Simple Cents University: An "Un-traditional" Approach to Debt

Here are two "un-traditional" reasons to consider before taking on debt.

Countless arguements can be made for the advantages of debt/leverage/etc. while sitting behind a financial calculator in a world where $%^* doesn't happen. I think there are two simple things to remember when considering debt-

1. There is more to life than money.
2. There is more to money than numbers.

Financial calculators cannot account for stress and quality of life. True, debt can maximize profitability and extend margins, but it can also magnify losses and mistakes. When an investor takes a more conservative approach to investing (cashflowing investments, rather than leveraging them) they "incur" a higher quality of life. There is less stress and volatility in the process, which to me, is worthy trade for the possible decrease in returns. Money has a lot of power that can be used for us, when we stay ahead of the wave. I feel keeping away from debt allows the individual (over time) to be more and more able to harness the potenial energy of money, rather than fighting against it. If it takes 5 years to turn your boat around (get out of debt), so be it. But then you spend the rest of your life rowing with the current, rather than against it.