Dear Debt, Her Name is Cash

Hey everyone! I’m in Italy, so enjoy this awesome dear debt letter from Andrew. Andrew runs the site FamilyMoneyPlan.com where he writes about how he paid off his $320,000 mortgage in 6 years, and is now focused on finding financial freedom. If this letter resonates with you, I invite you to sign up for his newsletter. You’ll get a free copy of his e-Guide Money Guiding Principles for a Happier Life, which will help you along in your money journey.

“I’ve got another confession to make, I’m your fool…
Everyone’s got their chains to break,  Holdin’ you” – Foo Fighters,  Best of You

Dear Debt,

I think we both knew this day was coming. Frankly we have been putting this off way too long. I could say: “It’s not you, it’s me”.  But that’s not the whole truth, it takes two.

The truth is I’ve grown tired of you. I know it might sound fickle. You’ll probably say: “I’ve always been there for you when you’ve needed me,” and you would be right. Except, we were just too damn dangerous together.

I remember when we used to go out on a Friday night. It was so much fun. The early years, as we used to call them… Those nights where we were the king and queen of the party, living like we didn’t have a care, spending in the lap of luxury.

Then you would disappear, only to come back in the form of a letter. A simple statement. A statement that was telling me how much I owed you for the good time.

Those three little words you loved to say: “You owe me…”

You would come and go from my life for months at a time, and just when I thought I was over you …BOOM! You would magically appear. Ready for another great night, fun-filled weekend or quick trip. You always had a way of making me enjoy the moment. Forgetting whatever consequences would come from it.

Then that moment would be over, and as the memory faded, you grew to be more and more demanding. You became unbearable at times. Always nagging at me,  “You owe me! You owe me!” you would chant it like a broken record.

Just when I would get close to breaking it off with you, you would find a way to sneak back in. “Let’s get this!” you would whisper in my ear. “You totally deserve this!”

Like a fool I would blindly follow. You always knew how to bend my arm.

We just never fit together well. We were good in the moment, but I think we knew it could never last. So here I am, telling you it’s time for our “Goodbyes”. We have tried going our separate ways before, but this time it’s different.

You see while you have been busy making your statements to me, I’ve been busy too. I’ve been spending more and more time with a certain someone.

Her name is Cash. She’s not as seductive as you, but she sticks around longer and I feel good when I’m with her. I love holding on to Cash and I never want to let her go!

It’s funny… Cash would always show up whenever you disappeared. Probably a coincidence, but still… something to think about.

You see Cash and I — we’ve always had a thing. Bit by bit, we have grown fonder and fonder of each other. She’s nice to me, and she’s never once said/demanded: “You owe me!” because, well… it’s just not in her nature to do it.

Look Debt, I’m not saying you are a bad person. I know you will make others very happy, but you aren’t the one for me. So I’ll be packing up your stuff in the next few months. You can leave your forwarding address because I need you out of here ASAP.

I’m sure I’ll still see you around, flirting with my friends when we go out. You have a habit of showing up wherever I go.

That’s ok.

I need to get used to seeing you with other people on a regular basis. I’ll smile and be friendly. They (my friends) will have to learn my lessons on their own. It’s hard to watch, but I’ve learned my lesson.

I’ll be happy in just knowing that you just weren’t “The One” for me. It’s OK. I know you will find someone else. You always do.

My only wish is that you don’t do the same damage to them that you did to me.

Sincerely,
Andrew

PS.Now… GET OUT!

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Melanie

Melanie Lockert is the founder of the blog and author of the book, Dear Debt. Through her blog, she chronicled her journey out of $81,000 in student loan debt. She is also the co-founder of the Lola Retreat, which helps bold women face their fears, own their dreams and figure out a plan to be in control of their finances. She is passionate about empowering women, helping others get out of debt, and focuses on the intersection of debt and mental health. Every September she organizes a Suicide Prevention Awareness Blog Tour, to help share resources for those struggling with debt and suicide. In addition to her love of personal finance, art and music, she is also a karaoke master and a cat mom to Miles and Thelonious.

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