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Hope’s Debt – October, 2023

Debt Description	Current Total
CC - Frontier	3,857
CC - USAA	5,000
CC - AMEX	894
CC - Apple	500
CC - Amazon	1,497
CC - Sams	1,106
CC - Wander	1,630
Car Loan	19,581
Student Loans	22,121
Personal Loan #1	2,500
Personal Loan #2	2,500
Total	$61,186

That’s it. That’s where I’m at right now.

I’m plenty ashamed of how far I’ve back tracked so no need to rub it in. And as soon as I get a job I will be on it.

But for now I am borrowing from peter to pay paul at every turn.

Details:

Credit card, credit card, credit card – those are pretty self explanatory. I’ve been using them to keep afloat since the beginning of the year.Four of them are new cards as of this year. Two of them I’ve cut up and am just making the minimum payments. None have late payments. But I am just paying the minimum, and then often using whatever credit is available.

Car – this debt/payment will go away come January when Gymnast takes it over. We are reviewing the options of refinancing it into his name versus him just making the payments and leaving it in my name. I’d like option #1.

Student Loans – have been in deferment for most of the year and will be at least through December. Payment will be $306 per month.

Personal Loans – both taken out in September, 2023 from a friend and a family member. In both cases, there may be the option to work them off. At the time of the loans, I asked for a 6 month term to pay off.

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.

How to Prepare for Funeral Costs and Prevent Debt

by Semify

A funeral can put you in debt. Many people are not prepared for any costs associated with funerals, which means they take on debt to cover those costs. According to Market Watch, the funeral market in the United States is worth about $20 billion. There are 2.4 million funerals annually, and many generate debt for the family. Here is how you can prepare for funeral costs and avoid funeral cost debt.

1. Pre-Planning a Funeral

It sounds a little morbid to plan your funeral, but there is a lot of logic behind it. If you don’t want your family to take on debt for your funeral, paying for your funeral before you die is a good way to do that. It is also a great way to save money on costs.

Funeral costs continue to rise; locking in pricing now can save thousands of dollars. Pre-planning and prepaying for your funeral is an easy way to reduce the risk of debt and find significant savings. It takes the stress off your family and ensures your end-of-life planning is carried out how you want.

2. Check Your Life Insurance

It is important that you become highly familiar with your life insurance coverage. There may be clauses you are unaware of that can affect the debt a funeral can generate. For example, according to Bankrate, many policies will not pay out if the insured passes away while committing a felony. Another clause (the slayer rule) is if it is suspected that the beneficiary killed the insured, the insurance is not paid out.

Of course, they are extreme clauses, but other clauses can be hidden in your policy that may affect the payout. You must read your life insurance policy from beginning to end to understand what coverage is provided and what clauses exist. If things are not as planned, consider shopping for a new policy.

3. Complete Funeral Costs

Funeral costs are often underestimated. The cost of a funeral has many different components that, if unprepared for, can generate debt. For example, a funeral requires fees paid to a funeral home, purchasing a casket, flowers, and other incidental expenses. If burial is the plan, you will need to cover the costs of a cemetery plot.

According to Livability, rural cemeteries have been popular since the 1830s and continue to be popular. Rural cemeteries are usually less expensive than urban cemeteries. The average cost of a cemetery plot ranges between $500-$10,000, depending on the geographic location. A complete cost analysis of a funeral’s components is essential to ensure an informed decision is made.

4. Cremation Services

Many people make the mistake of thinking that a cremation means there is no funeral service. You can opt for cremation and still have a service at a much lower cost than having a traditional funeral. Getting creative with end-of-life services can be an easy way to avoid debt. On average, cremation costs about 15% of traditional funeral and burial costs.

Taking on debt for a funeral can be financially devastating. Cremation can help families avoid debt for end-of-life costs. Sometimes, adjusting plans is necessary to avoid. Most religions accept cremation; it is done with dignity and comes with added benefits. It may be the right solution for your family.

No one likes to talk about death and dying and plans surrounding funerals, but they are conversations that need to be had. Funeral expenses are something that should be planned to avoid debt. Learn more about planning for funeral expenses today.