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Beginning My Blogging Away Debt Journey

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My name is Rebekah and I guess I should tell you a little about myself right? I am 27 years old and have been married to my fabulous husband for four years. We live in sunny San Diego California where we purchased our first home over a year ago – on an interest only loan. We lived in blissful ignorance of our snowballing debt problem until I wrote yet another check to a credit card and realized our payment wasn’t even making a dent in the fast accumulating balance. If we continued to spend, we would hit all our credit limits in less than 6 months. This terrified me… especially since it only took us four years to get here.

Before my husband and I married, his wise grandfather sat us down to share what he thought was the most important marital advice we would get, “Always live below your means and never, NEVER buy anything on credit. Save a little each month and pay cash for everything.” As young 20 something know-it-all’s, we married and immediately financed two cars, purchased a home even though he begged us to wait, and continued to use our credit cards. My biggest regret is the fact that I ignored the true wisdom of a man whose sole goal was to help me. I couldn’t be sorrier.

My husband and I started to attend a financial counseling course and felt that, for once, we may have a debt free future. Unfortunately, a week after starting the course, the company I worked for closed and our world took a tailspin. Suddenly those bills we could easily pay in the past looked unreasonably daunting. On top of everything, three large corporations in San Diego conducted major cuts and flooded the market with job seekers.

In searching with intense fervor for jobs in the past, a deep sense of defeat hung over my head and I couldn’t help but feel that I was a failure when I wasn’t able to land them. BUT, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! We buckled our budget, worked odd jobs and long hours, and we not only paid our car payments and credit cards…we paid our mortgage payment too! Even when I am without a job, somehow we’re surviving!

I know what it’s like to feel overwhelmed. I know what it’s like to cry every single day. I know what it’s like to cringe at the sound of a mail carrier bringing another load of bills. I know what it’s like to feel as though I will never break free from the heavy thumb of debt but…

I know I can do it.


22 Comments

  • Reply Rags |

    I am quite fond of using quotes when speaking to others, so here’s a quote for you:

    “Difficult things take a long time, impossible things a little longer.”

    Despite all the hardships that may come and regardless of how impossible this feels, never give up. It may take a long time, but you WILL be able to conquer this debt. After all, “Rome wasn’t built in one day.” =]

    Best of luck to you!

  • Reply Low Income Lady |

    Hi Rebekah, I look forward to reading about your progress. It will be sad to say goodbye to Tricia but all good things must end… I have read this blog for over 2 years now and I look forward to reading about your journey…

    Cheers

    Cheryl

  • Reply Laura @ no more spending |

    Hi Rebekah. Looking forward to reading about your progress. Good luck!

  • Reply Baker @ ManVsDebt |

    Greeting Rebekah… I look forward to reading about your journey to become debt-free!

  • Reply Inky |

    Hi Rebekah – I am new to paying off debt and this blog has really helped me. I look forward to your journey!

  • Reply Jenna |

    Welcome, Rebekah! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. I look forward to learning more. And, yes you can do it!

    Jenna

  • Reply Melanie |

    Welcome, Rebekah! I’ve read this blog for a while and found so much wisdom and encouragement as my husband and I chip away at our credit card debt. I’m thrilled to have a fellow San Diegan on board and someone about my age too! I’m sure that we have a lot of experiences in common. You can do it!

  • Reply Jen |

    Welcome!

    One huge thing you have in your favor to getting out of debt is this: You know what the problem is and you’re doing something about it!

    – Jen

    P.S. Rags – I LOVE that quote!

  • Reply Craig |

    Nice to meet you, and look forward to getting to know you better and hear how you are getting out of debt.

  • Reply Kate |

    Hi Rebekah! I just wanted to tell you what a beautiful post that was. This is actually my first visit to Blogging Away Debt and I will definitely be becoming a regular thanks to this heartfelt piece. I was really touched by your experience and I know exactly what you mean about feeling so overwhelmed by debt. I think you hit on the important secret to success: starting small. By cutting away at the whole amount little by little, and just plugging away, you can use the power of small to achieve real success. Good luck to you and I can’t wait to read more!

  • Reply Rini |

    Welcome, Rebekah, and excellent first post! I have been dreading Tricia’s leaving, but now I am looking forward to hearing from you.

    I can’t wait until you start seeing the slack in your budget. It’s like a pair of jeans that gradually gets looser – you don’t notice the “extra” money popping up for your debt payments until one day you realize you’re sending principle payments of hundreds a month where you used to barely cover the minimums…

  • Reply Emily C |

    Welcome – I too look forward to your wisdom, I know I will continue to enjoy the blog – one of my favorite sayings: “The problem in front of you is not as big as the power behind you!!!”
    Our mail – over the past 3 years – is much lighter, it took time but it was worth it!!!! We still have card balances, but they are less and it takes things like airplane tickets in order for us to use our cards – one card for each of us. Soon the 0% interest will end on both of the cards and I don’t think that it will be offered again in this country for a long time. Hang in there – as will the rest of us. Better things are coming of this I am sure!

  • Reply Beany |

    Welcome Beks! I enjoyed reading about Tricia’s almost over journey and look forward to reading yours. I’m 28 and recently moved to San Diego with my (unemployed) husband.

  • Reply sandra jensen |

    Welcome! Welcome! Thank you for sharing the start of your journey with us. Know that your good days AND your bad days will be an inspiration to us. We’re all in this together 🙂

  • Reply Stephanie PTY |

    Welcome! I look forward to following your journey the way that I’ve followed Tricia. I hope we readers can be of some help to you, too! 🙂

  • Reply emmi |

    Hey! Was wondering when we got to meet the new kid. Good beginning (put me in need of a deep breath, anyway).

  • Reply Jean |

    Thanks for being so transparent & sharing something with the universe that a lot of us are afraid to talk about. You’re on the right track – I’m sure you will inspire a lot of people and hopefully be inspired as well.

  • Reply mapgirl |

    Good luck! I will sorely miss Tricia as she transitions off, but I look forward to your writing as someone who is still ‘blogging away debt’ too!

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