I think people don't consciously think in these terms. I once had debt in the form of student loans and a car loan. Becoming debt free was a great relief. It

I think people don't consciously think in these terms. I once had debt in the form of student loans and a car loan. Becoming debt free was a great relief. It removed a ton of stress and provided me with freedom. The emotional well being from being debt free is not something that can easily be quantified in monetary terms. For the average person, I see it as "don't take on debt" being akin to "don't willingly get into a situation where you may have to worry".