by Hope
I believe I mentioned that I have decided to solely focus on saving to $10,000 is my high interest savings account and then turn my attention to focus on my debt. Previously, I thought I would hit that $10K goal this month. But after this past weekend’s trip to Georgia for Beauty’s bridal shower, I’ve decided that I must prioritize new hearing aids first.
Here’s where I’m at debt wise.
| Debt Description | October, 2023 Total | Interest Rate | Minimum Payment | Current Total | Payoff Date (Est) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student Loans | $22,121 | 2.875% | $307 | $18,758 | |
| CC - Apple** | $500 | $0 | May, 2025 | ||
| CC - Frontier | $3,857 | 29.99% | $0 | $0 | May, 2025 - Closed |
| Dad - New Furnace | $2,600 | 0% | $0 | $0 | May, 2025 |
| CC - USAA | $5,000 | 19.15% | $0 | $0 | May, 2025 |
| CC - Sam's Club | $0 | May, 2025 (again) | |||
| CC - Amazon | $0 | May, 2025 (again) - Closed | |||
| CC - Southwest | $0 | May, 2025 | |||
| Painter | $0 | May, 2025 | |||
| CC - AMEX | $894 | 29.24% | $0 | $0 | Mar, 2024 - Closed |
| CC - Sams | $1,106 | 29.99% | $0 | $0 | April, 2024 |
| Personal Loan #1 | $2,500 | 0% | $0 | $0 | July, 2024 |
| Personal Loan #2 | $2,500 | 0% | $0 | $0 | August, 2024 |
| CC - Wander | $1,630 | 29.24% | $0 | $0 | August, 2024 - Closed |
| CC - Amazon | $1,497 | 29.99% | $0 | $0 | September, 2024 |
| Total | $44,206 | $307 | $18,758 |
Here’s where I’m at savings wise (in just my Ally account where my goal is to hit $10K):
Updated 08.26
Hearing Aids First
My plan was to hold off on getting new hearing aids until I saw the ENT doctor toward the end of September. But this past weekend proved that I cannot hold off any longer. I called the location that I had my most recent hearing test and asked about their return policy.
Evidently, I have 90 days to try them. So my plan is to buy the lower grade hearing aids for about $2,000. I’ve already been informed that I will struggle to hear in noisy locations with them. But frankly, I rarely go to noisy places; I avoid crowds as much as possible. And when I do go to shopping centers, I rarely speak to anyone.
This will let me try out the lower grade hearing aids to see if they meet my needs, have my doctor appointment, and still be able to return them if I need too. I really don’t want to have to spend the $5K for the “better” ones. And now recognizing that I will have to invest in new ears every 3-4 years, I can budget for that going forward.
Therefore, not as much money to go towards debt or savings as I had planned this month. But next month, I should hopefully hit that $10K goal and turn my focus to my student loans.
Previous debt update here: July, 2025 Debt Update
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
It’s good to see the debt numbers going down (under 19,000) and savings numbers going up. -18,758 plus savings of 8,049 gives you a net worth of – 10,709. It’s not in the positive category yet.
Hope, everyone I know goes to Costco for their hearing aids. $2k-$5K is just WAY too much money to spend & have to replace them so often is nuts. Just google costco hearing aids & you’ll see articles & approx princing of $980 -$1400 or $1500. Our friends recently paid around $1200 at Costco for his j he says they work really well.
Your being robbed blinded w/your outrageous pricing!!! Check out costco!!
I actually am going to Sam’s Club. And there are definitely cheaper hearing aids, but for my level of hearing loss, they just don’t cut it.
Believe me, I wish I could go with the $700 pair, etc.
Did you actually evaluate the devices offered at Costco, or are you assuming they are the cheap ones? Costco’s hearing aids are the same devices as higher-end brand name ones, sold under a private label. Costco’s approach is not the same as Sam’s.
Hope,
Sam’s Club and Costco are very different places with completely different ownership. Prices at Sam’s are not related to Costco and in my experience generally higher. I mean it’s Walmart.
Why even bother? The idea that Costco is a much better quality store than Sam’s does not compute. Besides, Hope has a Sam’s Club card for the all important points!
I’m pretty sure the tiny house will be funded by points.
LOL, that’s funny! But not a bad idea. I wonder if there’s a way to collect points that Home Depot or Lowes would accept.
You convinced yourself to buy airpods because you were sure they’d be a good alternative to hearing aids. They were not. Now you’re trying to convince yourself to buy the cheapest hearing aids because you’re certain that you’ll never want to use them in a crowded noisy situation. I predict that in less than a year, you’ll come back from some trip and tell us that your cheap hearing aids aren’t sufficient, and then have to get better hearing aids.
Actually, the AirPods are game changer. I wear them most all day for work. And will continue to as they have a lot of features that just make work easier specifically a mic so I’m not tied to my phone/computer while on conference calls. This really helps when I’m feeding or changing my mom.
They also offer noise cancellation so those around me in the house while I’m working don’t have to “be quiet” because I’m on the phone. I have ZERO regrets on the AirPods. They work great! But their battery life doesn’t make them a replacement for long lasting hearing aids.
But for work…absolutely a must have now.
Having ZERO regrets on wasteful purchases is why you continue to be in debt.
Having 0 regrets of making fantastic memories with my daughters. Perspective.
I speculate that you cannot get an appointment with the ENT for another month because your insurance covers non-emergency care only in an area close to your GA “base”. And I recall you mentioned a similar constraint on your therapist. HMO networks are very local, PPOs are far more flexible but also more costly, regardless whether for Obamacare, employer plans, etc.
Given there are 4 months left in the year, it is strongly advisable for you to secure health insurance local to you in TX and switching plans. I don’t know if relocation is considered a qualified life event or not but you should not be hanging on for another 4 months having access only to emergency care and needing to travel 2000 miles for general medical care.
Actually, our insurance is PPO. This specialist are just busy.
I was able to get into the opthamologist within a week. The ENT was a bit longer. And I certainly didn’t state that this was an emergency to get in more quickly.
I could continue counseling, I would have just had to change counselors which I did not want to do.
I am seriously considering what I do at the end of this year about insurance. The good news is that Princess has her own now with her new job so it’s just Gymnast and I. I’ve got a few months to make a decision.
So instead of switching to a new counselor, you just gave up on therapy?
Did you ask the old counselor about self pay options? Many of them have sliding scales.
Of course, you could have paid for months of therapy instead of spending a thousand bucks on a shower for which ten people showed up. But what’s mental health versus showing off to other people?
Don’t cheap out on hearing aids. You like to spend money on experiences – you need to be able to hear for those experiences!! Have you explored the Costco recommendations people have mentioned? A membership would pay for itself in the discounts you would receive.
“Costco hearing aids come with a policy that includes a 180-day trial period for a full refund, a three-year warranty covering loss and damage, and free adjustments, cleanings, and follow-up appointments.”
Please consider the idea… you do NOT need to be spending money at private clinics for this!
Definitely not going to private clinics. I’m going to Sam’s Club for this set of hearing aids. And the 90 window to see if this model will work is great. In the meantime, I will have another audiologist test before the ENT appointment (all covered by insurance) and be able to get those results while testing these hearing aids.
I hear you, but I’d suggest REALLY looking into Costco, Hope. They are famous for their hearing aid program for a reason. You can get a high quality pair that could last la lot onger at Costco, and it can be cheaper than the 2 grand you’re planning to spend at the clinic for a far better pair. You have in your mind that you will need new hearing aids every 3-4 years. My Nana is legally deaf and gets her hearing aids at Costco. Her hearing degrades yearly and yet she has had the same pair for 6 years now. She’s had them replaced by warranty once a few years in and they also adjust them as her hearing degrades for free. I am fairly sure that her hearing loss is far more severe than yours (she can’t carry on conversations without assistance from a family member to translate for her, can’t talk on the phone to anyone but family, etc).
The support, warranty, free cleaning, and free adjustments are by far the better choice at Costco. Sam’s Club apparently has lower cost offerings, but you simply won’t get the kind of assurance you could get at Costco. According to AI: Costco offers high-end hearing aid technology from major brands like Philips, Jabra, and Rexton at a lower price point, along with robust warranties and free aftercare. Sam’s Club hearing centers, which are operated by Lucid Hearing, focus on simpler, less-expensive devices for basic hearing needs and may be a more economical choice for those not requiring advanced features, though the quality and specific product offerings can vary.
I hope you consider what makes sense for the long-term and not just what you’re familiar with/already have a membership to.
My husband has Costco hearing aids and have problems at no cost, just had a hearing test because he was not hearing well. Nice people and great service
“Actually” is the vocabulary of an anti-growth mindset. You obviously need help but nothing will change if your first idea is always to explain why it won’t work for you.
Hope, SEVERAL people have now told you about the advantages of Costco, and you keep ignoring them. Sam’s Club and Costco are NOT the same. Costco is a far superior company in just about every way, but especially when it comes to their warranties, return policies, product quality AND customer service. Listen to the advice that you’re getting repeatedly from readers. Sheesh.
Not ignoring. Waiting on ENT appointment to determine direction. Decided to hold off on purchase until after that appointment. Don’t know anyone who shops at Costco, so will have to figure out a way to try it out to evaluate options.
https://www.costco.com/f/-/hearing-aid-center seems like a start!
Echoing everyone else’s Costco recommendation. Additionally, if you have anyone in your household who has a membership, they could add you as their household member, so you could get them and then they could revert it back to whoever their typical plus one is. My mom lives with us and we switch to her as the household member when it comes time for her glasses.