Credit scores. I always thought having a great credit score was important. I learned however, it was why I could never get out of debt. So I purposefully destroyed my credit by not paying any of my debts. All of them. Even my cell phone. I turned in my financed car, turned in my phone (they didn't want it back), ignored every bill that came, changed my phone number and got a flip phone. Guess what? Nothing. No debtor's prison. Life kept chugging along. I buy beater autos, run them into the dirt, then sell them to the junk yard. One car I bought for $800, drove for 18 months, it died, then sold to the pick and pull for $200. My insurance was $39.00 a month on that one. I pay cash for everything. I rent rooms in beautiful neighborhoods. I get all their amenities. Pool, W/D, parks nearby, beautiful neighbor women, great zip code. I pay extra for this, but in my area I've never paid more than $700. This includes my own bathroom. I've been doing this for 7 years since my divorce. My ex-wife left her password to her email out one day. I thought something was up. I checked her email and she was having an affair and was planning on divorcing me. We lived in a 5200 sq. ft. home in the Texas Hill Country on one acre. Beautiful. Instead of fighting it, or confronting her, I let her divorce me. I walked away from her and the house. Freedom. I come and go as I please, date who I please, never explain myself to a soul. On a whim I'm in the mountains trail running, hiking, fishing, or bushcrafting. This life is not for everyone, but it's available to you. You'll be okay. I'm stronger, thinner, more attractive now in my mid-50's than when I was a young Marine. Crazy. Dump the credit. Destroy it. The only reason to keep great or good credit is to get right back into debt. It's a trap.