We just paid off the last of our student loans and are officially debt-free!

 

We just pressed "Submit," and sent off the last payment for our student loans, making ourselves officially, completely, 100% debt-free.

That's a good feeling, let me tell you.

It's a good feeling because, while I know student loans are considered "good debt," they're still debt nonetheless. And when you are working a job that can end pretty much at any point and your husband is still trying to battle the job market himself for a full-time job, this is time for celebration.

It's also a celebration, because it's another milestone we've achieved during our short marriage already. I'm grateful for the lessons we're learning during this time in our marriage, when we have to adhere to a strict budget and get excited when we find free events or figure out how to make our pantry last a few more days until the new month starts. I'm grateful that we're learning to make decisions and sacrifices together and learning the value of saving and planning. I'm grateful that we're learning these lessons early, now while we're young and supple and resilient, we can bounce back from them with greater ease.

I know that as we grow older, we'll have more sacrifices to make. And at least now, we're not getting too comfortable in the DINK (double-income, no-kids) lifestyle that can make cutting down to one income or making room for children harder to stomach once you're used to the extra pocket change and indulgences. I'm very aware of how hard it can be to "go back" once those habits are ingrained.

While sometimes it would be nice to have a little bit more for this or for that, right now we are basking in the strides we have made and making it a point to give thanks our current state—however welcome or unwelcome it might be—and celebrating as we go along.

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