It’s Really Nice

It is so nice not to worry about money all the time.

I thought I’d feel a greater sense of relief after paying off my debt.  Maybe I would run up some stairs, listening to “Gonna Fly Now.”  Or pull out a big red marker and cross Get Out of Debt off of every list I’ve ever made.  At the very least, I would break my arm patting myself on the back for accomplishing the biggest goal I have ever attempted.

Instead, I feel this very quiet pride in being able to easily pay for the things I want. I don’t cringe every time I pull out my debit card to buy the things I need and the things I don’t (you should have seen how sparkly that nail polish was).  I can treat other people.  I can buy the foods I really like.  I don’t stress about things breaking down.  I’m not running on luck, crossing my fingers that something doesn’t go wrong.

This is the feeling I was working so hard for, but I wasn’t sure it would really come along.  I thought I might replace stress about debt with stress about savings. I thought I might go crazy filling my life with all the things I’ve sacrificed the last 14 months.  But, I’m not even really tempted.  I have money today and I will have money tomorrow, so the sense of urgency I felt building up my debt and paying it off is not there.

I guess this is the transition period, but I feel settled already.  And it’s really nice.