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I shared sometime last summer/fall that my audiologist felt that I needed new hearing aids. My hearing had significantly degraded in the last 3 years, and my current hearing aids just weren’t cutting it any longer.

I knew my hearing had gotten worse. Even with my hearing aids in, day to day interactions had gotten increasingly difficult. But after spending $7-8K on my current hearing aids, I just couldn’t stomach another $5K for a new pair. I also didn’t understand how newer, better, more powerful hearing aids were so much cheaper than my original ones.

So I didn’t make any changes; other than some programming on my existing hearing aids.

One Year Later

Living alone for most of the past year, made my hearing loss less innocuous. I mean, no one was really around to notice i.e. my kids. And I stayed to myself for the most part, so it didn’t bother me.

But now I’m around others 24/7. And I’m in a shared space for conference calls, which I have 2-5 times daily most days. I’m loud. My conference call speaker is loud. And frankly, even with my hearing aids in, I struggle to hear my dad speak. (Fun fact: He got his hearing aids yesterday at the VA. He was not happy about it. But I think he’s already seen the benefits.)

So, my solution:

AirPod Pros as Hearing Aids?

Gymnast called me some months ago excited about this new feature with AirPods – hearing aids. I didn’t think much about it at the time. But after this move, the challenges with work calls in a shared space, and the crazy cost of new hearing aids, I decided to check it out.

The price…less than $300.

The battery life…about 6 hours. (I have confirmed this.)

The ease of support…schedule a Genius Bar visit.

The peace and quiet…well, not exactly quiet, but quieter it brings to the house when I’m working…priceless.

I’m still in the testing phase. I’m on my second pair (the first pair was dysfunctional.) I’ve taken the hearing test 3 different times now, all with different results, but not too far off.

My first opinion

I don’t think they could replace my hearing aids. I definitely “hear” better with my hearing aids.

But they are magic when it comes to being able to take work calls without disturbing anyone in the house. Hang out with friends at the pool (they allow me to play music, hear ambient noises, and quiet themselves when I start talking.) And I love that they seamlessly integrate with all my technology so I can jump around without constantly having to change settings or connect to different devices.

Hope

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.

Breaking the Cycle – Closing the Cards

by Hope

The credit cards are paid off. The cards are cut up. And I’ve started making the calls to close the accounts.

Phew, the difference in customer service is crazy. One account took me over an hour just to close it and then a couple of days for it to actually be processed and receive confirmation. One account took me 3 minutes and I received confirmation immediately. (Neither of these accounts was the Southwest Credit Card, I just happened to take a picture of that one when I cut it up.)

Effects on my Credit Score

I’m waiting to see what closing the accounts does to my credit score. And yes, I know that at this juncture of my life, my credit score is the least of my worries. But it’s still something I watch. It’s been fun to see it hit the low 700s as I paid off all my credit cards.

It is also going to be interesting what happens when my mortgage company finally closes out my account with the credit bureaus. I wonder how long that will take?!? My mortgage has been on the “negative” of my credit score since I got it. Always said too little of the balance has been paid down even though I never missed a payment.

Mind on My Money

Outside of daily care for my mom. Cooking for my dad and I. Visiting different churches. Reading library books (I check them out on my ipad from my Georgia library. I haven’t visit the local library to set up an account there.) Scheduling monthly family dinners. And the occasional trip to my parent’s neighborhood pool. I am focused on work and money.

I’m not where I want to be as far as steady income goes, but I’m getting there. And having money in the bank and the financial pressure off has really helped my mental health.