Happy 4th of July—Independence Day for Americans! This may be our day of freedom in the US but almost every other country in the world celebrates one day or another. Wikipedia lists over 150 days of independence including one for Vatican City (who would have thought)! And, unfortunately, there are still some out there struggling to be free.

So what does it mean to have freedom in one’s life? And, more importantly, to have freedom in one’s finances (you knew it was coming). I looked to Encarta Dictionary’s definition of freedom to help me and was surprised at what I came up with:

1.  ability to act freely

2.  release from captivity or slavery

3.  right to self-rule

4.  right to act freely,

5.  absence of something unpleasant

6.  ease of movement

These are only the first six definitions but each one brought one word to mind: DEBT. Debt restricts our ability to live in the way we choose. With too much debt, we are enslaved, stuck with limited choices for living our lives. We feel captive and imprisoned living from paycheck to paycheck. We are at the mercy of creditors whether they are credit card companies or house mortgagors. We are paralyzed with fear and restrict our life based on our limited financial resources. We long to be rid of our excessive debt so we can breathe easily again.

Sound familiar—yes? Then make a pledge today to take the next step toward freedom. And, that next step doesn’t have to be a giant step. (It’s the giant steps that keep us from even starting.) Even the smallest step will start you on your path to freedom. So, pledge to cut up that credit card, pay extra $$$ on one debt, or eat out one less time and save the difference. Just consider it your Independence Day Celebration!

One small step for me!

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