Absolutely FANTASTIC!
I was going back through this thread and read your first message of desperation 5+ years ago. Honestly with your follow-up messages I really was thinking there was no way you could make it.
As you probably know by now, much (most) of getting out of debt is changing your attitude. You started with "Oh poor me I'm addicted to retail therapy".
Clearly you took big steps and got some much needed increases in income.
Now you are on the other side and "interest" is working FOR you.. Doesn't it feel good to be seeing your networth increasing every months?
Doesn't that feel better than the monthly guilt trip of buying new clothes to make you feel better and ending up deeper in the hole?
Now the trick is to keep going. You have a choice now of course to spend a little because you CAN afford it.. Or.. Choose to still not spend any money and watch your NW increase even faster.. Or somewhere in between.
My personal weakness is tools.. This weekend I wandered through the tool store intending to buy $7's worth of welding rods.. Ended up spending $70... And yes I felt guilty. My challenge is learning to feel good about spending money after 59 years of being tightwad!
Anyway, your turn around story is inspirational and dammit I'm proud of you!
