Singletary

Now my husband and I have fully funded retirement accounts, a fourmonth emergency fund and money in our kids’ college funds. As we head into what looks like some economic headwinds, I feel much more secure and know my family can survive what happens next — government shutdown, layoffs ... who knows.”

Mortgage monkey gone: “After paying for 19 years, my husband and I paid off our mortgage! We each only have one year left on car loans and no other debt.”

Student loans gone: “Paid off my student loan seven and a half years early! I just wanted to thank you and your chatters for sharing their stories to keep me motivated the past couple years! For anyone wondering how: After I established an emergency fund, I started throwing anything I could at the student loan. I saw it as something I actively needed to get out of my life, so it made it easier to pass up on spending cash I could put towards the loan. I feel like I just vanquished a foe.”

Out of the mouths of babes: “My 13 year old used a gift card he received for Christmas, but with tax, the total came to 22 cents more than the value of the card. I gave him the money and told him not to worry about it. He taped 22 cents to a note that said, ‘I don’t like being in debt.’”

Slow and steady won their race: “We started serious saving at age 32. Priorities were, in order: 10% tithe, 20% savings, pay taxes, figure out how to live on what was left. Retired six months ago with over $2.5 million. While a good stock market has been a factor, the benefits of making savings a priority cannot be denied.”

This is the evidence of what’s possible. What will your testimony be in 2020?

Readers can write to Michelle Singletary c/o The Washington Post, 1301 K St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20071. Her email address is michelle. singletary@washpost. com. Follow her on Twitter (@SingletaryM) or Facebook (www.facebook. com/MichelleSingletary). Comments and questions are welcome, but due to the volume of mail, personal responses may not be possible. Please also note comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer’s name, unless a specific request to do otherwise is indicated.