When I pitched Balloon Distractions on Shark Tank back in 2014 I had a ton of debt and my life was a constant struggle to pay the bills every month. I had overextended myself with business loans, while at the same time my income went DOWN as Balloon Distractions peaked, then got smaller while the fixed costs remained the same!

My finances were a mess, my life was a mess. These things tend to go together.

I bought a bunch of used paperbacks about living debt free, reduced all my expenses and started to hack away at my smallest debts, paying them off one by one. Some of the personal finance authors I liked were Dave Ramsey, Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady. You can buy their books used and cheap on Amazon.

In 2017 I got into the solar business with Tampa Bay Solar, and my income increased. That same year I went through a divorce, so there were expenses there, but I kept living BELOW my means and paying debt down. I put $30,000 into my daughters’ college fund and now they’re both on track to finish college debt free, and I’m damn proud of that!

I live in modest home that I can easily afford, the solar on my roof is paid off, and my solar powers my Chevy Volt, so I spend very little $$ on gasoline.

My monthly electric bill is only a $32 connection fee with the local electric company!

Last month I paid $7,700 for a totally new HVAC for my house, cash.

I still have a modest mortgage payment, and I recently had to buy another car (used 2017 Volt for under $20,000) but I’m on track to live on 33% of my income this year.

I just got the car a month ago, I’ll pay it off by June. Then I’m hacking away at that pesky mortgage.

My life is really simple now, I can sit down and pay all my bills in a few minutes, with extra left over in the checking account.  I have NO credit cards now, only a debit card with a finite balance.

If you struggle with personal finances buy some used paperbacks on Amazon from Dave Ramsey, Orrin Woodward or Chris Brady.  I read books by all three authors and I’m at PEACE now when it comes to my personal finances.

These three authors have changed my thinking about money, and I’m eternally grateful to them for doing so.

Ben Alexander

TampaBaySolar.com

January 2020