About

All Men Die…Not All Men Truly Live.

I started this blog with $38,000 in debt and you can keep track of my progress with my monthly debt updates here. If you need even more frequent updates, just scroll down to the bottom of this page. The debt tracker in the right-hand corner is updated every two weeks or so. I finally got serious about getting out of debt when I realized that I could not live the life I wanted if I was always worried about my ever-growing debt and monthly bills exceeding my income. I don’t want to live a life that is choked with regret, dusted with the residue of unhappiness. I want to live a life that is truly lived, not prodded along by circumstance and the half-hearted decisions of others. Sure, Boethius reminds me that life is one great wheel of fortune, I will be up and I will be down, but in the words of William Ernest Henley’s Invictus:

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

(Special thanks to Jana of Daily Money Shot for introducing this poem to me)

What to Do When You Want to Get Out of Debt – My Best Advice

If you found yourself here because you are swimming in consumer debt, maybe even more than your annual income, fear not. You have found a friend in American Debt Project! I started this blog when I saw I wasn’t the only one in debt. I know friends, family and coworkers stuck in debt too. Too much debt plagues Americans and has become a way of life, but it doesn’t have to be, no matter what your income. In order to make it easier for new readers to read my most practical advice on getting out of debt, check out the posts below. Once you grasp the basics from these posts, you’ll be well on your way to crafting your own plan for improving your finances and becoming more mindful of how you view money, consumerism and the things that matter to become more confident and balanced in life.

Want to Get Out of Debt? Top Ten Posts That Changed My Views on Money, Debt and My Life: This is my MUST READ for anyone who is just getting started in their debt repayment/personal finance journey.

Talking about Money

10 Reasons You’re in Debt (And What to Do to Get Out of It)

Permanent Frugality is Good for the 99% (Occupy Wall Street in Your Everyday Life)

You Know Aspirational Brands, Now Meet Aspirational Neighborhoods

10 Ways I Save Money

Here’s What It All Boils Down To (On Debt and Dreaming)

Personal Finance Classics Book Review: The Millionaire Next Door

And of course, I am always happy to talk to you about your personal situation! You can email me any comments or questions here.