Success!

Success has many definitions. I believe success is accomplishing a goal--any goal. What defines whether or not you are successful is only up to you and what you want to accomplish in life.

Success isn't always related to money, but it is always related to happiness, in my opinion.

Today, Sam and I are successful. Shortly before we were married, we sat down together and talked about goals we wanted to accomplish. Some of them have been adjusted at times, or pushed down on the priority list, as time has passed, but never forgotten.

One of our goals was to pay off Sam's student loans before they came due (which is today). The first part of this included incurring no more student loans, which we didn't until he went to grad school and had to pay out-of-state tuition (ouch!). Since we've been married, we paid for our undergraduate degrees and my graduate degree by the sweat of our brows--lots of saving and earning scholarships.

Upon starting my job in January 2008, we built a sufficient emergency fund and saved for the last semester of Sam's tuition. When that was completed, we saved and saved (and saved some more) to pay off a total of close to $21,000 in student loans.

16 months later, we accomplished our goal--saving a total of more than $25,000 over the course of just 15 months for those three purposes (and that doesn't include the amount we have been putting into a Roth IRA for the last 3 years; we also did this while living apart--paying two month's of rent each month, etc.)

Today, we are totally. Debt. Free.

And on to our next goals we go, which include building a larger emergency reserve (click here for more information), purchasing a computer and finale program for Sam to further embrace his music composition skills/hobby, and saving for a downpayment on a home.

This goal completion makes us feel like we can walk on water. It is definitely something to celebrate--and something that gives us more incentive to do better and more.