Emotional Spending: How I Broke Free from Debt and Found Financial Freedom

Personal debt hits us all. What can you do to overcome it and break the cycle? How can you finally reach financial freedom? Like many in my generation, I fell into the trap—cars, loans, credit cards, house payments, and all the stress that came with them. The arguments over money, the sleepless nights, the feeling that freedom was always out of reach—I've lived it all. What changed my life was not just numbers on a spreadsheet, but learning to understand my emotional spending habits. Along the way, I leaned on the principles made popular by Dave Ramsey while also finding my own path—one built on trial, error, and small victories that led to lasting change. Emotional Spending is not a financial manual. It's a story—of mistakes, setbacks, and eventually, success. Inside you'll find reflections on credit cards, student loans, car payments, even timeshares, plus the lessons I learned about budgeting, relationships, and finding joy along the way. If you've ever tuned in to a Dave Ramsey debt-free scream and thought, "I want that to be me," this book is for you. My hope is that my story can provide the same motivation those calls once gave me. It can be done. Debt can be defeated. And along the way, you'll learn that financial freedom isn't just about money—it's about living with purpose. Beyond those topics, we will explore the importance of understanding your relationship with money and your partner if you have a significant other in your life. We will continue with an example of an actual budget that many, I know, don't follow. I've been there. I get it, but there's no reason why, after reading this book, you don't at the very least start a budget and find out where your money is going. It's your choice, but I like the power of knowing what money is coming in and, more importantly, what money is going out. Finally, I'll tell the entire story of my debt-free journey. When I was at my lowest, it was those calls on the Dave Ramsey radio show of people sharing their stories on how they overcame their debts that gave me hope and purpose. I trust sharing each step along the way, might do the same for you. To that end, we will conclude with lessons learned, a sense of purpose and direction, or at least some food for thought about your financial journey and legacy.