What's stopping you from becoming debt-free? Everyone’s answers will vary, but one truth remains the same—excessive debt can prevent you from living the life you deserve. Today’s guest, Joe Bussey, took control of his life once he decided to pay off his $220,000 worth of debt and build a “financial runway” he could rely on.Joe's debt accumulated as he did what everyone in his life told him to. He was in pursuit of a college education when his life took a series of unexpected and unfortunate twists and turns. It all started when he got robbed at gunpoint for all the money he saved for college. From there, he had to start from scratch to save up for school. He had to work several jobs, once working five jobs at a time, to keep up with rent and student loan payments. He then went back to school to pursue a better career but ended up in school for five more years—forcing him to take out even more student loans.By the time he graduated, he was $220,000 in debt.After graduation, Joe was only making $1,000 a month and eventually fell into a deep depression. It was then Joe decided he needed a change, so he wrote out all his worries and came to one conclusion—they were financial problems. After doing some research, Joe came across BiggerPockets and Set for Life. He read the book cover to cover in one day, and a light bulb went off. After reading the book, Joe took control of his finances, saving up $25,000 in his bank account while paying off $100,000 in just fourteen months!In This Episode We CoverFinancial runways and how to create financial security from scratch How to become “set for life” and the actionable steps you can take to start your journey to financial freedom Living off less than half your income and the importance of earning more and spending lessUsing your Roth IRA to maximize retirement savings and find financial peaceThe benefits of paying off student loans now and how to refinance themAnd So Much More!Links from the ShowBiggerPockets Money Facebook GroupBiggerPockets ForumsFinance Review Guest OnboardingMindy's TwitterScott's InstagramApply to Be a Guest on The Money ShowPodcast Talent Search!Subscribe to The “On The Market” YouTube ChannelListen to The “On The Market” Podcast: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, BiggerPocketsHow to Become an “Overnight” Success in 10 Short Years with David GreeneStudent Loans Update: Repayment, Refinancing, and Potential Forgiveness w/ Robert FarringtonHow to Find Free Money to Finance Your Education & Avoid Extensive Student DebtSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.