#9 Five Ways To Never Pay Retail             A penny saved is a penny earned. Benjamin Franklin. Source: google.com via Brian on Pinterest   Just don’t do it.   Don't pay retail.  In #5, I mentioned that the KoF once worked in retail. I’ve seen what items cost to the retailer and the price at which those items are sold to the consumer. There’s plenty of margin, friends. 1.  If there is a widget that you desire . . . wait. The price will drop. If it sells out, you will live … [Read more...]

#8 Get Up It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how you can get hit and keep moving forward. Rocky Balboa Source: Uploaded by user via Brian on Pinterest There will be a valley on your journey. There will be low times. We had bad times. We are certified Dragon slayers; but, there were plenty of months where the Dragon took the round. It hurt. Sometimes, you don’t feel like fighting. That’s ok. You can’t live in that spot though. You can’t live in the low point. You can’t stay in … [Read more...]

 #7 What Does It Actually Cost? the enemy of the best is not the worst, it is the good. Author unknown Good is the enemy of great. Jim Collins. Source: prettyneatdesigns.blogspot.ca via Brian on Pinterest Trade off. Opportunity cost.  Call it whatever you want. When you buy one thing, you can’t buy another. When you spend time doing one thing, you can’t do another. Get the most out of what you are buying and how you use your time. If you can buy twice as many widgets for the price … [Read more...]

 #6 Be Engaged In Financial Matters        “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” Luke 14:28 NIV Source: geeksaresexy.net via Cherie on Pinterest       The QoF does the physical maintaining of the royal treasury. She reconciles debits and credits to Quicken on a daily basis. The King neither ignored or controlled the bank account during our Debt Slaying Journey. I was, however, rather engaged … [Read more...]

    #5 Stuff Breeds Stuff                                                              "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires" Ephesians 4:22 NIV     Source: elinamyers.hubpages.com via Brian on Pinterest      When Princess Eldest was three (3) she was the flower girl in a wedding where I was the best man. As we pulled up and parked at the reception hall, me in my tux, she looking every bit the … [Read more...]

 #4 We Shared Our Story                                 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5 ESV      Source: s3.amazonaws.com via Brian on Pinterest         Being in debt is embarrassing. It can be crippling, especially if you think you are alone - or that someone may find out. Maybe it will tarnish your reputation. Maybe folks will think less of you. Maybe people will talk about you behind your back. Maybe it will hurt you professionally. … [Read more...]

 #3 Emergency Fund                                         He who fails to plan, plans to fail. Winston Churchill Source: google.co.uk via Cherie on Pinterest If you have money, you don’t have to borrow money. Shocker, right? The point is to stay out of debt.   One of the first (and best) strategies we employed at the onset of our Debt Slaying Journey (DSJ) was to save $1,000.00. $1,000.00 provided quite the cushion. If you have a cushion, you don’t need the Dragon (may it not rest in … [Read more...]

 #2 Read                                                              Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Romans 12:2a ESV      Source: via Brian on Pinterest           Read great non-fiction books. Some folks don’t know where to start. Begin with books by authors you’ve read before. Or check out a trusted author’s recommended reads. It’s no secret, we’re Dave Ramsey fans. I loved the Total Money Makeover. As a result, I read almost … [Read more...]

#1 Purpose                                                      Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18a KJV       Have one. Define it. Prioritize. The Queen and I decided to eradicate our debt. Together. That’s how we succeeded. We had a common purpose. It almost failed before it started though. Originally, I wanted to slay debt. So, I told the QoF our (read: my) plan. My message failed. Miserably. It was unequivocally the messenger‘s fault.      Here are two … [Read more...]

  Source: google.com via Brian on Pinterest we paid off over $127,000.00 of debt in four (4) years.  during those four years we made several small changes over time in order to slay the Debt Dragon.  occasionally, at a speaking engagement or on the fan page folks will ask how we did it.  due to time constraints or my limited typing skills, my answer is usually something like: we went bezerk or we went freaknasty all up on that debt.  while true, i can do better.  since we paid off our last debt … [Read more...]