Several months ago, I received a letter from Sallie Mae congratulating me on paying off four of my five student loans. I had no idea I was so close to paying them off. I have them paid automatically so I never pay attention to them. Now, in about a year, the remaining one will be paid off. Pretty cool considering I graduated college something like a million years ago. And let me tell you, that music degree has come in quite handy in the field of web design.

One of the things that stresses me out and makes me feel like a complete slug is money. I HATE money. I hate the emotions tied to it whether it be greed, inadequacy or whatever. I hate the sense of helplessness it seems to evoke in me.

Case in point, guess who got a bill for his recent colonoscopy. That's right. I'm getting it up the butt a second time! Only this time, I'm not drugged up or properly lubed

Fortunately, I have the money to pay the bill. Unfortunately, that money was previously ear-marked for frivolous things like car repairs and moving expenses.

Many years ago, I enrolled in a debt management program to consolidate and pay off all my credit card balances. Balances that have followed me around since I was in college. It has been hard at times being on the program. I have no credit cards whatsoever while on the program. My payment takes a huge portion of my monthly pay. Just about every penny I make is spoken for. It's only in the last year or two that I feel like I have a little breathing room after getting a new job with a slight salary increase. Deciding to move was a huge decision, because it basically meant reevaluating my budget and monthly expenses. I have no backup income. No credit for emergencies. Nothing.

At times, it really sucks. I want do normal things like buy a laptop. Or take a vacation. You know, on an airplane. And stay in a hotel. (How decadent!) But until, all of this debt is gone, that ain't happening.

While faced with this big bill and questions of "how am I gonna pay for this other stuff." I needed to do something to make me feel like I am getting somewhere financial. I needed to see that some kind of progress is being made. (Can I italicize any more? Sure I can!!! I can CAPITALIZE TOO.)

So I took the Adam approach and found sweet comfort in spreadsheets and data points.

After creating formulas and crunching the numbers, I realized one of my balances in my debt reduction program will be completely paid off THIS AUGUST! (Holy shit!) And my other highest one will be paid off in six months after that. After balances are paid, those payments are redistributed to other (more evil) balances. So what I thought would take me three or more years to pay off, may actually be paid off much, much sooner.

Plus, my car will be paid off in September. Let's just hope that what happened last time, doesn't happen again.

Now is the time on Sprockets when we dance.