What "Cubic Zirconium" Means To Me -- by Taggart Barron

I didn’t even know what a “cubic zirconium” was. It sounded like a large, fancy-shaped, expensive diamond, and my fiancé wanted one (gulp). What a relief when I found out it was only the fraction of the cost of a real diamond!

After our marriage, we both worked through college to graduate with no debt. While I worked on my Master’s degree, and after our first child, she transitioned her career to stay-at-home mom. We ran a small business to help pay the bills. She shopped at thrift stores and garage sales for furniture, clothing, books, and toys.

After graduation, it was her idea to buy our first house – not a mansion, but something we could afford. We put together a plan to curb our spending and pay off the mortgage in seven years. Even though more children and two relocations delayed that goal, we never lost sight of getting completely out of debt.

Over the years, we have scrimped. We have never had cable or satellite TV. We have never had a car loan. More than 80% of our children’s clothes have been bought at thrift stores or garage sales. Almost all of our furniture has been purchased at thrift stores or yard sales or made by hand (usually hers), with the exception of a kitchen table made at a handicapped workshop and a mattress for the master bedroom. More than 75% of our Christmas comes from garage sales where she continues to shop all year, searching for deals. We bought the old Nintendo for the kids. We have never paid interest on a credit card. Rather than work outside the home, my wife’s job was to figure out how to save money; we never outsourced the raising of our kids.

Even though we have scrimped, we have spent and continue to spend wisely. We enjoy many fun and memorable family vacations after my wife shops and plans every detail. We go on one-on-one dates every Saturday night. We have always had two cars to drive. Our children have pets, get involved in school activities, and play sports. We have always paid 10% tithing on our gross income to our church. We track every penny in Quicken. We give to family, friends, and charities in need and support politics.

Last August 2008, eleven years after our first mortgage, we sold all our stock right before the recession and paid off our house. We took the kids to the bank with us for a family photo as we processed the last wire transfer. That field trip will be a lesson in their lives, as will the celebration trip to Disneyworld.

Fifteen years after I first encountered a “cubic zirconium”, we have five wonderful children, a nice home on 3.5 beautiful acres, two used cars, a house with used furnishings, a six month emergency fund, a good job for me – and no debt. Recently our family van broke down, and I was tempted to buy something expensive, but she held her ground and we bought another used car with cash.

Even though we might now be able to afford it, my wife still doesn’t want a real diamond. And to tell you the truth, her ring represents more to me than all the diamonds in the world.

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