by Hope
Last month was a wash since I paid off a credit card, but then turned around and used it for Princess’ wisdom teeth extraction.
However, this month, we are getting back on track.
| Debt Description | October, 2023 Total | Interest Rate | Minimum Payment | Current Total | Payoff Date (Est) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CC - Frontier | $3,857 | 29.99% | $130 | $2,718 | December, 2024 |
| Dad - New Furnace | $2,600 | 0% | $0 | $2,600 | January, 2025 |
| CC - USAA | $5,000 | 19.15% | $135 | $2,723 | March, 2025 |
| Student Loans | $22,121 | 2.875% | deferrment | $22,850 | September, 2025? |
| CC - Apple** | $500 | Paid off every month | $0 | ||
| 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 | $265 | $30,891 |
After paying all the monthly obligations (bills plus transfers to savings, investments) and debt payments, I have $586 left. I’m anticipating that will cover the Texas trip. This will allow my savings to remain in tact which gives me a great deal of comfort.
Christmas on the Brain
I am already struggling with the idea of Christmas. This next week I will break out the remaining $5 for my Christmas budget and figure out how to use it. Thankfully, the kids are all great and I know they will be thrilled with anything. I truly do have great kids. The goal is to have Christmas done especially for the 3 boys and Texas family so I can avoid any shipping charges. Crossing my fingers. I’ve got to weeks to wrap it up.
Next Milestone Goal
I anticipate that my next credit card will be paid off in January at latest. The Frontier card, that is. Then I have to decide whether to focus on the final CC or pay off my dad. I feel like it should be my final personal loan. But my dad has made it clear that he is fine waiting. So I’m leaning toward the credit card. No promises, but I am sticking with the plan of paying off the credit card debt first.
I’ve also got to re-evaluate my tax plan for the new year since my annual income will be significantly higher than this year. (I’m also hoping for a bonus this year. Can’t plan for it, but I’m hoping.)
Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.
But life has a way of rewriting your plans.
A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.
Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.
Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.
She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.
Why does it look like you put so much onto the USAA debt only to put a similar amount on the Frontier card with a higher interest rate?
I use my USAA card to cover my auto insurance every month. So I pay a good amount and then re-use it half way through the month.