With the latest (and nearly last) paychecks deposited into my account, I checked the numbers again to confirm what I already knew, and made the decision.

As of a few hours ago, my last check to Chrysler Financial is in the mail, on its way to the destination. I am no longer in debt. Broke and jobless for the moment, but also debt free. Yay.

Though it seems like an odd time to be emptying my bank account to pay a bill that technically isn't due until next year, I believe it was the best decision. Why?

The obvious reason is that it gets rid of the interest I'd have to pay. Also, there is a certain peace of mind to knowing that I'm no longer in debt.

But my most important reason at this point is probably the least intuitive. Now that I don't have the money, I can't spend it. The temptation to spend it on $whatever has been removed, because the bank account is (nearly) empty.

An empty bank account is also a much greater incentive to haul ass when it comes to finding employment again. I need every motivation I can get.

For the near term, thanks to my parents, I'm not worried about going hungry or being on the streets just yet. But I gotta get work, and I gotta become self-supporting.

So here's my tentative plan: For the next two weeks, I'll be job hunting like a crazy man. I sent out 1 resume today for an advertised web development position. I bear no illusions that I have any chance of actually being interviewed, despite the fact that my qualifications match. But a shot in the dark is better than doing nothing,

My efforts shall intensify tomorrow, and during the days that follow.

If, after 2 weeks, I still haven't found anything, I'll eat my pride, go back to the deli, explain to the manager that my other pursuit didn't work out as well as I had hoped (understatement), and ask if there are any open positions that might be available. Given that we parted on good terms, and they seemed to like my work ethic, I suspect they would probably give me my old job back if all the positions aren't already full. Worst case is that I would land next in the queue to be hired when somebody else leaves.

Obviously, I don't consider that my first choice right now. I'd rather get something that pays better and/or sucks less. So I'm going to give it my all. Whether that will be enough in the current conditions is yet to be discovered.

At least now I have one morale boost to hold onto: I'm Debt Free! I would never have guessed it would happen this way, but I'm glad anyway.