Most personal finance tips focus on either saving money, budgeting, or getting out of debt. To the beginner, getting out of debt can seem like the ultimate key to financial happiness. However, there are other ways to measure financial success. Independent business owners often have hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, but also generate much more income. It’s all about perspective, and something called “net worth.” Read this article by Elizabeth at Reluctant Landlord for more info:
We are not worried about our debt number, but more about our net worth. Our net worth is the number that illustrates our value after all our debt is paid off and we are finally debt-free.
The key for us is not about paying off our debt (which is an eventual goal), but setting up a platform to retire and grow off of.