To me there is no "smart debt". All debt is delaying the payment for something you can't afford to pay for. Actually, a home is as close to "smart debt" as most of us can get. I understand the reasoning behind having a loan at 3% and and investment at 7% and not taking the money out of the investment but still better off to use the payments going to pay off the loan to build up cash to buy something with rather than borrow. Then you can earn money on the cash saved and save on eliminating interest. Debt free isn't always possible but it is an attainable goal that pays big dividends.