How's Your (Financial) Health?

In today's world of the bizarre and unusual I may be the oddest thing you
will encounter: I have no debt. I owe nothing to anyone.

When people learn this fact about me the response tends to be a dramatic
pause, followed by a hushed reply: How is that possible? No one can live
without debt in today's world, made of instant gratification.

I can. I do.

The basis for how I achieve this goes to a belief I hold: I do not believe
I have finances. I believe I have financial health. I believe my financial
health is as important as my physical health, my mental health, my
spiritual health. Because I believe this I believe it is important to care
for and maintain my financial health just as I do my physical, mental, and
spiritual health. To do otherwise is to endanger all of them.

I admit such a belief may superficially come across as somewhat
unorthodox, but think about it for a moment or two and you will agree with
it. Think about it longer and you will accept it as valid.

Consider the following question in relation to this belief: How many times
in the past year have you missed work? How many days of work were lost
because you were physically ill? Why were you sick? You sneezed, felt a
cold coming on, and for the next day or so were all but useless to your
employer.

Why? Because your immunity system was compromised. Your immunity system
was compromised because of stress. You were stressed because your
financial health was not what it should be. Your financial health was not
what it should be because of the debt you possess.

I have not been sick since Ronald Reagan was President of the United
States of America. I attribute this in large part to my financial health.

I have no debt. I owe nothing to anyone.

How is this possible? How can you do this?

Start with a simple exercise: Take out all your credit cards and determine
how much you owe on each of them, and on all of them. (When many do this
they are shocked and surprised to learn how much it is they actually owe.
I, in turn, am appalled by the fact they don't know how much they owe.)

Then ask yourself a question, which you must answer honestly: Can I pay
the balance due right now?

If your answer is yes' congratulations. You one of a very few such
persons in the world.

If the answer is no' drastic measures must be taken immediately: Cut up
and destroy all your credit cards. If you cannot pay off the balance of a
given credit card when it comes due you must not have credit cards.

Understand: Credit cards are wonderful things. I have three major credit
cards. But I pay the balance in full when the bill comes.

Because I do my financial health benefits. Because I pay my bills in full
when they come due I have less stress in my life. Because I have less
stress in my life I stay healthy. Because I stay healthy I am a valuable
asset to my employer, and I can and do enjoy life more.

Managing your credit cards is an important part of maintaining good
financial health. But it is only one of many things you should do.

Learn more about this author, James Hess.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

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