Well, it has been a non-stop, action-packed Summer for Aaron and I. Self-induced, of course.
Something wonderful happened to us at the end of April. I don’t think either Aaron or I would realize the event’s importance until… well, now.
We were sitting on the front porch looking at our garden while drinking a cool beverage. Neighbors were walking by and waving. The birds were tweeting. Sizzle-dog was on my lap. It was a cool, Texas-style 89 degrees. 😉 We were talking about our the budget…
Wait, hold the phone.
Yeah, nothing kills a “mood” like talking about your cash. Or lack thereof. Hah!
Anyway, a lady walked by and made a nice comment about our house. We engaged in conversation and found out that she lived about half a mile away. I remembered her house specifically because I found it on Airbnb.com earlier in the year when searching for a place for Jeff and Tommy to stay during construction.
In typical “Erin” fashion, I asked her if she’d had any “creepers” stay with her.
She had nothing but good words about the guests that had stayed in her home. We talked to her about her setup (a shared bathroom!!), the use of the kitchen, the great airbnb policies, etc. We said our goodbyes and she headed home.
Again, in typical “Erin” fashion, I looked at Aaron with a twinkle in my eye and said, “We’re so doing this…” And, in typical “Aaron” fashion, he said, “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Long story short, I buttered him up and here we are two months later with ten good reviews from guests (and counting). Our mortgage has been paid (plus some) both months by the generosity of our guests and we’ve spent time with some really fantastic people with some truly amazing stories. Not to mention, our house is in a constant state of “clean”, which is just short of a miracle.
As I was writing this post, Suze Orman posted a quote on Facebook that sort of sums up how I’ve felt for a while:
“Debt can feel like the heaviest burden in life. It can weigh down your spirits, occupy your mind, and make you feel bound- because you are bound.”
Aaron and I recently joined our neighbors for the matinee of Jurassic World (the new Jurassic Park movie). One of the more memorable scenes was the hatching of the baby Indominous Rex. The dinosaur has been encapsulated in this egg for its whole existence. You first see the egg begin to move. Then you see a small crack begin to appear in the shell. Next, you see tiny claws break through and, finally, the face of this dinosaur.
That egg is our debt. Our entire adult lives, we have had debt of some sort. In many ways, it has been good debt- we are educated and have a beautiful modestly-priced custom home. However, it is still the ball-and-chain to many goals we have for the future.
We are a slightly more attractive Indominous Rex. And we are “blowing this [debt] popstand”!
We have hope. We have a plan. And, thanks to AirBnb, we are ahead of schedule.