Paying Down Debt a Painful Reminder

We've paid down about $40K in debt this year, because opportunities for purchase were not good.  Paying down debt is a teacher.  It is a monthly reminder of how much work I need to do to find properties that are indeed good deals.  It makes me more motivated to find properties with higher cash flow than I've had previously, because every property I pick up, is that much more of my time and efforts.  

We axed our Property Management company.   I found their vendors to be hugely expensive.  Again, another lesson...keep your cash flow protected.  You get an occasional call, sure, but it's no big deal.  You adapt to it.