Our Story

Hello everyone and welcome!  The purpose of this blog is to share with you our journey to debtlessness and financial freedom through responsible saving and investing.  We want to lay down a roadmap one day/week/month at a time.  In the process, hopefully we motivate you to save and invest.  We will try to answer any and all of your questions/comments on this blog.  If we could influence even one person to start their journey to financial freedom, or help keep motivated those who have already started on their path, it would be an honor.


 Mr. DebtFree


My name is Mr. DebtFree and I grew up in the beautiful state of Montana.  Growing up my family didn't have a lot of money so frugal living was something I learned from a young age.  Most of my hobbies required little to no money - camping, hiking, wrestling, throwing dirt clumps.  You know, the usual things you would expect from a young Montanan!

When I reached the age of 18, I decided to go on a grand adventure.  I signed on the dotted line and shipped off to United States Air Force basic training.  I served for four years in military intelligence where I worked equally with the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force. By the end of my enlistment I was ready for a new challenge.   In return for my service, my good Uncle Sam helped pay for college.   I studied mechanical engineering and statistics for four tough, mostly sleepless years.  Somehow I came out the other side with my bachelor's degree at the ripe age of 28 in June of 2013.

After college I selected what seemed like the coolest job offer of the bunch.  A chance to work as a Nuclear Engineer for the U.S. Navy!  With just enough cash in my bank account for gas and first month's rent, I headed off to the Pacific Northwest to start a new chapter in my life.  At this point in my life I had a net worth of about -$13,000.  I still remember sleeping on the floor in my rental house eating ramen noodles while waiting until my first paycheck came in two weeks later.


 Ms. DebtFree 


Hi there!  I’m Ms. DebtFree and I was born in the Pacific Northwest (PNW).  My family moved to a cute Midwestern farming community when I was little.  I’m an Indiana Hoosier whose heart always missed the mountains, evergreens, and ocean.  We lived “in town,” but I spent most of my childhood playing in cornfields and barns thanks to our friends out in the country.  I will always love freshwater fishing, muddy water, and sitting on the porch listening to crickets and cicadas in the summer.  Extra money was never a thing in our home.  My parent's budget was tight with one income and five of us kids, but we always made time for family fun.

I always knew nursing was for me.  Even when I was little I wanted to be just like my pediatric nurse at the doctor’s office.  I had definite goals and a clear life plan in mind.  Getting there was the hard part.  After graduating high school in 2009 I had a few years of delay before starting college thanks to some unexpected health issues.  Eventually my mom and I moved back to where she grew up in the PNW and I started nursing pre-requisites at a community college.  In retrospect I wish I had known more (or anything at all really) about personal finance and the implications of student loans.  But I didn’t, so now my journey to financial independence is starting with a major speed bump.

Nursing school… ugh. I’m a new grad so the pain is still too fresh to laugh about!  It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done and the most rewarding achievement of my life so far.  Most of my stress was from the pressure I felt to be successful and knowing my life dream was riding on every test score and every clinical grade.  I made it through the program on time and passed my NCLEX-RN this summer!  Prior to graduation, I was fortunate enough to land a nurse residency with a hospital unit I’ve been eyeing for years.  I feel very blessed to be working with this amazing group of oncology nurses and have successfully made it through the first third of my residency!


Looking Forward To Our Future


We met in 2014 and hit it off almost right away! I (Ms. DebtFree) was still in nursing prereqs and am really glad Mr. DebtFree didn't hold it against me since he was farther ahead in his career. Mr. DebtFree was the primary financial and emotional supporter while I powered through nursing school. I still think he deserves an award, although I did give him a custom shirt for all of his help!

Mr. DebtFree is the more financial savvy one and he's been teaching me about financial independence, paying off debt, and investing beyond standard retirement plans. Like so many others in the United States, our journey begins with significant student loan debt. Currently (2017) American students owe over 1.45 trillion dollars in student loan debt. Yes, that is $1,450,000,000,000. The average student graduates with almost $40,000 in debt and this average is rising every single year!

So here we are, starting off on the next chapter: financial freedom. Come on down and stay awhile, watch and learn with us, and share your successes and struggles as we all work together to reach financial freedom.


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