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by Hope

This post is long overdue. Over a year overdue, to be honest.

For more than twelve months now, some of you—kindly, curiously, and occasionally a bit relentlessly—have asked why my mortgage increased from $650 to $1,015 a month. I’ve read every message, every comment, every quiet nudge that said, “Hey… what’s the deal?”

And I get it. I’ve shared the highs, the lows, the “what was I thinking?” moments. And lots of my personal life. But this one… this one’s been harder to talk about.

So here it is: Yes, the increase was the result of a financial decision I made. It wasn’t because of insurance premiums, or property taxes, or a banking glitch. It was a choice. A deliberate, strategic one that let me clean up a part of my financial life that had been tangled up for far too long.

Without diving into the personal weeds—because those weeds are mine to handle—the decision was tied to the final chapter of a past relationship. One that, emotionally and financially, needed to be put to rest. This was the simplest, cleanest, and most peaceful way to do it.

And that’s all I’ll be saying about that.

Subject Closed

Sometimes, moving forward means closing a door and locking it without letting everyone peek inside. This blog has always been a place for honesty, but also boundaries. I hope you’ll understand that this decision, while it came with a higher monthly payment, came with a priceless sense of relief.

So yes, the mortgage went up. A cash out refinance where I did not receive any of the cash other than to close out an old chapter of life. But peace of mind? That went up too.

Thanks for being here—especially when the full story isn’t always up for discussion.

And thank you for the very graceful comment by Emilie which gave me the courage to address this ongoing question once and for all.

Hope

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.