The truth about paying off debt over the long term? It’s exhausting. It’s not the quick wins or the immediate rewards you might be used to with other goals. It’s a slow, steady grind that can feel like it takes forever. Some days, it’s hard to remember why you’re doing it. Some weeks, you want…
Month: May 2025
How to Recover After a Setback in Your Debt-Free Journey
The truth about paying off debt? It’s rarely a straight line. In fact, it’s more like a winding road with some potholes, unexpected detours, and the occasional sharp turn you didn’t see coming. And every once in a while, you fall off track. Maybe it’s a spontaneous trip, an emergency, or—more often than not—just plain…
The First Time I Said No to Lending Money—and Didn’t Feel Like the Bad Guy
I didn’t grow up with a lot of money, but I grew up with people who did what they could for each other. You helped if you could, no matter what. There was always someone who needed a little something until payday—$40 here, $100 there, groceries, rent help, a phone bill. When I started working…
How I Handled Friends and Family Who Didn’t Get My Debt-Free Journey
The first time I told someone I couldn’t afford something, I didn’t even use those words. I said, “I’m laying low this month.” Or “I’ve got some other stuff going on.” I danced around the truth like it was embarrassing. Because the truth was—I was trying to get out of debt. And saying “I can’t…
What Nobody Tells You About the Middle of a Debt Payoff Journey
There’s a weird phase in any debt payoff journey that doesn’t get talked about enough—the middle. Not the beginning, where you feel fired up and ready to change your life. Not the end, where you’re about to cross the finish line with a zero balance and a dramatic before-and-after story. I’m talking about the middle…