Independence Day

Oooooh, say can you see
By the dawn's early light
Anne paying off her credit cards

That's right folks, Anne is officially out of debt.
Sure, I still have a mortgage, student loans, and a home equity line of credit, but The Evil Credit Cards are paid off.
WooHoo!

It's been at least 4 years since I started paying them off in earnest. (When I get home I'll look on my computer to figure out how long this journey has been and modify this post.)
Yesterday I got my federal tax refund and this morning I paid them off online.
I still have some money from the refund left, and I've been debating what to buy with it. I've come to the following conclusion:
- get new tires and a new battery for the car
- replace the remaining stolen CDs so I never have to say "I had that, but it was stolen" again
- put the rest in savings.

Yes, that will be my big reward for years of (mostly) good discipline - putting money in savings. Not only is it a good start on what I hope are good discipline years of saving, but it will begin the foundation of a real reward - never having to pay overdraft fees ever again. I'll actually have a cushion in my bank account, instead of a cold hard floor. One day I'll have a fluffy mound like The Princess and the Pea, but for now I'll settle for a darn good pillow.
I do intend to buy a few household items: a Dutch oven, a blanket, some curtain rods, and eventually some new bedroom furniture, but that will happen when it's convenient and appropriate, not as a big ticket reward. It will be part of the save *then* spend mode.

I really don't feel much different (after I purged images of a Paris Hiltonesque Anne parading around Denver), but I did have a dream last night that I moved to a new house. Not that I'm going to in real life; I love my little abode. It was symbolic. It's a new beginning. :)

Postscript: I just did the calcs on Amazon.com and found that buying the remaining items in my "Restore Annie's DVD collection" is no small matter. About the same as buying a modest piece of furniture. I did, I'll admit, add a few books (one I've been planning to give as a gift for ages, two Scalzi books I've been wanting too) and one cheap DVD (Shaun of the Dead) to bring us to a round number.
It's a big chunk of cash to spend on entertainment for a gal who's been on an Amazon diet for quite some time.

Postscript to the postscript: After some thought I remembered another book I've been wanting, so I took off Shaun of the Dead and added Candy Girl. I don't end up at a round number now, but whatever, it's just an affectation.