With three kids, it was always very, very tight, and it was always a scramble for what was my next job. So I learned never to go into debt because I don't want those monthly payments to preoccupy my thoughts.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I have never had personal debt and never will.
My grandmother told me: 'Never be in debt to anyone or anything.' Which is probably why I've never been financially extravagant - I still go to Costco. I'm always conscious of living within my means.
I don't feel like I owe anybody other than my child and my family anything.
The real danger with debt is what happens if lots of people decide, or are forced, to pay it off at the same time.
I had been working for eight years and all I had to show for it was this horrible debt. At one point we had the bailiff at the door.
I was broke from 19 to 26, borrowing money from my parents or my brothers or sisters every week to pay the bills.
If you're trying to get out of debt, you have to be willing to treat everything as expendable.
I owe it to my children to secure their future.
As borrowers, we may feel guilty about running up debt, anxious about making payments, and resentful of the constraints that old obligations (and old credit records) impose on our current choices. We may find it too easy to buy things we may later regret.
With 6 kids, I still pay off my student loans. I still pay my mortgage. I drive a used minivan. If you think I'm living high off the hog, I've got one paycheck.