Living Debt-Free

As I was sitting in the Umami Cafe inside the Portland Japanese Garden, I reflect how my life is right now. With all the tall greenery surrounded me, and the breathtaking view of the zen garden, I daydream to my current situation. I am living debt-free. And how liberating is that.

For me, living debt free means I can choose to spend my money without the burden to pay the creditor. So with little money that I have, I bought this cute blue fan, complete with it's golden "sheath". And this beautiful fan is matching the painting in this wall screener. Isn't that cool?

This fan will have a dual purpose at my home!
1. In the winter - spring time, it'll be an artwork decoration in my bedroom.
2. In the summer - fall time, it'll be a real fan when it's hot in the summer! I always like real paper fan anyway compared to AC. It's so fancy, stylish, and reminds me of those Asian noble lady in the last centuries or so! :)

Dave Ramsey was right. The life is different when you live debt-free. Not any single debt at all. It doesn't mean a life without expenses. There's still bills to pay, food to buy, and all the necessities of life to be taken care of. But living debt-free means we are free from debt. Free from bondage.

So now, the money that I make, I can direct it towards anything I want. At the moment, I'm putting 30% away to retirement, 10% to savings, and just live with 60% of what I've made. I don't make much (well... not as much as I want to.... yet!), but I'm training myself to live with less than what I've made. I'm not going to full blast my expenses to match 100% of my income.

The good news of living debt free, is that now I get to choose from the menu. I can choose the $4 Mochi Ice Cream (premium chocolate ice cream ball wrapped in sweet rice dough) or the $8 Manju's bean paste pastry. Although I have the power to buy the $8 dessert, I still choose the $4 dessert. Why? This way I have enough to tip the nice waitress! Somehow I'm already trained to look for the least expensive price for the same quality of the things. Well I know mochi and manju are not apple to apple, but in my eyes, they are simply dessert. If I can only choose one dessert today,... I choose Mochi. But my taste might be different tomorrow though! Maybe next time I visit the garden, I'll try that Manju! :)

I want to thank you my parents. I saw them living debt-free when I was a child growing up in Jakarta, Indonesia. Their house is fully paid off. They bought a foreclosed home and make it their own. They renovate the kitchen and make it modern. All with cash, no credit. Their car is bought (means they pay upfront all of it, no installment loans). They use their credit card for convenience, and they pay it off every month before the due date. My parents are the perfect example of how living debt free means. And I carry that image until now I'm living in my fourth decade.

I want to thank Dave Ramsey. I read his book Total Money Makeover (twice!) thru my Kindle, and that book changed my life. Dave taught me that it is possible to live debt-free. I won't be where I am today without him.

I also want to thank Chris Hogan. Chris reminds me that the race is not finished. After debt free, I still have to strive to fund my future days ahead aka retirement. His motto is "I'm focused but not finished", rang true to my every single day. I am focused on my goals, and I not finished yet, I am still running this "marathon. I am looking forward to read his next new book : Everyday Millionaires. Already pre-order it! Waiting it to be arrived in my Package Concierge locker in my apartment!

I want to thank Rachel Cruze. Her book : Love Your Life, Not Theirs, is really an eye opener for me. Rachel taught me to focus on my life, not anyone else. When I shifted the focus to myself, I get to work on myself. I can stop comparing to the Joneses. The Joneses ain't that great. They look great because we only see the surfarce, we only see their Facebook photos and Instagram post. But we don't see their struggle while they are sitting in their dining table, trying to rob Peter to pay Paul.

My parents, Dave, Chris, Rachel.  People that had changed my life for good. Wherever you are, whether you can read this post or not, just know that you have my gratitude. I love you and I will always do. I will never forget the kindness, the life lessons, and how big was the impact you've made to me and my life.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Thanks to all of you now I can truly live debt-free. For good.