Graduate Debt-Free by Teaching Music

Last week I had the honor of being featured on the Principles of Increase blog in a story about how to get a through college debt-free (at a private university, no less!).

You know I heart smart personal finance and a debt-free college education!

Why Not Take Student Loans?

I don’t think I had a specific reason for not taking out loans during college (aside from my parents saying I should avoid them if I could). I think it seemed like a good challenge to try to graduate debt-free! And, WOW, am I glad I did.

And you know what? It didn’t really seem that difficult. Sure, I had to be strategic, and I wasn’t going on extravagant vacations or out to eat all the time, but I mostly just taught piano, did music gigs, and adopted a frugal lifestyle.

The Value of Money

I thought I understood the value of money in high school, but there’s nothing like buying your first house to put things in perspective. That 20k (or 40k or 60k…) you’re not paying back in student loans can go a long way towards a down payment!

Financial Freedom

Being debt-free really does give you freedom. If I had several hundred dollars a month in student loans, I’m not sure I would have been able to launch my music school right out of college. I might have had to *shudder* work for The Man.

Want to Graduate Debt-Free?

If you’d like to graduate without student loans or start teaching music as a side gig to pay them off sooner, you’re in the right place. If you want help launching your music studio, I’m working on a FREE eBook to help you do just that! Sign up for email updates to be among the first to know when it is released. And get a head-start on a smart financial future!