I wrote this post to go along with How I Quit Worrying About Money.

Stop using credit cards to pay for things.  Stop.  Just stop.

Need it to make ends meet?

You sure about that?

I had $6000 in credit card debt because I couldn’t make ends meet.  Or so I thought.  It was actually because I wasn’t making ends meet.  Let me ‘splain.

I ate take out almost every day.  I bought myself fancy new clothes and fancy new gadgets.  You should have seen my shoe collection.

I deserved it.  I worked hard five days a week.  I deserved to have those things.

Nowadays I work when I feel like it, and spend the rest of the time doing whatever I want.  Like watching rainbows.  Hmm.  Which life would you rather have?

Climbing Zapata Falls

I didn’t just happen into this life, I chose it.  And that’s what got me to stop using credit cards.

I started cooking my own food.  Get over the idea that you can’t cook, or that you’re too tired.  The food you make at home will be amazing and cost so much less than takeout.  My friend Rachel used to make a game of making delicious meals that cost less than a dollar per person.  Guess what?  She doesn’t have to have a job anymore either.  Go Rachel!

I stopped buying new clothes.  It is ridiculous the amount of clothes most people have.  You don’t need new ones.  Wear the ones you have.  But, but…stop being silly.  Think to yourself, which would I rather have?

When you get in the mode of having what you’d rather have, all that superficial stuff falls away anyway.  You won’t even miss it.