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Why is it that the more we try to be fiscally responsible, the less money we seem to have?

I'm desperately trying to pay off all of my credit card debt, as is much of America I suppose, before the end of the year. I'd prefer to do it before I get married in August, but I'm not overly optimistic. I have a goal to overpay the credit card with the largest balance and highest interest until it is paid off. For the others I try to pay just over the minimum. Then I'll work my way down through each card until they are all at a $0.00 balance. This is what the "experts" say is the smartest way to approach debt. Somehow, my monthly funding is running out before I can make this huge payment. I make the same amount of money and I'm spending less . . . where is it going!!!??? Ughh, this is so frustrating! I can't tell you the times I've burst into tears just thinking about what a mess our country's finances are in. I count myself lucky that I have not one, but two, jobs. One I'd even like to make a career out of, if I'm ever given the opportunity (but that's another blog entirely). My debt isn't even that astronomical compared to some.

I'm just ashamed that we aren't all more responsible for our actions. I'm as much to blame as the next person, but I truly know better. I want to have a retirement fund, I want my future (possible) children to have a college fund, I want to own a home someday, and I want to take an annual vacation. I want what all Americans want . . . security. I want to know that I'm free to live in the land of the free and not be a slave to "the man." However, as much as I'd like to prove that the American Dream is alive and well, is it? I think we're crushing it and we don't even know it.

However, for those who know me, I can't spend my entire rant being negative. There is a silver lining. I do have the freedom to miss a payment and not get my hand chopped off or be thrown in some hole of a prison. I can drive my foreign made SUV with pride and ignore the dirty glares eco-friendly soccer moms throw my way. I get to teach college students of all walks of life who choose to go to college and make their own dreams come true. I get to be a burden to the state of Tennessee should I choose to further my own education one more time! All in all America is a great country because even in the midst of the economic crisis we've created, we are responsible for getting ourselves out of it--which is possibly the best freedom of all.

Thanks for listening. Meanwhile if anyone from Comcast could fix your customer service outage, I'd like to pay my bill.