This is the next part of our series highlighting real people who have kissed debt goodbye. Micah and Paige Tyson have been debt free since 2008, when they paid off the last part of a $56,000 total debt. They hope their story will inspire others to stay on track and keep their eyes on the prize of financial peace.

Name:

Micah and Paige Tyson from Monroe, NC

A Debt Free Trip to Disney!

Occupations:

Micah is a market information manager. Paige is a trauma registrar.

Starting debt:

$56,000 in car loans, credit cards and a home equity loan

Debt paid off:

$56,000

Debt-busting motivation:

Paige and Micah had just had their first daughter and said they were “tired of being sick and tired” when it came to money. They wanted to set an example for their children, and they realized that fighting about money was not the kind of example they were going for.

Debt-busting method:

“We followed the snowball method as recommended by Dave Ramsey,” they said. “We literally paid off a $39.45 balance on our lowest credit card that first month, and it felt so great just to pay one off and be done with it. We think this method kept us motivated, as we always wanted that feeling of paying off another debt.”

Micah and Paige have now been consumer debt free since 2008 and are working to pay off their house.

Best thing about the debt-free journey:

The Tysons said the best thing about their journey was setting a great example for their three daughters and being able to bless others through giving.

“We also love to now have the freedom to save up for a trip like we did this past January when we took our daughters to Disney for the first time,” they said. “We saved up for about six months, and it was such a great trip, especially knowing it wouldn’t follow us home since it was already paid for.”

Debt-busting philosophy:

“We don’t view debt as a sin (though the motivation to go into debt could be sinful), but we see it as an issue of wisdom,” the Tysons said. “There is not a positive reference to debt in the Bible, and so we view it negatively as well.”

After teaching Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace course at their church multiple times, Micah and Paige said they’ve learned to give a lot of grace when it comes to debt. “We realize not everyone is going to follow along with our ideas, and so we just say what we believe, why we believe it based on the Bible and give our personal testimony,” they explained. “And people can take it or leave it from there.”

First thing they’re going to do when they’re debt free:

They can’t remember exactly what they did when they first became debt free in 2008, but since then Paige and Micah have grown their family, taken several vacations and bought two cars with cash. They’ve also dealt with several emergencies including a serious medical scare, and were always able to use cash to get through the hard times.

“It’s a huge blessing to not add a financial emergency on top of a medical or home emergency.”

Bible verse:

Micah’s favorites are Proverbs 22:7 and Proverbs 13:22. “I did not want to be a slave to anyone but Jesus, so that first verse really drove me through some tough times,” Micah said. “And I want to be that guy that leaves an inheritance that blesses my family long after I’m gone.”

Paige’s focus has been Romans 13:8. She says it becomes easier to love others when we don’t owe anyone anything. “I feel that Micah and I were able to love one another better when we didn’t have the financial struggles to argue over all the time. It had created a wedge that is now gone. Not that there are not other struggles and hardships, but wow, it was amazing the difference it made in our marriage!”

Whether your journey is just beginning or well underway, the Tysons prove that it is entirely possible to live a debt free life.

Are you ready to begin your debt-free journey? Complete the form on the side of your screen to speak with a FaithWorks Financial advisor about our Christian debt relief programs.