will someday have money in my bank and be debt free.

Thanks for writing!
on 28 Sep 2009 at 6:01 pm6Ibrahim | ZenCollegeLife

Congrats pal! I’m sure you’ll sleep better knowing you are financially independent!
on 15 Oct 2009 at 4:43 pm7SeeJaneGetRich.com

From one broke-ass-student to another: Congratulations on your big accomplishment! I hope you will keep posting.
on 15 Oct 2009 at 8:37 pm8Credit Card Chaser

Congrats! Now it is time to continue saving and investing!
on 20 Oct 2009 at 3:14 pm9kelly

congrats! I been following your blog for awhile and I am so happy you finally did it! It’s really motivating. That last 1,000 is the hardest to keep down. I hope you won’t go back into that vicious cycle. Keep us posted!
on 20 Oct 2009 at 9:46 pm10Financial Samurai

Wow, that’s a lot of debt you paid off. Congrats! Don’t get into it again!!
on 25 Oct 2009 at 6:22 pm11Eddie

Congratulations!!!

That is amazing.

Now, my turn. $118,000 in the hole in student loan debt. I’m inspired by your story and will turn it around and document the process – not so much to be a frickin’ rip-off artist, but because I need to do that to be accountable.
on 28 Oct 2009 at 9:43 am12BKRecessionist

Congratulations! Way to hang in there. Check out http://www.bkrecessionist.com sometime if you ever need some broke-ass solidarity!
on 28 Oct 2009 at 10:05 pm13Health Insurance Providers

Awesome job! What have you got planned next?
on 26 Nov 2009 at 9:54 am14James Edwin

Inspiring story with hopes for all.
I really like your flavor of writing. You should continue to use that to your advantage and nurture that natural talent. Maybe you would like to write something for my Blog?

Peace and blessings…
on 30 Nov 2009 at 6:06 am15Team @ Money Compare

Well done on becoming debt free Jennifer
on 27 Dec 2009 at 11:36 am16Fred

Aww, I have only just now heard about your blog. Well, I’m happy to hear that you’re debt-free. I’m going to read through some older posts and see what exactly led to that (I’m a student in debt as well).
on 16 Mar 2010 at 9:50 pm17Eric

Awesome job, a bit belated!! I hope everything is still going well with the new freedom. I found that it is sometimes even harder to be free from debt. There are so many temptations that are now “affordable”. But even though I am free, it doesn’t mean there isn’t financial goals to be attained, so I must stay focused.
And so we keep on running our financial marathon.

Keep up the good work,
Eric
on 04 Apr 2010 at 10:24 am18J.Scott

Happy to know that you have beat the debt monster, but I am commenting because I love your writing. I don’t know if you are an author, but if not you should definitely consider writing more than blog post. \

Anyway, thank you for the entertaining read and wish you a life time of debt freedom.
on 29 Apr 2010 at 11:23 am19GetDebit

Great job! I just read through a bunch of your posts, and your progress towards getting rid of that credit card debt was inspiring (and fun) to read. Congratulations.
on 03 May 2010 at 3:16 pm20Conrad

Congratulations. I was looking at the column ‘My Broke Ass Budget’ and noticed you have come a long way to get where you are. May I ask, did you use the snowballing or debt stacking technique to get out of debt?

Thanks for the post!
on 05 Dec 2010 at 6:47 am21Life Exceptional

Congratulations! Like other people have said, you do have an engaging writing style, I’ll definitely be checking out your other posts.
on 08 Dec 2010 at 9:08 pm22D

Sorry, but at least you have a decent paying job! I am working at a restaurant with my degree, with $60,000 in student loans and am constantly being rejected for better positions due to lack of experience. My debt keeps growing because I cannot afford to pay for my apartamnet. I have shamefully asked my mom to pay for internet so that I can keep looking for work. I barely make it from paycheck-to-pcycheck and am hopeless. If I were you I would stop feeling sorry for myself. These days most people are in the same situation.
on 06 Jan 2011 at 6:58 pm23Adam

Just discovered your blog – now that your debt free, will you continue this blog?
on 09 Jan 2011 at 10:39 am24Mike

Hey, congrats! I’m in a similar situation as well. I’m very broke and trying to get out of debt, but it’s not easy. Keep it going, you’ll do fine! We need to keep each other motivated during these hard times.
on 01 Feb 2011 at 3:44 pm25Blessed BoxxaRoxx

Lissen to DaveRamsey.com …God bless.
on 12 Apr 2011 at 2:03 am26Myrina Stein

Hello,

I was just going through some finance related sites and blogs and came across your site (brokeass-student.com) too. I really found it interesting and informative. I am working and associated with many finance sites as a content writer and I write articles on various topics of Finances. I really liked the way you have presented your site. I would love to do a “Guest Post” for your site like I did for other sites without charging you a penny.

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Please feel free to get in touch with me regarding this any time if you are interested. Reach me at, myrina.stein.888@gmail.com

Looking forward for a positive reply

God Bless,

Myrina Stein (Content Editor)
on 28 Jun 2011 at 7:06 am27Steve

Has anyone ever heard of consumer street justice. My bank has already hit me with a bad rating and written off the debt. Of course now I have the collection company making threats. I found through a freind an organization called consumer street justice and became a member. Once I notified them that the collection company was behaving badly, every member (thousands) made one call on my behalf and almost ran the place out of business. They told me not to worry and I would have to make 1 call a day for another member. I am concerned that it is illegal? BUT, they told me that since each person only makes one call, there is noting they can do. Evidently, they only operate through referrals>
on 28 Jul 2011 at 11:48 pm28Ryan

Awesome post , I have also tried this when I was in debt and on that time I used to spent most of my time to find out the way by which I can eliminate my debt. Some useful websites like http://www.debtcc.com helped me a lot on that time to solve my debt worries. Now after 3 years I am debt free and enjoying each and every moment of my life without debt. I hope this article help to those also who are still looking for the way ….:)
on 28 May 2012 at 8:16 pm29Alfred Smith

Hi, I am a content writer and looking for finance/law sites/blogs for doing guest post. I found your site very informative and relevant. I wonder if you give me the permission to write an article for your site.