That being said, this month has been a doozy…so here’s just a summary of updates:

The Kids

• Beauty and Redhead were planning to move here. She spent 7 weeks here, got a job, worked a few weeks. And then decided they didn’t want to move. So in just a few short days, she quit her new job and drove home.
• History Buff was planning to move here in August. His timeline got unexpectedly moved up when his roommate got transferred. So he is moving here, in with my dad and I while he job searches, in May.
• Princess has decided that she would like to move here. However, she is under contract with her job so the reality of that or timeline is not clear. But she has now expressed a desire to move to Texas. I was shocked.
• Sea Cadet also wants to move here. He’s been saying that, but is in school. So we have talked and decided that his move should wait until he completes school so he doesn’t have to deal with out of state tuition.

The Finances

• Work continues to be slow, but I am making enough to cover my bills. No new debt.
• My first month of cash only has been AWESOME. Life changing. Just from a stress and mental health level, it’s been really good.
• I’m continuing to apply for remote work both full time and project based. Caretaking is my primary role for the foreseeable future.

What’s Next

• In three weeks, I leave on a 3 week road trip. It was planned as a weekend with my youngest daughter, Princess. We were meeting for a weekend in Branson. But then with History’s looming move, it was extended so I will go straight from my weekend with Princess out to Vegas to help him move.
• When I return, I will be house/dog sitting for a week. (I signed up for Rover as a house sitter and dog walker and have two week long bookings here locally.)

No other travel plans for now. But I am beginning to consider a visit to Georgia sometime in the fall and combine it with relocating my storage unit here to Texas. That’s just a thought for now, no firm.

Sides Notes

Before you jump on me for being gone for 3 weeks, my siblings will be covering my parents while I’m gone. I’m leaving cooked meals, etc. This has been planned, scheduled, and agreed upon as a family. I’m super excited for History Buff to be here.

And when I take house/pet sitting assignments, I will continue to do my daily caretaking for my parents, just have to commute here to do it. That is actually spelled out in my profile so that people know that I won’t just be sitting at their homes.

The post Hope’s March Summary appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

My favorite quote of the entire book was this:

“We should use past surprises as an admission that we have no idea what might happen next.”

Truly the story of my life, and profoud in it’s simplicity. It really made me evaluate in a different light, why my “forecasting” hasn’t worked as well as I always think it should. Because if nothing else, my life has been a true roller coaster of surprises – personal, professional, financial and every other which way.

If you have not read it, definitely recommend.

I’ve now got pages worth of notes to review and think through. But I enjoyed all the real life examples the author shared, the analogies for financial fundamentals using related stories, people and subject matter, and especially how easy it was to read. It didn’t bog me down, and there were few sections that I had to re-read to understand and grasp the implications. That has rarely been the case with personal finance books.

And I definitely appreciated that the author was very clear that personal finance is very personal. All of our histories, life experiences, culture, education, and our perspectives is going to lend itself to each of us prioritizing different things, make different decisions with our financial assets. Truly emphasizing the true psychology of money versus the math of money.

Finally, I loved the recognition that happiness is not from having money. It’s ultimately in the freedom that money gives us. Money gives us control our time and how we spend it. Now that’s a concept I fully agree with and appreciate!

The post Book to Read: Psycholoy of Money appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

As I explained to them that I had updated my application in October to have her removed as she then had coverage with her full time job. They acknowledged that I had done that…saw the timestamp of the change in October, 2025.

Our new health insurance cards didn’t arrive til sometime in February and I hadn’t really paid attention. It was only when I pulled the tax docs that I noticed she had not been removed.

Of course, even though I did everything right, they couldn’t reverse the coverage 3 months. But were able to reverse it to the end of February. Okay, fine, we will deal.

Then I get told that our monthly premium, after removing my daughter, who never once used the policy will go from $132 per month to $697 per month. What?!?

Even the agent on the phone was befuddled. No clue as to why, no explantation. I got an email confirming that new premium a few days later.

Today, I logged on and cancelled my auto pay. And cancelled the renewal, our health insurance.

We will no longer have coverage as of 3/31/2026.

The post 600% increase appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

I appreciate the comments and feedback I received on my last post when I shared our experiment. I updated the contract I shared with the girls to clarify I would cover ALL basic necessities (e.g., face wash wasn’t originally listed; and the contract said floss OR mouthwash when I really meant floss AND mouthwash, etc.).

The day I gave the girls their first $100, we sat down together and worked out a budget. I told them that we typically spend for back-to-school clothing shopping ($300) and what they might budget for summer time clothing (including swim suits, flip flops, etc. approx $200). 

We had a rough timeline

We need $200 by May/June for a summer clothing haul, and another $300 by July/August for back-to-school.

From there we worked backward.

We have 7 months from Feb-Aug, which is $700 worth of money; but we need to set aside $500 of it for these planned expenses. That leaves $200 for makeup/skincare and fancy toiletries or other clothing incidentals between February and August. That’s only about $30/month!

I think this was a bit of a shock and also helped them to adjust their thinking a bit.

For instance, both of them wanted to buy new clothes for our D.C. and NYC trip. However, we have LOTS of clothes that fit and will work well with the colder DC/NYC weather (it’s already summer-weather in Tucson!). I encouraged both girls to try to make outfits from their closet for the DC trip and maybe just purchase one or two new things instead of a whole new wardrobe for the trip.

This worked great! Daughter 1 spent $15 on a shirt and called it good. Daughter 2 didn’t spend anything in the month of February, but has $50 budgeted for DC/NYC (to be clear – this is money budgeted for clothing in preparation of the trip. She won’t have to spend anything on the trip, itself).

My reaction

Honestly, I was a bit shocked at how maturely the girls approached the situation. My past experience with them is that when they receive money or gift cards for birthdays, it’s like the money is burning a hole in their pocket and they “need” to go shopping STAT! I expected this to be a similar experience. But, if anything, they’ve done the opposite! They’re saving their dollars so they have well funded accounts for their summer and back-to-school hauls.

Also – we had so much fun together “crafting” – the girls made a savings thermometer! Remember when I used to make debt thermometers to track my debt payments!? 

Side Note: We realized after creating it that we probably should have created two separate savings thermometers – the first for summer and a second for back-to-school because they’ll save and then spend so it doesn’t make sense to have the two savings goals on the same thermometer. Oh well. It was a fun project and a learning experience.

I did have Daughter 1 tell me last week that she needed some new concealer and when I encouraged her to use her  money to buy it, she decided she could go a bit longer with her current concealer. I like that they’re becoming thrifty (using every last drop!), but I will definitely encourage her to continue to use her budget to buy the things that she needs as the needs arise – that’s what the money is for! 

This also brings up a comment someone left, saying they were worried that teens would prioritize the wrong things and would never buy themselves new socks or underwear, for instance. I’m planning to stay closely involved and will help guide the girls to make these types of decisions and not put off needs in favor of buying more of the “wants.”

So far, So good

One month in and, so far, I’m really pleased with how well the girls have done! It’s gone better than I’d expected!

They received their March budget and things are going well this month too! I’ll continue to monitor the situation and we plan to have intermittent check-ins to make sure everything is going okay and make decisions about whether any budget modifications are needed, etc. This is intended to help teach the girls to budget – not be punitive in nature. So if it’s really not working out, I’m happy to step in and make adjustments or help as needed. But so far I’m really proud of the maturity they’ve shown and how well things are going!

I’ll give an update in a few months (e.g., maybe after the summer shopping trip) to report back on how they’ve done on their savings goals and how things are going with this financial experiment, in general.

How much financial responsibility do you think is appropriate for teens to manage on their own?

The post Teen Budget Experiment: One Month Update (And I’m Honestly Surprised) appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

I’ve written a lot about my student loans over time as a blogger here. At this point, the student loans are my last remaining debt (besides a mortgage), and this is the year when they’ll officially be GONE! I cannot wait!

That said, I continue to find the process completely confusing and the online systems counterintuitive. I’m in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which is supposed to discharge remaining loans after 120 on-time eligible payments have been received.

I currently have 3 loans remaining that total just over $26,000 (the balance has grown because the interest costs more than the $180/monthly payments I’ve been applying).

In the Federal Student Aid platform, it says I have 113 qualifying payments (7 remaining). It also says the Estimated End-of-Repayment Term is Sept 2026.

However, I must re-certify my employment annually and the last time I did so was in late August 2025, so my 113 qualifying payments are only through August 2025.

I also have an additional 6 payments that should qualify (Sept 2025 – Feb 2026), meaning after my March payment later this month…I should meet my 120 required payments and qualify for student loan forgiveness for the rest of my balance owed!

This is obviously a bit of a discrepancy from the predicted September 2026 date listed in their system. I’m absolutely planning to re-certify employment at the end of the month and cross my fingers and hope and wish and pray that this is IT! That after nearly eleven years of faithful payments (even during the pandemic times when everyone had payments paused – I continued to pay monthly because I’d been trying to pay off my debt before the forgiveness deadline)…..I will FINALLY be FREE from this burden that’s just been hanging around so long it might as well have its own room!

I cannot tell you what this community has meant to me to help guide, give advice, and cheer me on along the way! It hasn’t always been easy – I graduated with over $100k worth of student loan debt, alone! But continual progress across time has been the key. And honesty, I’ve benefitted so much from the community of readership here offering me your generous advice across time.

The question is…what’s next?

I love talking about money (something that’s so taboo in everyday life, but we talk about freely and openly in this space)! And you all have helped me think through longer term financial planning, thinking about retirement, health care, teaching my kids (now teens!) financial literacy, etc. What do you think? Should I hang around BAD a bit longer or is it time to move on? I haven’t fully decided within my own heart so I’d like to know your thoughts on whether the content I’m providing is interesting or useful or if it’s time to bid farewell once my last remaining debt is gone! Thoughts?

What do your plans in a debt-free life look like? Where do you focus your financial energy?

The post The End of My Student Loan Era appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

I know someone commented on my post about this process asking why it would take the month to make this transition.

Because of my business, I actually have a pretty large number of auto-pays set up. While I pay most annually to take advantage of discounts, there are still quite a few monthly ones. Sorting those out took some time.

I have 5 monthly auto pay bills set up for my business and about triple that in annual charges. None are not significant individually, but when added up, it could quickly get me in trouble. (The largest one time charge I pay is $394.)

In addition, I have 8 monthly auto pay bills personally. These include things like health insurance premium, auto insurance premium (although I’ve been trying to pay this every 6 months), etc.

It definitely took some time and attention to make sure everything was set up correctly. But I’m pretty confident I’m ready for this clean break! And pretty proud of this step as well.

Sharing the Why

At the same time, I’ve been communicating what I’m doing with the kiddos. Taking the Dave Ramsey class, getting rid of all my credit cards, what I’m learning each week. (Tomorrow’s class is about Investing, I know I’ll learn alot there.)

I’ve had the 3 youngest watch some of the class snippets that I thought were really good. Especially his definition of the credit score or rather debt score.

Life is calm now. For probably the first time in 20 years. Lots of time in my head and to process and think through next steps. And look at my screw ups with some perspective and distance without feeling like I’m drinking out of a firehose.

The post No More Credit appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

First off, I want to be very clear. The issue is with me. My kids do not ask me for help very often. And when they do, it’s been minimal and typically temporary. They are all doing so well at being independent.

The problem is ME.

And this has always been the case. I finally think I see clearly. Not perfectly for sure, but clearly.

My challenge is how do I reset the expectations with my kids? And I’m just writing out loud here the thoughts going through my head.

• How do I invite them to a meal out or to meet up without them expecting me to pay for them? Like what words do you use? How do I set that as the general experience and when I can or want to treat, make that the exception?
• How do I stop leading with my heart? Or my “I want to do this” for whomever? Like when they mention something and I want to provide it. This has been a huge one during their childhood. But I’m doing better, much better with the distance.
• How do I invite them on a trip or adventure, setting the expectation of them covering their own way? And how do I handle it if one or another can’t do it financially? Cancel the whole thing or just going with those who can?

These are just a few of the thoughts I am having.

And as much as I’m enjoying the Dave Ramsey class, my group has no other later in life people, parents, no other empty nesters in it, so I don’t feel like they are in a place to provide experienced guidance or feedback. Does that make sense?

Small Win – Valentines

I was really proud of myself as Valentines came around. Instead of going overboard shipping boxes of even small things, I bought them each a card and wrote a personal love note. No candy, no stuff, no gift card. Just a heartfelt card. I know that seems stupid or like “duh” to most people here. But, wow, that was a huge thing for me to not do anything else. Next up Easter.

The post Redefining the Parent/Child Relationship appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Current student loan balance (as of 2/23/26) is $15,255.65.

Income dropped unexpectedly as one of my clients took an early retirement once he qualified for disability. I’ve gotten no hours for the last two months. Our contract still stands, but he’s backed way off.

My other contracts continue as they have, but this one was the bulk of my income in Q4 and this drop was completely unexpected.

Thankfully, this hasn’t affected anything except my debt payoff. I’ve not accrued any more debt. still going cash only, but I’m also being really cautious until I replace the income. Especially since I am in Q1 of a new business launch.

What am I doing about that?

I’m looking for new work – both W2 and 1099. I continue to apply for projects via Upwork. And recently joined a couple of local, in person business networking groups (free). I attended my first two meet ups this past Friday. In addition, I’ve been applying for remote only W2 positions, but am being very selective on that as caretaking for my parents in the priority still.

I’m not in the whoa is me state that I’ve been in in the past when work fell through, but I am in a rebuilding phase of my primary business contracts/projects again. The last year has been really, really solid though so I’m in a good place.

New Business Update

As I am launching my new business, which is not taking much or really any money at this point, just lots of time; I am just hoarding my income paying bare minimums on everything. I’m anticipating breaking even on the money invested in this new venture near the end of Q2 and hopefully *crossing my fingers, will begin seeing some profits in Q3. But that will all be re-invested. It’s really running on a skeleton tech stack and to take it to the next level, I’ll have to invest a little more money. But getting through this first year as lean as possible to prove proof of concept.

And long term, this should become relatively passive. Goals – at least!

The post Hope’s Debt Update – February, 2026 appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Two told me at Thanksgiving.

One told me at Christmas.

Another laid out their plans in mid-February.

And, of course, one is already here.

Yes, what I’m saying is that my kids have begun a migration to Texas.

Beauty has been here for just over two weeks now, started a new job, and has found housing. She’s staying here with my parents and I in the meantime, but will return to GA within the month to pack up the house, the animals, and the husband. We anticipate they will be moved into their new place by the end of March.

History Buff made clear his intention to move to Texas when his current lease is up in August. He’s hoping his roommate/best friend will make the move with him.

Sea Cadet wants to move here too. However, we’ve discussed him sitting tight in VA until he finishes the degree he’s working on in preparation for applying to PA school (eventually.)

Princess is the hold out. But she is coming for 3 different week+ long visits between now and mid-year. She arrives for a 10 day visit this week. Woot, woot!

It will be interesting to see who all is here by the end of 2026. (No pressure from me.)

Move My Stuff

I am here as moral support. They are getting no pressure from me to move. In fact, I continue to caution them that I don’t know what I will do next, after my parents no longer need me. I never wanted Texas to be my home again. But we shall see…

In the meantime, I’ve got to decide if this is the time to move my storage from GA. Since Beauty and her husband will be making the move, it may be a good time to get my stuff moved. Share the cost of a Uhaul maybe? I’ve begun pricing storage here.

The post The Migration has Begun appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

For today, I’ve got a super long post ahead. Grab yourself a cup of coffee/water and settle in, because this one is a bit of a doozy!

I’ve written a bit about my desire to retire early (see my Catching Fire post, or my 2026 Financial Goals post). I’ve been thinking through many of the comments you’ve raised on these posts and wanted to share my thoughts and planning for early retirement. The big caveat is that I’m still figuring this out and am by no means an expert, so these are my early thoughts. If you notice a glaring hole or something I’m forgetting, please let me know in the comments!

Timeline for Retirement

I’ve had the dream and desire to retire early for years, but now we have a real countdown! Hubs retires in just over 6 years from a government job where he’ll have a pension and enjoy health insurance for life!

I’m currently 42 years old, and my retirement timeline is a bit more unclear. I’d love to retire when hubs does in 6 years, but if the girls go straight to college after high school, they’ll be in their sophomore year at that time. Since I work for a major university, I get great benefits for my kids to go to college, and I’d have a tough time walking away from that benefit mid-schooling. For that reason, I think my retirement date is more likely to be 8 years (age 50). 

That said, I don’t think I’ll really be fully “done” working at that point. For the last year, I’ve been working on some side projects – writing a book and starting my own small business. When I retire from my W2 job, it doesn’t necessarily mean I’d be done working all together.

What “Early Retirement” Means to Us

This brings up an important point, because neither my husband nor I plan to be fully 100% out of the workforce in the next 6-8 years! When we retire from our W2 jobs, we’d both like to continue working in some fashion. The hope and goal, though, is that we wouldn’t be working for the money. We hope to be able to pursue more “passion” type of job interests. Hubs loves gardening – maybe he’d go work at a plant nursery! I love writing – maybe I can find some more freelance writing gigs?!

We both want to stay busy in some way, but we want autonomy over our time. We don’t want the day in and out corporate/government job grind. And we’d like to have enough money in savings/investments that we don’t feel trapped in other jobs for the sake of paying bills. Some people refer to it as “F You” money. The point is that we want to be set up in a position to where we don’t really need the job’s money and we could leave at any time if we’re unhappy. The extra cash is just icing on a cake, not a necessity in order to pay bills.

JP mentioned this in a previous comment, about how side hustles can become meaningful work. That’s what we’re looking for – meaningful work where we are in control of our time and can work more or less depending on how we feel and what we’re up to at the moment. 

Caveat: I feel compelled to share as an aside that I really love my job and feel very grateful for it, so this isn’t a dig at my current job. It provides fulfillment and I feel I do meaningful work. If all I did was teach, it’d be great! But I have a lot of other roles and responsibilities, and I’d love to step away from the endless meetings and bureaucracy of academia.

The bottom line is that, to us, early retirement does not mean fully stepping out of the workforce. It’s more about having additional freedoms (especially autonomy over our schedules). But when we do continue working, my goal is for it to be more about earning extra income for fun, not as a necessity.

The Elephant in the Room – Health Care!

This is the big one for many, and I could not be more grateful to have hitched my wagon to a partner who has the ability to get health insurance for life, even in retirement. This makes me so glad we’re planning for early retirement in advance because we have historically been on my job’s insurance plan. His insurance rule is that you must be enrolled for 5 years prior to retirement and you are eligible for continued coverage for life. 

Remember how I said we had 6 years until hubs retires? Guess whose plan we’re switching over to come open enrollment 2026? His plan! We’ll have right at 5 years coverage by the time he retires (actually 5 years & 4 months), so we’ll be eligible for continued coverage for life. And his plan isn’t just for him – it extends to the family, too! If we hadn’t started retirement planning early, we may have missed this critical window!

Aside from hubs’ health insurance, we are also maxing out our HSA every year. For most of my employment history, I’ve maxed out and then used the HSA for medical expenses. Each year I’d end up just about flat even (funds never growing). That changed just last year. One of my 2024 goals was to interview financial planners and this was one of the tips I received just about a year ago. I was told to save my medical receipts, but NOT to pull the money from my HSA, if I could afford it. Instead of treating my HSA like a revolving account that I’d fill and then spend, I’m now looking at it like an investment account. It can serve as another form of income in retirement. 

Side note: This is one of the personal assistant tasks I have my kids helping me with – they are helping to track and manage all of our medical receipts. I’ve got a digital folder with all the medical receipts, and a spreadsheet showing the running total by year (with each transaction labeled, described, and dated).

My plan for the rest of my working years is to continue to max out our HSA and to get the most out of its triple tax benefits:  contributions are tax-deductible, growth is tax-deferred, and qualified medical expense withdrawals are tax-free. Plus, there’s no deadline – so you can wait years to pay yourself back, as long as you maintain detailed records to prove the expense was qualified.

I know health insurance and healthcare is one of the biggest things for most folks considering early retirement, and I am so grateful it’s not a major concern for us!

Income Between Retirement and Traditional Retirement Age

Right behind figuring out how to pay for insurance and health care, is the topic about what to do about income between early retirement and traditional retirement age. 

Things to think about:

If I retire at 50….

• I can’t withdraw from my IRA or 403b (without incurring a penalty) until 59 ½ 
• I can’t get social security until 62 (though the amount is higher if delaying until 70).

But here’s some places where we can pull money, listed in the order in which we will likely make withdrawals:

• Brokerage – After talking about balancing assets in a previous post, I now have two individual investment accounts that I’m trying to fund a little here-and-there so this money can grow until I retire. While this isn’t a super aggressive investment at this point, one of my primary goals is to grow these accounts between now and retirement.
• Roth IRA – We can withdraw the contributions at any time without penalty, so this could be a nice nest egg as well. In the meantime, I continue to max this account out every year.
• Part-time Income & Side Projects – this is where my side hustle(s) come into play. While my goal remains that I won’t “need” the money in retirement, anything I earn will help to offset money that needs to be withdrawn from brokerage accounts and/or from the Roth IRA.
• HSA – I can start to pull money from here at any time, first using my receipts from past medical expenses, and then pulling for current medical expenses.

The other important thing to point out about a part-time job or side project is that any money earned (even if it’s not a lot!) will help to lower the level of savings I need to attain between now and my planned retirement at age 50.

Lifestyle Unknowns & Key Trade-Offs

This brings us to the nitty gritty – exactly how much do I need to aim for in the brokerage account(s)?

This will be influenced by how much I plan to earn in retirement and how much I will have contributed to my Roth IRA and HSA, respectively. 

It also makes me consider lifestyle factors in retirement like:

• Will we travel more or less?
• Do hobbies increase or decrease spending?
• Does free time reduce outsourcing costs?
• What happens when work stress disappears? (i.e., less take-out for instance?)
• Will our housing cost more or less?

Of course, it’s tough to know all the answers, but I did have a sabbatical last year so I can look at it as an example of mini-retirement. If it’s similar, I will travel more, hobbies cost about the same (not more or less), I was able to do more stuff around the house myself (e.g., tending to yard), and I cooked at home a lot more versus eating out. The big question mark is housing. We hope to move after retirement. Just based on how home prices have been, I would imagine our housing costs go up at that time. But I really don’t know!

And then there’s the matter of actually putting numbers on paper to figure out exactly how much all of this costs on an annual basis.

Action Plan

I plan to dive into the numbers this year to come up with concrete figures, and come up with a plan of attack around that. Knowledge is power. If I plan to spend $80k/year, things look very different than if I plan to spend $120k/year.

My planned/anticipated expenses really impact the age at which I’ll be able to retire! And then I can make a decision about whether I’d rather work a few extra years at my W2 job to stack up additional cash reserves, if I’d rather step back lifestyle a bit so I can retire a couple of years earlier, OR if we’re right “on target” for retirement with our current rate of savings and investments.

What am I missing? What have I not taken into account that I need to think about?

The thing I’m having the hardest time with is estimating our housing costs. That feels like such a big unknown. We literally don’t even know where we want to end up (we just know its NOT here! lol). A longer-term goal over the next 5 years is to take some domestic vacations to cities and states where we might see ourselves retiring, so we can scope them out and get a feel for where we want to end up. Of course, that greatly impacts our anticipated housing expenses.

Thank you for your comments over the years! You all have pushed me to think outside the box and have helped me learn things that have really benefitted my life financially speaking. I truly appreciate your input!

The post Planning for Early Retirement appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Getting Ready

Last month I moved my LLC from GA to TX. I’ve got to finalize the legalities of that move. New EIN, new business bank accounts and so on and so forth. I’ll be closing my one and only business credit card account this month.

As a security measure, I will have one personal and one business checking account with no debit card, no ties to any 3rd party accounts (Venmo, CashApp, Paypal, etc.), essentially as isolated as I can make it. Then I’ll alternate accounts for debit and 3rd party transactions. I’m hoping this will prevent my primary cash accounts from ever being compromised.

Because I’ve been operating like this with my personal accounts for some time, or rather, had two accounts already that I used for different functions and had existing debit cards and scheduled transactions, I will set up a 3rd checking account that will become my primary/isolated account.

Auto Transactions

Next, I will be working through my existing budget and transferring all my auto-pays and subscriptions to the appropriate account debit card – personal or professional. I’ll have to be eagle eyed on my accounts to make sure I don’t overdraw anything. But I know I can do this.

Big Move

This is a HUGE shift for me. If I don’t have the cash, I can’t do it, buy it, spend it. There is no more…I’ll pay it when I get my next paycheck. There is no more just spending with no immediate consequence.

I’m also working on a brand new budget. I fully intend to, like Proverbs says…pursue a debt free life with Gazelle intensity.

And with this new budget, I will actually be using some actual paper cash. At least that’s the goal. But then I started to worry about all these places that are now “cash free”.

But never fear “Apple Cash” to the rescue. I’m going to fund my “Apple Cash” from my checking account. That will still allow me to use the convenience and security of the tap, but I think it will also allow me to feel the PAIN of spending.

My thought is if I only fund it once a month…gas money, fun money, etc. then I will hesitate more to spend because I know when it’s gone, it’s gone.

This is a work in progress. But it’s scary and a going to be a BIG MINDSET change for me. HUGE. 

The post First Credit Card Free Month appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Thanks to Financial Peace University, a quieter living situation, and a life season that looks nothing like it did ten, even 2 years ago, my budget is requiring a complete overhaul and a lot of thought!

This isn’t a “bigger goals, tighter rules” budget.
This is a protect my nervous system budget.

What “Budgeting for Peace” Actually Means for Me

Peace isn’t vague. It’s specific. It’s practical. And it’s exactly how I am living right now.

Here’s what peace looks like in my 2026 budget.

1. Fewer Categories, Fewer Decisions

If I have to negotiate with myself every time I spend money, the budget is broken.

So peace looks like:

• simplified categories
• predictable spending
• fewer “maybe” line items

I’m tired. I don’t want to argue with my budget or the BAD community. I want it to support me and make financial decision making easier/cleaner.

2. Margin for My Actual Life (Not an Imaginary One)

My living situation is quieter. Slower. More home-based. More caretaking. More hermit, less hustle.

So my budget includes:

• convenience where it preserves energy, that means, yes, I am paying for Walmart+ so I can get ALL my groceries delivered
• room for the unexpected

I’m not budgeting like I’m running marathons when I’m clearly walking the trail right now.

3. Clear Boundaries Around Emotional Spending

Quiet seasons can be sneaky. And I’m certainly not immune to those “I just need to go buy something” moments.

So my budget now assumes:

• emotions will show up
• loneliness may try to swipe my card
• stress might whisper “just buy it”

Peace looks like pausing, naming the feeling, and choosing something that doesn’t show up on a statement.

This is SO HUGE for me. (Today it meant getting off DoorDash and heating up some of last night’s casserole.)

4. A Real Plan for Irregular Income & Expenses

Peace looks like:

• sinking funds
• boring consistency
• and not acting shocked when life does what life always does

This alone lowers my stress more than any inspirational quote ever could.

5. Money That Supports My Values, Not My Ego

My budget reflects what matters now:

1. stability
2. faith
3. stewardship
4. rest
5. and the freedom to say no

I don’t need my money to tell a story to others. I need it to make my life quieter. I realize that the BAD community doesn’t agree with my recent decision to tithe again. But it is important to me.

What This Budget Is Not

It’s not extreme.
It’s not flashy.
It’s not optimized for admiration.

It’s optimized for sleep.

The 2026 Goal (Spoiler: It’s Not a Number)

The goal isn’t a perfect spreadsheet or a dramatic payoff date. (Ok, maybe it is still a payoff date!)

The goal is:

• fewer financial surprises
• fewer internal arguments
• fewer stress responses tied to money

I am finally learning that money is a tool, not a test.

And this stage of life?
I’m choosing peace on purpose.

Not because I’ve arrived-but because I’ve learned.

And that might be the most valuable return yet.

The post Why I’m Budgeting for Peace (Not Impressing Anyone) in 2026 appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

At the time I wrote about it in a generic “what an interesting concept” type of way, but also thought my kids were still too young for that.

Smash cut to today.

I allowed my kids to get on Facebook when they entered 8th grade, and they’ve been sending me Facebook reels about this exact same concept. If you haven’t read that previous post, the idea is basically this: you figure out how much you typically spend on your child, average it out per month, give it to them, and let them learn to budget and spend it wisely.

So I already had this in the back of my head. As in, yes, I think this is a good idea (or some modified version).

And then – TRAGEDY STRUCK (a bit euphemistic here). 

As my teens were getting ready for school, one of my girls RIPPED HER JEANS and was left in a puddle of tears crying, “I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!” 

This was very frustrating for me, given that her drawers are overflowing with clothes, including SEVEN different pairs of jeans.

Am I the only one who has found that sometimes I’ll take my kids clothing shopping, they find something they love…and then they never wear its home? Just me?

I can’t think of much I hate more than realizing my kid has outgrown something that is still BRAND NEW WITH TAGS ON!

So with all these thoughts swirling in my mind I decided it’s time.

I’m giving the girls their own budget.

In my prior Teaching Teens to Budget blog post, the idea was to give kids money for everything kid-related (e.g., sports registration fees, entertainment and fun, school events and extra-curriculars). But that felt like too much too soon. And, honestly, none of those things are the real problem. Our problem is classic teen girl stuff: makeup and clothes.

Image source: Ron Lach/Pexels

Here’s my plan:

KIDS BUY:

Clothing & Accessories

• 100% of all clothes, including:
• Shirts, tops
• Pants, jeans, shorts, skirts, bottoms
• Bras & panties & socks
• Tennis shoes, dress shoes, flip flops, boots, sandals, crocs
• Any accessories, including belts, jewelry, hair bows, scrunchies, etc.
• Pajamas/sleepwear
• Swimsuits and cover ups
• Jackets, hoodies, sweaters
• Hats & sunglasses
• Purses/bags/wallets
• Costume or special outfits (e.g., spirit week, themed days, holiday, school dance)

Makeup & Skincare

• 100% of all makeup and skincare, including any associated items
•  primer, setting spray, makeup, clips or thing to pull hair back, etc.
• Face or lip masks
• Makeup remover wipes
• Acne patches
• Makeup brushes or sponges
• Nail polish, remover, files, etc.

Toiletries

• Fancy shampoos and conditioners
• Hair masks
• Hair dye and related items
• Fancy hand soap, lotion, or body wash
• Styling products (gel, mousse, curl cream, heat protectant)
• Dry shampoo
• perfume/body spray
• Fancy lotions
• Bath bombs, bubble bath

MOM BUYS

Clothing & Accessories

• NONE

Makeup & Skincare

• NONE

Toiletries

• Basic deodorant
• Basic hand soap, lotion, and body wash
• Razors
• Tooth brushes
• Mouthwash or floss
• Sunscreen
• Feminine hygiene products

Setting the Ground Rules

I’ve typed up a simple contract where we all agree to terms. No borrowing. No advances. When the money is gone for a month, it’s gone. 

We can check in periodically and talk through whether adjustments are needed.

How much money are we talking about

I budget pretty meticulously, but I budget at the household level. I don’t break spending out per child. It’s just “clothing” or “household,” not whose item it was.

Because of that, I wasn’t totally sure what made sense.

My initial guess was $75 per child per month. Some months we spend very little – $50 or less. Other months (hello back-to-school) are much more expensive, especially once shoes are involved.

After doing some Googling, I found USDA estimates suggest families spend closer to $100 per month per teenager on clothing – and that doesn’t even include makeup or hair products.

I am comfortable starting  with $100/month/teen.

At first that felt like a big jump. But this isn’t new money. It’s money I’m already spending – just re-allocated into a new budget line called Teen Budget.

This isn’t a raise. It’s a reshuffle.

What I think Will Happen

I absolutely expect both kids to immediately want to spend the entire $100 on a couple cute tops and a pair of jeans, and then realize they’re out of money when mascara runs out.

But I actually think that kind of small failure can be a valuable learning experience,

I’m already coaching them to think ahead about larger expenses. They’re starting in a good place (i.e., stocked up on makeup and plenty of clothes), which gives them room to save toward a solid back-to-school haul in July (school starts in August).

Final Thoughts

So…wish me luck. What do you think? Is $100 too much or too little? Is 13 too young? 

Parenting is wild. It’s the most important job,  but there’s no rule book and every kid is different! I’m cautiously optimistic for this little experiment. I’m hopeful that any missteps become learning moments. And hopefully the missteps will be few and far-between.

The post Teaching Teens to Budget – Update appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Moving states is a natural checkpoint. Addresses change. Laws change. And the mental note that says “I should probably take care of that” officially expires.

This isn’t about planning to disappear. It’s about planning not to leave a mess.

Why This Matters (More Than People Admit)

If something happens to me, I do not want my my kids:

• locked out of accounts;
• guessing at passwords;
• digging through paperwork;
• or arguing with institutions that require very specific forms.

I love them too much for that.

So yes, I’m doing the boring, grown-up thing. And I’m calling it self-love.

The First 5 Things I’m Documenting (In This Order)

Not everything. Not all at once. Just the things that matter most.

1. Beneficiaries (Because These Override Everything)

This is the big one.

I’m checking and updating beneficiaries on:

• retirement accounts
• bank accounts
• any life insurance

Because no matter what your will says, beneficiary forms usually win. If the wrong person is listed, that’s who gets the money. Full stop.

This step alone can prevent absolute chaos.

2. My Trusted Person (Yes, I Have to Tell Them)

Someone needs to know how to step in if needed.

So I’m re-evaluating:

• who that person is,
• whether they’re still the right choice,
• and making sure they actually know.

No hints. No assumptions. No “they’ll figure it out.”

3. A Simple “Here’s Where Everything Is” List

Not passwords. Not instructions for running my life.

Just:

• bank names
• investment accounts
• insurance companies
• recurring bills
• where my password manager lives

Enough to reduce panic. Enough to provide a starting point.

4. Basic Documents in One Place

Not scattered. Not “I think it’s in a drawer somewhere.” This is a organized, tabbed, 3 ring binder that while I don’t look at it often, it holds the keys to everything. And it’s definitely time, I went through and made sure it’s all up to date.

At minimum:

• ID
• Social Security card
• insurance info
• any existing legal documents

One folder. Physical or digital. Labeled clearly. Boring in the best way.

5. A Texas Reality Check

Because state lines matter.

As part of the move, I’m reviewing:

• whether existing documents still apply
• what needs updating under Texas law
• what I should create if I haven’t yet

This isn’t an overnight project. It’s a “start being intentional” project.

The Part No One Likes to Talk About

This kind of planning doesn’t feel urgent-until it is.

But doing it now means:

• fewer decisions later
• less stress for the people I love
• and proof that I take my own life seriously

This isn’t morbid.

It’s responsible.
It’s thoughtful.
And honestly? It’s one of the most self-loving financial moves I can make.

If you’re in a season of transition-moving, simplifying, or just realizing you don’t want to leave loose ends-this is your nudge.

Start small.
Document the basics.
And give yourself credit for doing the grown-up thing.

Even if it’s wildly unromantic.

The post The Least Romantic but Most Loving Thing I’m Doing This February appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

We prepare people for chaos. For busy. For “you’ll miss this someday.” What no one says is: one day your house will be quieter, your calendar will stop yelling at you, and your expenses will shift in ways that make taking a breathe doable.

Welcome to my current season.

A Day in the Life

Most days look something like this:

• 2-ish hours of caretaking duties several times a day – morning, afternoon and evening
• 2-ish hours strategizing a new business I am absolutely going to launch (just not today, apparently)
• Several hours of ongoing work for existing clients
• Bible study prep, because I apparently enjoy responsibility in all forms

And somehow, despite all of that, I am also living the life of a semi-hermit, and I am not mad about it.

Caretaking

Caretaking, for the record, is real work. It’s appointments, logistics, emotional support, making sure life continues to function, and standing next to mom’s hospital bed thinking, ‘How is it only 10:30 a.m.?’ It doesn’t generate income, but it does generate exhaustion and a deep appreciation for anyone who shows up consistently.

Which brings me to modern miracles:
? grocery delivery
? pharmacy delivery
? hospice support that actually supports
? and the unmatched gift of comfy pajamas that can pass for “real clothes” on Zoom if the lighting is right

I am deeply grateful. Also deeply tired. Both can be true.

Work and Working on Work

Then there’s the business.

I spend about two hours a day planning, refining, rethinking, tweaking, and almost pulling the trigger. If preparation burned calories, I’d be in incredible shape. This is not procrastination-it’s discernment. Or fear. Or wisdom. Or all three holding hands.

The tricky part is that this stage looks unproductive on paper. It’s unpaid, invisible work that doesn’t show up neatly in a budget. And when you’re managing money while your income is steady but your future income is still theoretical, things get…a little bit spicy.

Add in my ongoing client work: work I love, work that matters, work that keeps things afloat-and Bible study prep, which somehow manages to stretch into every quiet corner of my brain, and you’d think there’d be no room left for reflection.

But quiet seasons create space whether you ask for it or not.

Money Gets Weird

And that’s where money gets weird.

I’m not paying for kid expenses the way I used to. I’m not feeding a small army anymore. But emotional spending sneaks in wearing sensible shoes. A little convenience here. A little comfort there. A “why not” purchase because the house is quiet and I miss my kids more than I care to admit.

I miss them. A lot.

I miss the noise, the interruptions, the constant “Mom!” echoing through the house. And sometimes spending money becomes a substitute for that energy-not recklessly, just… tenderly. Like buying reassurance in small, Amazon-sized boxes.

Managing money in this season hasn’t been about aggressive debt payoff or rigid rules. It’s been about not spending to fill emotional gaps and not punishing myself for being human.

A “good money day” right now looks like:

• Not shopping out of boredom
• Not panicking about timelines
• Not pretending this is a hustle season when it clearly isn’t

This is a caretaking season. A stewardship season. A preparation season. A pajama-friendly, delivery-dependent, hermit-adjacent season.

And honestly? I’m kind of loving it.

I don’t need my life to be loud right now. I need it to be sustainable.

That means managing money gently. Respecting my energy. Letting the business unfold at the right pace. Trusting that quiet does not mean stagnant-it means rooting.

So yes, I’m still strategizing. Still caring for others. Still showing up for clients. Still leading Bible studies. Still missing my kids. Still wearing comfy pajamas more often than not.

And I’m learning that sometimes the most responsible financial choice is not forcing yourself to live like you’re in a different chapter.

Quiet seasons don’t look impressive.

But they do meaningful work.

And for now, that’s enough.

This semester my Saturday Bible study is working through the theme Transformation which is where this post came from. Our homework this past week was to identify our season, not judge it, just define it. At the same time, we had to identify the negative self talk we are feeding ourselves as well as the longings we feel. It’s been a really good exercise.

The post Managing Money in a Quiet Season of Life appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Of course, after 10+ years blogging here, I’ve learned more about it. Gotten pretty familiar with the construct of “baby steps“, at least 1 and 2. Now I’m taking the 9 week course.

It’s in person, 2 hours a week, with homework, small group support, and a year’s subscription to their app EveryDollar.

As of writing this, we are on week 2. There are over 200 people taking it with me. I don’t know a single one of them. Last week was all about creating a zero based budget. This week was about the Debt Snowball Method. I am learning so much.

Two Major Concepts

In reality, the concepts aren’t really new to me, I guess, but hearing them taught this way is really making an impact.

There are two things I am really thinking through right now…

1. Proverbs is full of financial guidance. What? How come I’d never heard that before. And I’ve been reading Proverbs for years. Just never looked at it that way.
2. Can I live without credit cards? Cash only.

No More Credit Cards

Last night, they had a “plas-ectomy” (sp?) where they invited people to come up on stage and cut up credit cards. Boy, that’s scary to me.

For the longest, I’ve leaned on my credit cards: 1) to carry me through when I had low income; and now 2) as kind of an emergency back up/what if?

But I’m really thinking about it. It would be a HUGE leap of faith for me. Maybe not faith, but big mindset shift. Whatever you want to call it.

Last summer, I closed alot of my accounts. But I still have 4 open. And in Dave Ramsey’s video at class last night, he addressed all my reasoning…security, rewards/points, etc.

Can I do this? Can I close all my accounts and go cash only?

Proverbs as a Finance Lesson

As I teeter on the edge of this BIG move. I’ve decided I’m going to read through Proverbs, one chapter at a time again. And each day, I’m going to write down all the “finance” lessons or guidance I find in that chapter.

I’ve always read Proverbs as a book of contracts, not financial guidance. Let’s see what looking at it from a new perspective gives me.

The post Financial Peace University appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Before everyone jumps down my throat on that again, we rehomed three animals:

1. Mene – a chihuahua that we ended up with when a military family had to move and needed someone to take their little dog.
2. Princess’s cat – who actually moved with us to the 30 acres where the trailer was, but became an outside cat instead of inside. She ended up remaining at that property with the family that lived there when we moved to Georgia.
3. Izzy – a puppy found in the dumpster who was brought to us to care for.

Izzy stands guard as Princess naps in our apartment

Other than the cat, we didn’t go out and adopt animals just to give them away. Anyways…

Update on Izzy

This week I got a message from the family that took Izzy when we moved. They were trying to figure out how old she is.

They were also a homeschooling family and their oldest son and Sea Cadet knew each other from the summer camp where they both attended and then worked at.

“She is the most spoiled one in the family ? [my husband] passed away from cancer in April and Izzy was his faithful companion throughout his 4.5 year battle. She is a loyal friend and we are all a little anxious to see her aging a little bit???”

She also sent a few pictures.

The kids and I have been going back and forth trying to figure out how old she is. The best we can guess is 11-12 years old. The twins agree that she was dropped off after they had moved in. They were placed with me when they were 12 and are 27 now.

Anyways, it was so nice to hear from this family and get to see Izzy. She has truly gotten to live her best life.

(Mene was an old man when we got him. He ended up going to live with a sailor and his new wife that were our neighbors at the apartment. I think it was more Mene adopting them rather than them adopting him. But he passed away a few years ago. We had stayed in touch as well.)

Just thought some of you long time readers would enjoy this update like I did.

The post A Blast from the Past – Izzy Update appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

I’ve now had an active investment account here for just over two and a half years. I received $75 as an incentive to set up the account and get started. And I started really, really small…investing $5 per week.

And then I needed the money so I took most of it out. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve dipped into this account twice over the 2 1/2 years that I’ve had it. But never completely emptied the account. And as work came in, I began investing again. Staying small at $5 per week.

Then I had some time on my hands and I begin looking around the app. I diversified my investments based on category. I played all their “games” to earn investments. And I started learning more and more. As I did that, I began investing more and in a couple of different accounts.

Now I have a ROTH account, a personal account where I manage where my money is invested, and a smart portfolio where they manage my investments. You can see the breakdown in the first screenshot above.

Now I invest $100 a week with Stash. And I’ve been really consistent with that over the last 11 months. I know it’s not a lot. But it’s no longer my only investment platform. I continue to study and learn. And I’m proud of that.

I really like this platform. And the links in the post are referral links, like THIS ONE. If you open an account and invest just $5, we will both receive a $30 deposit to our accounts. I am definitely not an expert. But I am learning, and this platform has been great for that.

If you are like me, and want to dip your toes in the “investment” waters, I highly recommend STASH. It’s been easy, educational, and thus far, I’m still ahead. And from this, I’ve gotten bolder and now have two other investment accounts that are a bit more advanced…but I am definitely still a beginner.

The post Stash – End of Year Recap appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

So what does 2026 look like? Here are the big financial goals I’m setting for myself and my family.

Plan and Prepare for Early Retirement

This is the headline goal for 2026.

I’m planning a whole blog post on this topic (thanks to some comments on my Catching FIRE blog post last month). But for now I’ll say this has been a thought and dream for many years but it’s been more a “reach” goal and I haven’t gotten concrete about strategies or plans to make it become a reality. I want that to change this year. I plan to come up with a definitive timeline for retirement and plans for what we’ll do regarding health care, IRA distributions, and more. Running the numbers, we’ll see what’s possible and where we may need to make concessions (working longer versus trimming “lifestyle” in retirement, etc.). I’m excited to get working on this plan and to report back when I’ve thought things through a bit more.  

Save 50% of Our Income

This goes hand-in-hand with the previous goal  (preparing for early retirement)! We’ve been inching toward this number for a while, but it also has felt a bit like an unclear target because is it 50% of our net income? Do I use the amount we get paid on our paychecks as the whole number (but several investments are taken out of our check before it hits our bank accounts)? Or do I look more at our gross income minus taxes? Minus taxes and insurances? What do others do here when they’re thinking of saving “X” percentage of their income? 

I know this is all semantics, but it can get really complex really quickly when you have multiple savings and investment accounts going on (e.g., we have ORP, 403b, HSA, IRAS, taxable brokerage, high yield savings account, kids’ 529s, kid’s Roth IRAs, etc.)

Right now we have good incomes and stable jobs. This next 7-10 years is prime time for building long-term security and ensuring our ability to retire early. Also, figuring out the specific number that we’re living on versus saving is going to be important as we plan for our income needs in retirement.

Adjust Investments 

Again – shout out and thank you to commenters from my “Balancing Assets” blog post. Given the desire for early retirement, one of my goals for this year is to start growing our regular taxable brokerage accounts. This will be a bridge we’ll use between ages 50-59.5 so we don’t have to draw from retirement accounts that may have penalties for early distributions. Part of this will be moving (some) money from high yield savings accounts into regular brokerage so we’ve got a higher rate of growth. But I also want to increase monthly contributions and re-invest funds here that I’ve had to take through mandatory withdrawals from an inherited IRA I received last year after my Dad’s passing.

Keep an Eye on the Rental Market

I’ve talked many times about how I’m interested in turning to real estate investments. To be clear, this goal is NOT a commitment to buying a rental property in 2026. But I want to continue to watch the housing market, keep an eye on interest rates, and be ready in case an opportunity presents itself. This is not something we would rush into quickly. I know there’s a lot of added responsibility (and oftentimes frustrations and difficulties) that come with being a landlord. So this is more of a goal to continue to keep our fingers on the pulse of the housing market and be open and ready if the time feels right.

A local long-term rental property might be in the cards for 2026 (or might not). And down the road I’m still dreaming about a little vacation rental (something that doubles as a family getaway spot). But this is a slow-play goal for now.

Become Debt-Free (minus the house)!

We’ve been consumer debt-free for awhile. We have no car loans or credit card debt. No medical debt or outstanding bills. I remember when I first started blogging here that I had a Mattress Firm credit card and we owed back taxes and had to negotiate with medical debt and all kinds of things we owed all kinds of people and places. It’s crazy that in a span of 10 years, everything has changed.

Like Hope, my last remaining debt (not counting the house) is my STUDENT LOANS! They have been the bane of my existence for years (a bit hyperbolic, but they do drive me crazy!). This is FINALLY the year to put those to bed. I’m in a Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and am set to have my remaining student loan balance (approx $25k-ish) forgiven later this year. I. CAN. NOT. WAIT!

Wrapping Up

So that’s the plan for 2026:  Save more. Invest smarter. Keep things simple, intentional, and sustainable all in preparation of our early retirement dreams.

Your turn! What are your financial goals for 2026? Are you saving more, spending differently, or shifting your investment strategy? I’d love to hear what you’re focusing on this year.

The post Ashley’s 2026 Financial Goals appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

In addition, I’ve joined several book clubs that meet monthly or twice a month to discuss different books. I read to my mom in the mornings sometimes. And have committed to turning off my screens a couple of hours before bedtime and spend that time reading…typically.

Recommendations for Personal Finance Books

All that to ask…any new book recommendations around the personal finance space that you would recommend?

I typically have 4 or 5 books going at a time. And I’m reading the Bible cover to cover again this year.

A friend recently posted this image of books so they are on my list, but I’m specifically interested in the BAD community’s recommendations…

Good Book Recommendation

And if you are looking for a fantastic book/author recommendation, I highly recommend this book.

I rarely share recommendations for books, but I couldn’t stop myself from posting this one on Facebook. It was SO GOOD. About women serving in Vietnam. I believe this is the first book I’ve read by this author, but now I’ve got several of her books on my HOLD list at the library. I can’t wait to read more.

So tell me, what is on your bedside table now? Any books that you just couldn’t put down? 

Book Club: I’ve tried it before, but would anyone be interested in a quasi-book club here? We read a couple of chapters a month or something and then have a post where we discuss it? Just a thought. I find that I learn a lot from book discussions and getting other’s perspectives. If yes, book recommendation for this book club?

The post New Personal Finance Book Recommendations? appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

And the best thing to me, or two best things to me, are 1) it’s super casual. I don’t have to even think about what I wear. Outside of them keeping the building freezing cold, I can wear whatever and no one looks at me sideways. This has always been a HUGE thing for me. Since I was a child. I have always hated “dressing” up. Like HATE!

And 2) they have Saturday service. I’ve never been to a church that had service any other day of the week, but this one has 2 services on Saturdays and 3 services on Sundays. And I absolutely LOVE going to church on Saturday afternoon.

I joined a small group during the summer. And then I began leading a small group in the fall. Continuing in both this winter/spring as well.

All that to say…

Tithing 10%

Last month, they did a whole series on giving. I think most churches do it every year as a lead into the year end giving drive. I’ve never really paid attention to it. Certainly never felt convicted to give.

And gave up donating and tithing pretty readily soon as I started writing here with the excuse that that money needed to go toward debt instead. Which in theory, might have been right, but the reality is, it didn’t. I spent it. Not wisely.

But that is the past, and this is the 2026 version of Hope. And I learned alot during my church’s end of the year series on giving. And was convicted that I need to start tithing again.

All in…so starting immediately. This year. I will be giving 10% of all income to my church.

Do you give? Tithing regularly or just when you are asked? Or feel like it?

The post Commitment to Tithing appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

And for the first, or what I consider the real first time…I really am looking at this year as a New Year, New Me kind of era. My personal goals for this year fall neatly into two main categories. (This does not include my debt free journey which is a given at this point.)

Healthwise

First, my health. In October/November, my diabetes really took over my life. I started a new medication upon my return from Georgia (prescribed by my dr) and my numbers went completely wacko. We are still not sure what happened. It took several weeks of very intentional monitoring and eating to get things back under control. It was not a pleasant experience.

For my birthday, I gifted myself a 3 month subscription to Pilates. I attended a free trial class and determined, it was not only an exercise program I can do being as out of shape as I am, but the schedule of classes is perfect for my life of caretaking and working. So for the next 3 months, I will be attending a workout class 2x week at 6am.

At the same time, one of my mom’s hospice aids is helping me create a workout plan I can do at my parents neighborhood gym. So my commitment for Q1 is 4 times a week, I work out. Hopefully, this starts a precedent that carries on through the year.

Work

Work has been very steady since last spring. I’m grateful for that. But I’ve been drawn to another type of business for the past 5 months. And in November, I decided to bite the bullet and launch a brand new business.

No, I’m not shutting down my now 20 year old business. This is a brand new endeavor. Still digital, maximizing the skills I’ve developed helping people set up and grow their businesses, but this time, doing it for me.

The last two months, I’ve spent countless hours actually developing the products. And had a plan to launch the last week of December. But time got away from me and I just didn’t get it done.

It will launch this month though. And I’m feeling super confident and excited that it will do well. I’ve done the research, created products that solve a need, and created a solid launch plan. Now I just need to complete the digital footprint and launch.

That’s all I will say for now. But that is what is keeping me super busy these days.

What are your 2026 goals?

The post Lots of New Things this Year appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Before I get into 2026, I want to take a look back. I wrote about my 2025 Financial Goals back at the end of 2024, and then did a pulse check mid-year.

Now that the year is over, let’s take stock of how I’ve done:

Image credit: Pixabay/Mohamed_hassan

Travel Less: B

During my mid-year pulse check I’d given myself a C- because I still did quite a bit of traveling during the first half of the year. After our Hawaii trip, however, we’ve stayed close to home! My Mom and StepDad came to visit us for Thanksgiving (which was a really special treat!), and we haven’t gone anywhere or done any traveling since June. So ultimately, I’ve increased my score to a solid “B.”

Investments: A

My goal was to increase and diversify my investments this year. I’d mentioned the possibility of dipping our toes into the rental market. That’s still a possibility for down the road, but I feel like we’re sitting at the edge of a housing bubble right now and I’m in no hurry to buy until prices and/or interest rates (or both) come down a bit. I’m still thinking lots about diversification (see my most recent blog post), but I’m not perfect. ChatGPT thinks our portfolio is over-represented in cash and high yield savings accounts and underrepresented in taxable brokerage accounts. I’ll continue to keep an eye on our assets and work to continue diversifying across time but I think we’re in the solid “A” range for investments overall.

Open an LLC: A+

Excuse me to dust my shoulders off, but I think we’ve hit this out of the park. We opened an LLC and hired a CPA to help us manage certain aspects (like sending 1099s to our employees, our two children). It has truly been a joy to be able to teach my kids certain aspects of bookkeeping and accounting, and they’ve been able to help me with various aspects of social media content creation to take some of those tasks off my plate. I’m very excited about the future of our little business and hope to see it grow in 2026.

Interview (& hire?) a Financial Planner: A+

We’d met this goal by mid-year and wrote all about it in our pulse check-up. Long story short, we interviewed SEVERAL financial planners but decided not to go that route. Instead, we hired a good, well-recommended CPA and feel really good about that decision. We’re managing our money ourselves, with the CPA’s tax advice.

“Invest” in what matters: B-/C+

Here, I was thinking about the health and wellness space. Switching to cleaner products for cleaning, skin/makeup, personal hygiene, purchasing higher quality nutrient-rich foods and supporting local and sustainable brands. At mid-year, I’d given myself a higher score (B). I’ve lowered it slightly for end-of-year because I don’t think I made any real progress since that mid-year check-up. I feel we’ve done pretty good with purchasing high quality meats and produce, but we could certainly do better with cleaning products, face products, some cooking products, etc. We didn’t do terribly, but there’s room for improvement.

I’m still working on my 2026 Financial Goals, but hope to have my next post follow-up with more future-looking goals.

Do you set goals (or intentions or resolutions) for a year? If so, how did you do for 2025?

The post Ashley’s 2025 Financial Goals – Status Update appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Oh, and then the flu struck. Not me or my parents…but the kids. So we’ve been on flu watch here, but so far so good. And kids are all on the road to recovery. Terrible way to bring in the new year.

But here we are, welcome to 2026!

And my only debt to contend with is my student loans. But this is the year, this is the year, I become 100% completely debt free! So this is where we are starting.

This will be the last time I present this table. The old debts are gone. Never to be resurrected.

And this is a year of sitting still. No big plans. No big changes.

Just sitting still and staying focused.

Don’t get me wrong, things are still happening. I’m still me. And I’m sure you all won’t agree with some of my goals and plans to get there. (To be shared later.)

But first let’s recap the crazy, change filled year that was 2025…

The post Hope’s Debt Update – January, 2026 appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

In fact, I had a whole to do list for work that didn’t get touched over the last two weeks. And I’m normally super productive the last week of the year because it’s quiet. But not the case this year.

So let’s talk about all the change the happened and things that did get accomplished last year…and it was ALOT.

Personal Accomplishment

Big Move

I finally bit the bullet after years of wavering on what to do after all the kids had moved out and sold my home and moved half way across the country to live with my parents and become their caregiver. I never would have imagined it would go as well as it has. In fact, I didn’t really think this arrangement would last past the summer. But here I am and it’s going well, and really giving me some much needed stability and breathing room to get my financial and mind in order.

Paid Off a Ton of Debt

With the move and selling my house, I paid off a ton of debt. That in and of itself has been a HUGE load off my shoulders.  And gave me the freedom to really dive into saving. I saved a nest egg of $10,000 within a few months and then turning my focus to my remaining debt – my student loans.

New Hearing Aids

Also during this time, I paid cash for a big, but necessary purchase – new hearing aids. This is an on going saga, but it really felt good to be able to pay cash for such a large purchase. This is a new world for me.

Family Changes

In addition to my personal accomplishments, my little family went through a lot of big changes.

1. Gymnast got his first apartment.
2. Princess graduated college and started her corporate career in finance!
3. Beauty & Redhead (what I’ve decided to call my new son-in-law here) got married.
4. Both the twins moved to new places, broke up with long time girlfriends, and continued to make adult decisions – new cars, back to school and so much more.

There has been a lot happening. And through it all, we’ve gotten together three different times this year – Princess graduation, Beauty’s wedding, and the holidays. I am so blessed. We are so blessed.

Don’t get me wrong, parts of 2025 were so hard. But when I look back, all I can see are the blessings.

And now…it’s time to look forward with intent! Happy New Year, everyone!

The post Saying Goodbye to 2025! appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Image credit: Pixabay/Mohamed_hassan

Incorporating AI into Financial Planning

I asked ChatGPT to tell me a recommended breakdown of what percentages I should be targeting in various savings and investment vehicles. I gave it categories of: retirement account, home equity, high yield savings account (HYSA), taxable brokerage account, and cash/checking account. *I forgot to include my Health Savings Account, which is technically an asset, so that’s not included below*

Here’s what it told me and how I matched up:

• Retirement – AI recommended 50-55%. I’m at 63%. 
• Home Equity – AI recommended 25-30%. I’m only at 12%
• HYSA – AI recommended 10-15%. I’m at 19%
• Taxable Brokerage – AI recommended 10-15%. I’m only at 4%
• Cash/Checking – AI recommended 1-2%. I’m at 2%.

My Thoughts and Reflections

I’m going to work from the assumption that AI gave me some pretty good recommended guidelines. It pulls from allllllll the internet, so it’s taking into consideration all kinds of financial experts’ opinions and advice. But that’s definitely an assumption and I’m genuinely curious how others feel about the recommended guidelines.

Assuming these are good goals to shoot for, two things really stand out to me. First, I have way less in home equity than is recommended. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot I can do to change that percentage (except potentially purchasing additional real estate….which we’ve talked about in the past but have not made movements on yet). So let’s say that is relatively “fixed” and it is what it is.

The second thing to jump out at me is that I am way under-funded in taxable brokerage accounts. This makes sense. I’ve always prioritized retirement funding (especially since I get a company match!) and have had less leftover for brokerage. ChatGPT explained to me that “taxable brokerage is your ‘bridge money’ during early retirement” since most people won’t dip into traditional retirement accounts until age 59.5 due to the possibility of early withdrawal penalties. 

Chat also didn’t love that I have 21% of our entire assets in lower-yielding accounts (a checking account + HYSA). That doesn’t bother me too much though. I’m fiscally conservative. And I feel like the market is scary right now. I like the psychological safety of having a good sized cushion extremely liquid and safe from market volatility.

What do you think? Do you agree with the percentage breakdown from AI? What do you think about my percentages? What type of rebalancing would you recommend (knowing our goal is early retirement – so although we’re in our low 40’s, we don’t want to work another 20+ years)?

The post Balancing Assets appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Image credit: Pixabay/Alexas_Fotos

One of my long-term goals is to retire early. Early in my debt-reduction days, I learned about the FIRE movement and it really appealed to me. FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. The philosophy is to stay out of debt and have a high rate of savings, living below one’s means so that it’s possible to retire early.

I’ve personally had a goal to save approximately 50% of our household income. We aren’t quite there, but we’re not too far off (when you include all types of savings, including HSA and IRA contributions, etc. etc.). When saving 50% of your income, and assuming approximately the same rate of spending in retirement, 1 year of working = 1 year of saved living expenses!

With my husband’s job, he’s going to be eligible for retirement (with a pension!) at age 50. At 43 now, that finish line feels more in-sight than ever before. We’ve run the numbers and he’ll actually make MORE in retirement than he does now, so there’s literally no reason to work longer than that. He’s talked about potentially getting a side hustle or part-time job to keep busy, but it’d be more of a “for fun” job rather than a job intended to pay the bills.

At my work, I don’t get any type of pension so my only retirement money is from my own retirement account that I contribute to personally (and employer matches up to 7%). I can retire at any age, but obviously we’ll be better situated financially if I continue to work longer. That said…. I know myself. I already know that when hubs retires in 7 years…. it’s going to be tough for me to keep working full-time.

This brings me back to the FIRE concept. I was only familiar with the traditional FIRE. But, I recently learned that in addition to the standard FIRE philosophy, there’s also CoastFIRE and FatFIRE. 

All the FIREs!

Standard FIRE is when you save enough that your investments can cover your living expenses indefinitely, allowing an early retirement. People typically use the 4% rule (deducting 4% from savings/investments per year for living). Assuming this, you would calculate your planned annual spending and multiply by 25 to determine the amount needed for retirement. For example, if your annual spending is $100k/year, then you’d need $2.5 million to retire.

CoastFIRE is when you save super aggressively early in life until you hit an amount that, left untouched, will continue to grow to fully fund retirement by the time you plan to retire. Let’s say the goal is to have 3 million by age 55. If you’re able to save 1 million by age 40, you no longer have to make any contributions whatsoever. That 1 million will continue to grow and can reach 3 million by the time you’re set to retire at 55. In that way, you save aggressively early, and then you just “coast” while the interest compounds.

FatFIRE is when you want to have a higher spending standard than the traditional FIRE or CoastFIRE philosophies, which both emphasize living quite frugally in order to prioritize savings. Maybe you like to travel, have expensive hobbies, want a nicer lifestyle, or live in a higher cost-of-living area. For this philosophy, you multiply your annual spending by 30-40. Let’s say you spend $150,00/year, then you’d  need $4.5 – 6 million to retire comfortably. 

Retirement Planning

This whole concept is really intriguing to me and it’s brought up topics and questions that have been great conversation starters for hubs and I to discuss. For instance, he’s assumed that once the kids are grown, we would downsize our home to something smaller and cheaper. I assume the opposite – that we would maybe get a house with less square footage, but that we’d go a step up in terms of builder and finishes, which would likely mean it’s more expensive. (Caveat: honestly, we got our house at a great deal on a short sale, so even looking at “downsized” homes – most cost more than what we paid for our current house).

Then it becomes a question of how much do I value “lifestyle” (home and travel are my two big things) versus wanting to retire early. If I want a nicer home and want to continue traveling, then there’s realistically no way I’ll be retiring when hubs retires at 50. If I’m okay with continuing to penny-pinch and keep expenses super low, then it might be a possibility.

Right now I’m leaning toward continuing to work so we can afford the lifestyle I’d like to have in retirement. But it’s really a fun thought experiment and has led to really great financial conversations about our goals, where we want to be, etc.

What do you think? Does the FIRE movement appeal to you? If so, which one?

The post Catching FIRE: Early Retirement Possibilities appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

My dad has been very gracious to allow us here, especially the dogs. And he’s great at helping with them when I’m away from the house. (No doggy door here.) In fact, he kept Cali here while I travelled for Beauty’s wedding – his idea, not mine.

After trying dietary changes, schedule changes, nothing was working. Since switching to homemade food again…no more accidents.

The Details

Each batch of food is costing me around $12-15. And they last for 4-5 days. So it will end up costing me a little more than the Iams kibble they’ve been eating. But no more clean…priceless!

They are getting a variety of chicken, carrots, peas, spinach, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and eggs for the most part. Then I have a food topper, two of them, that makes sure they are getting all the nutrients I might have missed with the recipes I am doing. I’ll probably add some beef in soon, but we are making sure it works for their tummies first.

Business?

My dad sees me doing this. Has already commented on the improvement in the dogs health and asks why I don’t make it a business. Of course, I had to share that I had thought of that…but it’s too regulated. So I just do it for my dogs. But I thoroughly enjoy it.

The post Return to Homemade Dog Food appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

My Arizona “Christmas Cactus” that I had up last year by Thanksgiving.

My Mom and Stepdad are coming out this year to visit for Thanksgiving. This is only the second time ever (in the nearly 20 years of living out of state) that they have come to visit for the holiday! I am thrilled to be hosting and beyond thrilled to be able to celebrate the holiday with family!

That being said, the planner-inside started getting a little crazy with planning. Before I knew it, I had a mile-long menu of all the foods I wanted to make. Add to that the fact that Christmas keeps starting earlier and earlier. It feels like half our neighborhood already has lights and yard decor up and I was starting to stress myself out over the fact that we haven’t even started.

When I was complaining to my husband over the weekend about all my stresses over my “must do’s” he pointed out that a lot of my stress was self-imposed. Yes, we’ll be “hosting”…. but there are only 6 of us in total. I don’t need to make enough food to feed an army!

And there’s no need to decorate for Christmas this early. That might be a fun activity to start decorating together the Friday after Thanksgiving. I’ve lived away from home nearly my entire adult life, so it would be a special treat to do some of this together!

And overall, I was just getting ahead of myself. Yes, it feels like the weeks have been flying by – I can’t believe Thanksgiving is almost upon us! But there’s no need to rush the holiday. It’s perfectly fine if we don’t put up Christmas decor until November 28-29th (or – GASP! – wait until December 6-7).

I think sometimes social media creates this unnecessary pressure to do things earlier or to keep up with neighbor’s nearly perfect displays by doing more or bigger than previous years. But I don’t want to lose focus on what really matters most – the family time. I don’t want to spoil that by imposing all this pressure for things to be “perfect.” I’m just happy to be having the time together.

How are you spending Thanksgiving this year? What’s on your Thanksgiving menu?

The post Holidays: Back to the Basics appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Recent History

I’ve known I needed new hearing aids for a little over a year now. The ones I have used for the last 3-4 years, also can’t remember, were not strong enough. And one of them stopped holding a charge for more than an hour. Became unbearable.

In August, I went to Sam’s Club and got a hearing test. And priced their hearing aids. Audiologist there referred me to an ENT after a plethora of tests indicating some unusual disconnects.

In September, finally got in to see an ENT. They required me to meet with their audiologist before meeting with the doctor. The two tests showed exactly the same results, with the questionable disconnects.

After doctor did some additional tests, he indicated that there is damage to the bones inside my ears. And that I could have surgery to repair them. But it wouldn’t restore my hearing, I’d still have to hearing aids for the rest of my life, but it would slow down the progression…maybe. I quickly opted out of the surgery option.

I met with their audiologist again and ordered the recommended hearing aids. But they would take a month to come in…so they graciously loaned me a pair for Beauty’s wedding.

New Hearing Aids

After I returned from Georgia, I got my new hearing aids. They were $4,600. The latest and greatest. They were one step down from the ones they had let me borrow.

I wore them for 29 days. I had 30 days to test them.

Overall, they were good. I could hear great, even in restuarants which I haven’t been able to hear in for almost a decade now.

HOWEVER…

At church and music concerts, no matter the volume or program, they had a staticy white noise, that hurt my ears. Nothing I tried would stop it. So I ended up having to turn them all in those situations.

At a check in, about two weeks in, I shared the experience with the audiologist and she was going to work with the manufacturer to figure it out…

I never heard back from her.

So I returned them 1 day before my review period ended. I will get a full refund.

More New Hearing Aids

The same day I returned them, I went to see the initial Sam’s Club audiologist. I trust him.

Told him my needs. And said I just don’t want to spend that kind of money for something that I am already having trouble with.

Now I am wearing a pair of $2,000 hearing aids, with a $250 upgrade to have rechargeable batteries. And I have until February to see if they do the trick…

It’s a process. But I want to spend the least to get what I needed. And I’m willing to test them out until I find the right fit.

(Oh, one more note, Dad bought me a pair of the Amazon hearing aids, around $200. They are TERRIBLE, don’t work at all for me. But we tried.)

I will keep you posted…

The post The Hearing Aid Saga…continues appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

I don’t anticipate I will pay any more this month even though I do anticipate additional monies coming in. But I’ve learned better than to count my chickens before they hatch so I’m planning conservatively. And should be able to pay more than my goal of $2,000 per month next month.

Not Unexpected, but Unknown

I do have some expenses this next month that I am not sure of, so being cautious until I figure them out. They are:

1. Transfer the registration of my car to Texas. I’ve decided to bite the bullet and make that change. It would have only cost me $25 to maintain my Georgia registration (it renews on your birthday every year and mine is next month.) Although, I have a legal residence in Georgia still, I don’t anticipate a return to live there any time soon. (And it’s my daughter’s apartment so I wouldn’t live there anyways.)
2. Transfer my business LLC to Texas. In the long run, this should save me some money since Texas doesn’t have a state income tax unlike Georgia, but I know there will be some costs associated. Technically, I could hold off on this until 2026, but am preparing for it.
3. Update my legal residence with my insurance. I don’t know how this will affect my insurance rate. Princess just got her own policy, so now it’s just me. I paid my 6 month premium in full so I’ll either get a refund or owe a bit more. Not sure.
4. Source new health insurance. I’ve decided to make a move with my health insurance as well. The cost of my existing plan, even removing Princess, will quadruple in January. And since both Gymnast and I are living in Texas, need to find one that can serve us here. (Sidenote: He is going back to school in January. In fact, he’s taking his placement test as I write this. Woot!)
5. Switch my driver’s license. Again, not unexpected. Just not sure of associated costs.

I’ve had all these things on my budget with ??? not knowing the costs. But I’m going to bite the bullet next month and get them all done.

The post Hope’s Debt Update – Student Loans appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Image source: They Worthy Goods/Upsplash

It’s that time of year again – time to enroll in benefits for 2026. It is likely our last year to enroll in benefits through my job. We’ve decided next year to switch to insurance through hub’s job. But for now, things will remain mostly status quo.

We elect a high deductible plan and make contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA), taking advantage of the fact that my employer invests some funds on our behalf, too.

But one thing is changing this year relative to the past. 

I believe last year was the first year that we maxed out our HSA contributions. Prior to that, we only contributed enough to meet our deductible and we pretty much used up the entire HSA every year for qualified medical expenses.

And this year was the first time (sometime mid-year-ish when we were interviewing all the financial advisors and accountants) that we really started looking at our HSA as an investment vehicle instead of a savings account. As a savings account, I always used my HSA card to pay for any qualifying medical expense. I loved that it didn’t impact my normal budget!

However, when meeting with various financial advisors and CPAs, we realized we were really missing out on some tax benefits of the HSA. A Health Savings Account is the only triple tax advantage account offered in the U.S. It allows for:

• Pre-tax contributions: The money invested in our HSA comes out of my paycheck pre-tax so it doesn’t count as “income” for federal income tax, medicare tax, or social security.
• Tax-free investment growth: Once funded, the money in an HSA can be invested and any interest grows tax-free.
• Tax-free withdrawals: When withdrawals are taken, the funds must be used to pay for qualified medical expenses, but they are never seen as “income” or taxed as such.

I’d primarily been using my HSA as a way to pay for medical bills. But that means I’m leaving a lot of money on the table (metaphorically) and missing out on the tax-free growth over time.

After meeting with CPAs and talking with hubs, we decided to change up how we handled our HSA and start treating it like an investment vehicle. We will continue to max out our contributions on an annual basis. But now whenever we have medical expenses, I pay for them with our normal accounts and simply track and manage receipts. I have a file of medical receipts and each are logged into a spreadsheet. The plan, now, is to let our HSA money grow tax-free.

Toward that end, I’ve started investing our HSA funds through higher-yield investments. About twice a year, I plan to transfer money from the HSA through my employer (Optum) over to Fidelity, where the rest of my retirement and other investments are stored. I opened an HSA through Fidelity because 1) I like the simplicity of keeping money with the same financial institution, and 2) it’s easier for me to invest, and with lower fees than Optum offers. Now, I get to sit back and watch the money grow with the peace of mind that it’s there if we need it (if something catastrophic happens that we can’t afford from our normal budget), but that otherwise, we can take tax-free withdrawals when we’re in retirement.

This works well for two reasons.

First, it almost becomes another stream of income in retirement. Yes, it can only be used to pay for qualifying medical expenses. However, there’s no time limit on reimbursement. That means medical expenses we incur now (in 2025) can be reimbursed 10-20 years down the road. In the meantime, we’d paid for those expenses with our personal checking/savings, so the money reimburses us for past medical expenses. In this way, it’s like a tax-free stream of income.

Second, I actually like the fact that this creates some clerical work (tracking medical receipts, keeping a spreadsheet, etc.). I’m training my 13-year-old girls to do this legwork for me! I think it’s teaching them a valuable skill (bookkeeping) that could help them in the future. And additionally, because I now have an LLC and would like to pay my girls to help me, this type of personal assistant task is perfect for them, and frees me up to spend my time working on business tasks versus doing the bookkeeping myself. Right now my girls are still in the “training” phase, but I’m really excited for when I can just hand them a receipt and they can fully handle it for me (I’m a bit OCD about record-keeping, so it’s a complicated process consisting of photographing the receipt and adding it to a shared digital folder, and cataloging the expense in a spreadsheet with information about the expense, date of service, person being treated, etc., and then filing the physical receipt in a filing cabinet).

At any rate, if anyone else is like me and has had a Health Savings Plan in the past but never really used it to its full tax-advantage, you might consider making some changes in the new year to allow that money to grow (versus spending it).

Are you making any changes through Open Enrollment for next year? 

The post Changes with my HSA 2026 appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

One of the first things I did when I moved here was get a library card. I read voraciously. All the time. Daily. Multiple books per week. Constantly. You get the point.

While I much prefer a book in hand, with all the moving and traveling, not to mention late fees if you don’t return it on time, I’ve learned that digital access is much more conducive to my lifestyle. So now, I only do digital checkout.

Here’s what I discovered as I presented myself and my piece of mail to get a library card. They have a Maker Space! And it’s free to use!

What is a Maker Space?

This is what Google had to say when I asked it that question:
“A makerspace is a collaborative workspace, often found in schools, libraries, or community centers, where people can gather to share tools and resources to create, invent, and learn. These spaces provide access to a wide variety of tools, from high-tech equipment like 3D printers and laser cutters to more traditional crafts and materials, fostering a hands-on, “learning by doing” environment. They encourage creative problem-solving and the development of skills in areas like STEM, digital fabrication, and entrepreneurship. “

Not my library’s space but it’s very similar to this.

And they offer free classes…every single week! This just makes my arts and crafts heart so excited.

They have laser cutters, 3 D printers, sewing machines, Circuits and so much more. You can reserve time to use the space for your own projects or take one of their many classes.

I took a laser cutting class. Gymnast and I went to a class where we made shadow boxes with electric circuits and lights, and this week I’m taking a book making class.

Free, fun…good for all ages! (We did not have this at our local library in teeny, tiny town Georgia.) Check out your local library. (And yes, definitely a tool I’m using as I approach this Christmas, giving season!)

The post Maker Space – Free at Your Library appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

This is the balance as of today.

And today, I scheduled an extra $400 payment. That was my overage last month after all my regularly budgeted items plus hitting my $10K goal in savings.

The Plan

I will continue to put $130 into my various investment accounts and savings accounts every week. This is broken down as: $50 into high interest savings and $80 into investment accounts. Those are on auto-draft.

All monies outside of my regularly budgeted items will then be poured into my student loan debt. Looking at the past few months, that should end up being a minimum $2,000 per month to my student loans. As I’m writing this, I realize that I have not shared my updated budget. I’ll get that shared in the next week or so.

Work

Work continues to go well. Most of my work for the past 6 months has come from 3 main client and a handful of small projects. I’m currently working on applications for a number of other small clients/projects. And have two smaller projects to complete this month in addition to my ongoing work from my 3 primary clients.

I’m enjoying a very nice work/life balance for the first time in a really long time. In the past it has always seemed I had too much or too little work. Now I am enjoying staying busy and earning a good living, but having the time and capacity for a life. In addition to ongoing caretaking for my mom and supporting my dad, I’ve found a church I love, joined a couple of women’s Bible studies, and signed up for a number of free classes at the local library. This week I’m going to a book making class.

Life is good.

The post Hope’s Debt Update – November, 2025 appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Today, I wanted to talk about budgeting for home improvement projects.

Since moving into our house just over 5 years ago, we’ve made it a goal to do one or two small projects each year (usually $2,000 or less). Past projects include adding astroturf to our backyard, installing solar screens to help with electricity (and protect us from the Arizona heat!), and replacing our too-small water heater with a tankless option. These were done gradually across time, and usually paid for with a “third paycheck” month, so the cost didn’t disrupt our regular budget.

That system has worked well, but lately I’ve been wondering whether we should intentionally set money aside for these projects each year. We already have a house “emergency fund” for major issues like an HVAC replacement or roof repair, but I see that as separate from smaller planned upgrades.

One part of me thinks – “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Why complicate something thats working?

The other part of me thinks – “What if we want to take on something bigger that isn’t an emergency?” The thing that comes to mind is replacing our downstairs flooring. Currently it’s a mix of tile and carpet and both are in pretty rough shape. We have several cracked tiles (from the home settling) and the carpet is pretty beat up from dogs and kids. I’m not rushing out to make any flooring changes right away (frankly, the price tag scares me!), but it’s something I think about – especially if we plan to stay here another 5 years (which is our current plan).

When I did some googling, I learned there’s no “one” answer for how much people spend on home improvement annually. This one article suggests the average is about $9,000 per year. Then I googled what Dave Ramsey says. I’m not a 100% Ramsey-follower, but his debt aversive thought process appeals to me. According to Ramsey, no more than 25% of your budget should go toward household expenses, including mortgage, property taxes, insurance, and any home improvements or upgrades, combined. Using that as a guide, we have some room to start saving for future projects, if we want.

So now I’m curious – what do you do?

Do you plan and budget for home improvements that occur regularly across time? Do you live with things as-is and then tackle everything before selling? With my first home, we did almost nothing until the end, when we spent thousands fixing it up for sale. It would have been nice to enjoy some of those upgrades while we still lived there!

With house (and husband) #2, we’ve taken a slower, more intentional approach. We make small improvements we can all enjoy now. Replacing the water heater, for example, made a huge difference in our daily lives! No longer racing to be first to shower so the heat didn’t run out? Priceless! You mean we can shower AND run the dishwasher AND a load of laundry at the same time? Amazing! It’s been worth every penny and I’m glad we did it when we did so we can actually enjoy the benefit!

For homeowners looking for guidance on which projects provide the best return on investment, working with experienced local professionals, like Earnest, can help plan upgrades that are both practical and value-boosting.

So please chime in – how does your family handle home improvements? Do you budget and plan across time, wait until selling, or fix things just as problems arise? I’d love to hear how others approach this!

The post Budgeting for Home Improvement Projects appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

We are know for our crazy family photos so this is just par for the course for us. I ended up wearing the dress on the bottom left of the photo. Cost $59.

The overall winner of the vote, including both my daughters and the bridesmaids would have had me wearing the blue and white floral. That was hands down the favorite. But Beauty had the final say and while she initially chose the blue and white, she ended up wanting me to wear the navy for two reasons 1) it was longer and 2) it balance the bridesmaids wearing solids and patterned.

The Other Results

The most expensive dress of the options was the top right. It was just over $140. Whereas the blue and white floral was the cheapest coming in at $24.

My favorite was the bottom middle one at $37, but it wasn’t right for the wedding. I am keeping it for some upcoming events where I need to dress up a bit more.

All the dresses were returned before I left for the wedding except the blue and white, which I thought I would wear, the navy I wore, and my favorite. I may return the blue and white as it is more of a summery dress. But we will see when I get back to Texas.

Bare Foot for the win!

All of the bridal party went barefoot for the wedding. It was in my grandparents yard and the weather was perfect so barefoot was perfect. (Even the bride was barefoot.) We then slipped on shoes to walk down to a public park for pictures (as seen above) and I forgot to take off my shoes…ugh!

The post Dress Shopping Reveal appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Taking Stuff Back to Texas

My car is quite packed because I picked up a number of things from storage since I’m not sure when I will be back this way. I got a big tub full of clothes. I’ve been living out of a suitcase since May and with the changing seasons, it will be nice to have some more clothes. I got all my books – 2 small boxes and 2 small bags. I’m not a book hoarder; I tend to read them and get rid of them with few exceptions so this will give me something to do in my “free” time.

I also picked up my crafting stuff. There’s not much left of it, but I want to make some Christmas gifts, and figured I could use it up rather than buy more. Thankfully, I had the foresight to label everything well, so grabbing these items was easy to do. And was alot of fun to do with the kids.

I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to sleep in my car on the route back, but I think I’ve got enough space although it will be tighter than usual.

Christmas Stuff Dispersed

While we were in the storage unit, the kids all grabbed some stuff they wanted. From clothes to Christmas decor, I was ready to purge some more. The two girls divided my Christmas stuff – the tree and recently purchased decor went to Beauty and Princess took more of the sentimental items that came from the family. The twins and Princess also raided my clothes taking sweatshirts, winter items, etc.

We did a lot of reminiscing as things brought back memories. It was a good time. And it was good to be reminded of the things I had kept.

Purpose Found

I know my purpose for the first time in years. Many who’ve been around know that I have really struggled mentally since my kiddos started leaving the nest. Figuring out who I am outside of “mom” has been a really tough challenge for me. But I feel like I know where I’ve supposed to be for now. In Texas, with my parents. They need the help. And perhaps this was God’s plan all along, I just didn’t recognize it.

But I know that caring for my parents is where I am supposed to be for now. Until they no longer need me, I plan to stick.

It’s been nice to have that clarity.

The post Back on the Road appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

2026 is going to be here before you know it. Before I know it.

Q4 Plans

This is the list I’ve come up with for this last quarter of the year to set me up for success going into 2026:

1. Decide what I’m going to do about my state of residence.
2. Research health insurance options for Gymnast and I going into 2026 – this is tied to #1. I have to make that decision first. Two sidenotes one this: 1) Gymnast is going back to school in January – woot! 2) All of my oldest children are now employed full time with full benefits – woot, woot! Proud mama!
3. Identify a black friday and new year offer to “sell”.
4. Health (weight loss oriented) plan.
5. Implement a new CRM for my various websites.

These do not include my focused financial goals of:

1. Saving $10K in my high interest account.
2. Paying off my student loans.

There are no changes to those plans.

Other Items

There are lots of other personal to dos that my dad and I have discussed that need to get addressed specifically with his end of life planning. He and my mom set everything up when my mom was diagnosed 8 years ago. But things have changed.

And he’s made some decisions for him and his health now that we need to 1) discuss and make sure everything is aware of his wishes, and 2) get things lined out with the VA to make sure we are able to facilitate those decisions when the time comes.

We have definitely learned the hard way that working with the VA for him to receive his benefits and care can be very challenging. We want to prioritize navigating those now while he can answer the required questions and knows where all his discharge papers, etc. can be found.

And I need to set up some end of life plans and a will as well. Really want to get these items addressed over the next quarter.

Do you have some end of 2025 goals you want to achieve?

The post Last Quarter Goals appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

My girls are in 8th grade this year and our U.S. readers may (or may not) be aware, but that’s the year when children from across the country travel to Washington D.C. for a field trip. My girls have had overnight field trips in the past (last year they went to the Catalina Island Marine Institute – such a cool experience!), but this is a big one. Not just in terms of the distance….but in terms of the cost!

For this academic year, the price of the field trip is $3,000 per child (and $3,400 if a parent wants to join as a chaperone)! I have twins, so that price tag is $6,000 for my two daughters, for four days/3 nights in Washington D.C. Where, by the way, pretty much all the museums are free.

Insert:  mind-blown emoji.

I want my kids to have the educational experience of visiting D.C. But we don’t need the social aspect of the field trip (like I said, they’ve had other overnight field trips before, so they’re not deprived!), and we certainly do NOT need the enormous price tag.

So the thought occurred to me….I bet I can do it for cheaper!

DIY Field Trip Planning

Once the idea took root, I really started to run with it! We live in Arizona. It’s quite a hike to get to D.C. And if we’re all the way over there anyway…..why not also jump on a train up to N.Y.C. and let the girls see the city for a couple days, too?

And that’s exactly what we’ll do.

Even more fun – it will be a girl’s trip! I’m planning to take my girls to D.C where my mom will meet us for 5 days (4 nights), then just my daughters and I will board a train up to NYC for an additional couple days (2 nights) before flying back to Arizona.

My goal is for the *entire* trip to cost less than $6,000 – the price if I were to send just my two girls on their 8th grade field trip. Only there will be 3 of us, a longer timeframe, and two cities! Can we do it?

Here’s my budget breakdown:

Some of the numbers are known costs because I’ve already booked the things (e.g., flights, hotels, train, D.C. night tour). Others are estimated costs.

Food – I’ve estimated at $200/day (approx $67/person per day). We won’t be drinking alcohol, and will mostly dine at casual dining type of places. I also plan to pack some snacks with me for the travel days.

NYC Tourism – I’ve estimated $500 for a statue of liberty and 9/11 tour (based on Viator pricing), and one of the girls’ top wish list items is to see a Broadway show, so I’ve estimated approximately $650 for that (tickets are expensive!!!). Much of our tourism will be just walking around through Central Park and Times Square, too.

Souvenirs – I’m budgeting $150. I collect Christmas ornaments and coffee mugs so I’ll get one from each city. I’ll give the girls $25/each (out of this budget), but if they go over they’ll have to use their own spending money.

A note about the D.C. Hotel – it’s so cheap because I’m splitting it with my Mom and she picked up more of the cost.

All-in, the total comes right out to my $6,000 budget. And I’m hoping there’s a little bit of padding in my estimated NYC tourism costs (meaning, I hope it will actually be less than these estimated figures).

I’m a bit worried about food. I googled estimated costs for food in these cities and $60/person per day was at the lower end of the spectrum, so this would definitely be going cheap, but I think we can do it.

What are your thoughts on the feasibility of my budget? 

Have you ever skipped an “official” school trip and planned your own version instead? Did it save you money?

It’s been so fun to have this little challenge for myself, and I can’t wait to experience DC and NYC with my girls! I have been to NYC once before, when I was 15, only two years before 9/11. I’m looking forward to returning with my kids this time to experience the magic of the city!

The post Challenge: Can I Do It Cheaper? appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

And this morning, everyone flew out to return home.

I remain at my grandmother’s house until tomorrow to get it all cleaned up. I will pick up Addie from the kennel and hit the road tomorrow afternoon to spend one more night at my younger daughter’s place in Atlanta before I began meandering road trip back to Texas.

Today I will rest. And go to my storage unit to pick up the things I need to take back with me…

1. Winter clothes or at least something fall-y, Texas doesn’t typically get cold.
2. Some books.
3. Craft supplies.

I made sure to leave plenty of my car for the return trip to take back some stuff. As of now, I don’t have any plans to return to Georgia, so trying to think future.

After the last week, I need this down day. Desperately.

What’s Next

After I get back to my parents I have one month until Beauty and her husband Redhead arrive for Thanksgiving. During that month, I have one big goal…clean out the “catch all” room. The closet is piled high with boxes full of paperwork and ??  and we’ve just kind of piling things in their that don’t have a home.

The goal is to have the room guest ready before they arrive. Outside of the garage and my mom’s closet, it’s the last space in the house that I have not cleaned out and rearranged.

So for today, I will rest. Retrieve the list of things I’ve compiled from my storage unit. And finish getting ready to head back to Texas tomorrow.

Can’t wait to share the wedding pics…or at least a few of them!

The post Phew…a day of Rest! appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

But I’m so excited to have all my kiddos here for 48 hours. I’m headed down to Atlanta today to shuttle them back tonight. We will all spend the night at my grandmother’s house.

Outside of working this week, I’ve made several trips back and forth to Beauty’s house to tote things for the wedding over so it’s ready for tomorrow’s set up. (She and Redhead live about 40 minutes from here.)

Who knew how emotional and stressful a wedding can be?!? Another argument in my book for why I never wanted one. I just wasn’t one of those girls who ever dreamed of or planned a wedding. (Yes, I know this isn’t about me. It’s all about Beauty; these are just my thoughts and takeaways. I am 100% here to support Beauty’s vision and dream.)

Beauty has done soo much work. She’s got such a clear vision of what she wants. And I am so impressed with how it’s all coming together.

Contingency Plan

We have had some scary moments, but we’ve been able to handle them quickly without too many arguments or meltdowns.

1. The photographer cancelled last minute. Thankfully, I was able to get the photographer I’ve used for our family photos, the kids senior pics, and even Beauty’s bridal shower, so crisis averted. The challenge is that the photographer is not returning their deposit until after the wedding, so small panic mode, but we figured out how to handle.
2. Due to them being incapacitated due to the wreck, some of the design pieces that they were going to do themselves had to be changed. The florist, one of my childhood friends, and our church family has been amazing at stepping up to help us pivot and get it in line with her vision.

It seems like every day has brought us a “emergency” to handle, but we got here, and I believe we are about ready.

The post Everyone Arrives Today appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Addie and I left last Saturday evening to begin our trip to Georgia. Car camping along the way. I have new blackout curtains for the 5 windows that my dad helped me fit properly with duct tape and some magnets we found in my mom’s sewing supplies as I’ve been purging the different rooms in the house. (Previously I only had the front sun windshield cover.)

We drove through Arkansas and Missouri to start. Taking mostly back roads and exploring places I’d never been. I typically try to sleep at rest areas, but with using mostly back roads and small highways, rest areas were not easy to find. Therefore, we had to spend nights at truck tops more often. Which is fine. I feel safe there, the bathrooms are clean, and many now have dog parks.

I experienced my first Love’s Truck Stop shower. And here’s how it went…

Screenshot

It was large and clean. Quick and easy to book and access using their app. And they supplied everything I needed although I couldn’t determine the difference between the soap dispensers in the shower. I believe one was supposed to be body wash and one shampoo? But no idea which was which.

I took these pictures as I walked in the door. So you could share the experience just as I did. The water was hot. There was no wait at this time. And no time limit that I could discern. After a few days in the car and just sponge baths, a long hot shower was magical.

Additional Costs

I packed lots of food and a cooler full of drinks. Outside of a splurge for a Buc-ee’s brisket sandwich (~$9) and a bag of ice  ($1.50) to replenish the cooler and my water bottles, and now my $17 shower, I’ve not really spent any money.

I ended up leaving Missouri, back tracking a bit, and then went through Memphis. It wasn’t my planned route. But lots of thoughts and considerations rolling around in my head which re-routed me a bit to see some clients along the way.

I would up in Atlanta at Princess house late Thursday. We had plans with my aunt and uncle Friday night. And then I moved to my Grandmother’s house in the tiny town where we used to live on Saturday night. I’ll stay here until after the wedding.

The post Truck Stop Bathroom appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

But my daughter’s wedding…and being the Matron of Honor, I had to step it up. Last week, I did a mini fashion show during a family dinner to get some guidance from my family.

Any guesses on what they voted on?

In the end, I sent this picture to both my girls. Their vote was unanimous. In fact, across the board, one was a decided favorite with the second place being varied.

I ended up keeping 3 of the dresses. If I don’t wear one to the wedding, it will get returned, but I will keep the other two.

The Cost

I can tell you that one of these dresses cost as much as the other 5 altogether. Any guess on what the most expensive dress of the set was? I can tell you that it was not the one selected. And frankly, the cost was the primary reason I went hunting for alternates. Two of these dresses are from TikTok shop, three are from Amazon, and one is from a local department store.

The dress that I will most likely wear in the wedding cost me $29. Any guesses?

And thankfully, I get to go barefoot, so no shoes were purchased. I did bring a nicer pair for the reception, but will go barefoot for the wedding itself. Yeah! But I am supposed to wear pearls, thinking that will be a Walmart purchase.

I do know this…if I ever get married again, I will not have a big wedding. Not even a medium wedding. And I will wear whatever I am comfortable in versus a wedding dress. I’d like to say I’ll wear jeans, but I think even I would acquiesce and wear some sort of dress.

The post Wedding Dress Shopping appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

Work continues to go well. It was kind of fun to get this email from Upwork where I’ve gotten a bunch of work over the last several years.

It’s definitely a whole new world when there are no kids activities or travel plans. I rarely leave the house these days during the week. Working 12+ hours a day between work and caretaking. But I’m content and focused. It’s a new phase that I am learning to embrace.

After this trip to GA for Beauty’s wedding, I have no travel plans at all. That may be the first time ever.

Diversify

I’m pretty maxed out on the hours I can handle for work now. As much as I would love to grow and make more money. I’m really tapped. Now I’ve got to figure out some ways to get work, but not have to be so actively involved in the production. I have no desire to set up and run an agency.

Using my car time to roll some ideas around in my head and identify some logistics steps to take to become more efficient and effective with my existing work.

Balancing Work and Life

I’m driving 4 hours per day, working 5 hours per day, and trying my best to get 10K steps every day. (Addie (my dog) and I are taking a meandering route to and from Georgia to give myself a break.) Then I’ll have 10 days in Georgia where I’ll work, get some doctors appointments in, see my girls, and help out with the wedding. I’m only taking two days off during this three week period. And those are solely for the wedding.

I know the email from Upwork is kind of corny. But to be honest, it just felt good to get this stupid simple “atta boy” of recognition for an accomplishment I can be proud of. As a contractor those don’t come around very often.

The post $100,000 milestone appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

The hearing aids have been ordered. Actually, I have a couple of pairs ordered, going to try some cheaper ones out along with the ones prescribed by the ENT. As a result of their cost, September and October are light on debt payments and money moving into savings accounts. I’m using a borrowed pair now to make it through the weeks of my wedding trip travel.  (They are on loan by ENT office.)

Debt Update

I had planned to get my debt update out this past week, but it seems like every time I try to access the student loan site, it’s down or inaccessible. Not sure what’s going on.

So I don’t have my debt number, but I can tell you that I paid exactly $307 toward my students loan last month.

Savings Update

While I’ve continued to move $50 per week into my high interest savings account and $70 per week into my investment account through the month of September, I’ve made no additional big moves to savings.

Essentially holding onto all the cash I can in preparation for my hearing aid purchase.

As of today, I have $8,323 in my Ally account, $1,000 in my local EF, and $1,978 in my investment accounts (includes my ROTH IRA).

Plan

I mentioned in a previous post that my goal is to get $10,000 in my Ally account and then focus solely on paying off my remaining student loans. I hope to get back to that plan late in October or early in November as soon as I’ve paid for my hearing aids. They should be in around the middle of October when I return from Georgia.

But for the next couple of weeks…I’m going to enjoy a meandering road trip to and from Georgia, and a week in town with my girls around the wedding.

The post Hope’s Debt Update – September, 2025 appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

I just had my ten year anniversary at work and it hit me – I remember blogging when I was first offered my position! That means I have been blogging here for over 10 years, too!

It’s a wild thing to consider. On the one hand I’m like, “Dang, 10 years of debt repayment and I’m still here. Still not finished!” On the other hand, I’m so proud of how far I’ve come and all I’ve accomplished in that time.

So today I thought it would be fun to take a trip down “memory lane.” For newer readers, it’s also a little context into where I started and  how far I’ve come!

Quick caveat – at one point the blog ownership changed hands and some of my old posts are no longer available. When available, I’ll link directly to the articles in case you want to read more. My apologies that some of the earliest ones are gone.

2014 – Where It All Began

I “interviewed” for a Blogger position here by writing My Debt Story back in February 2014. By March, I’d been selected as one of the bloggers. (That original post isn’t available anymore, but I talk about starting my Debt-Reduction Mission in this old post, circa 2015)

When I first started blogging, I had nearly $150,000 in debt – the vast majority (just over $100k) in student loans. This blog and its readers were a great accountability network for me! I ended up paying off over $10,000 in credit card debt in just my first 3 months as a blogger!

In total, I paid off just over $25,000 of debt in 2014, just over $26,000 of debt in 2015, and over $30,000 of debt in 2016!!! Another major milestone was becoming Consumer Debt-Free in 2016! We still owed medical debts and student loans, but it was such an amazing feeling to pay off my car in full!

By early 2017, we  (FINALLY) hit the half-way point in our debt-reduction journey.

2017 – The Backward Slope Began

Then things stalled. It felt like one step forward, two steps back in terms of debt reduction. I didn’t share it at the time, but my then-husband and I were struggling in our marriage. Money was a big source of conflict.

It’s tough to look back at my 3.5 Years Into Debt Repayment: Reflections & Looking Ahead post. I was filled with so much hope, and yet things were not going well. Our debt started creeping up again.

We separated in 2018 and for a while I couldn’t make progress at all. Between legal costs and being financially responsible for two homes (my rental and our marital home), debt continued to increase.

Eventually, I had to step away. I focused on my kids and cleaning up my life and returned to blogging in 2022.

So Much Life Has Happened Since I’ve Been Blogging!

I landed my full-time job in 2015!

I separated (and later divorced) in 2018.

I developed Chronic Kidney stones and subsequently was diagnosed with Kidney Disease in 2019 (one particularly bad case of kidney stones left me hospitalized with sepsis!)

I met my “person” and re-married in 2020.

I suffered some major losses – my Dad was diagnosed with Frontal Temporal Degeneration (Bruce Willis’ disease) in 2015, dying just this year (2025), and my brother unexpectedly passed away in 2021. This all caused me to change my view of the debt payoff process.

I continued to set strong financial goals – especially the desire to pay off my new-to-me car (which I’d bought during my time away from blogging), but I became more focused on savings than on paying off my student loans.

I paid off my car, officially becoming consumer debt free (again) in October 2023!

We adopted a second dog in 2024 and we went on a dream vacation as a family to Hawaii in Summer 2025. 

That pretty much brings us up to date! 

You can catch-up on my 2025 Goals, and a mid-year status check as well.

Thoughts and Reflections

Things are so vastly different now than 10 years ago when I was a newby blogger! At that point, I was drowning in debt up to my eyeballs! Now, I get to track our monthly net worth (which is no longer negative! lol) and consider things like what to do with a raise, finding a financial advisor, and what to do with an inheritance. 

There have been some tough times, but I’ve been so, so blessed as well.

Thank you to everyone who’s cheered me on, offered advice, or given tough love in the comments over the years. I know I’m still about a year away from being fully debt-free (my original target debt-free date was 2018 – ooof!). But I’ve lived so much life in these past ten years, and I’ve come to understand the importance of balance and of changing courses when necessary.

This may be a little sappy or “woo woo” for some, but I really believe we each have lessons we are supposed to learn in life that are specific to us alone. One of mine has been that it’s okay to let go of some dreams in order to make room for others. My personality is such that I will try repeatedly to jam that square peg into a round hole and WILL NOT GIVE UP! 

With age and maturity, I’ve learned that it’s not a sign of weakness or lack of character to let these things go. Instead, it may be a mark of courage, and wisdom, and growth.

What about you? Looking back over the past decade, what’s one financial decision (big or small) that changed your life the most?

The post 10 Years of Debt Repayment – A Look Back appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

This was brought to mind when I saw this graphic online, and was like “Yes!” And sadly, this is the story of my life. Yes, I know, I know.

Senior Year Win

I’m not sure I’ve shared this story before. It’s about the evolution of Princess education and how she ended up with a Bachelor’s of Finance. Yes, I know this has nothing to do with my debt journey, but I would say that my children had a pretty solid education on what not to do financially from me. Coupled with an education about the nuances of personal finance – budget, forecasting, credit score – as I learned about them.

But it was her senior year of high school when she ended up in a high school economics class that her vision of finances really broadened and became real world. I am pretty sure it was a required course. Last semester of her senior year.

I have no idea who the teacher was, but I am so grateful for her. She had the kids “buy” stocks and track them and report on them and research them and discuss them. Princess fell in love.

She had already been accepted to college as an engineering major. But before the semester was over (high school), she had contacted the college to change her desired major to economics.

Freshman Year Change

We had already planned her college route. Get the basics out of the way, and then focus on the major classes at the end. But sophomore year, she was in gen ed money related class. And that professor altered her path after meeting with her during office hours a few times. He identified her aptitude, inquisitiveness, and basic financial competence, and recommended she join the college club affectionately referred to as SMIF, Student Managed Investment Fund.

Through that experience, she once again changed her major from economics to finance and the rest is history. Through SMIF, she was able to travel to New York several times for competitions, was exposed a corporate world that both challenged and embraced her, and built her confidence in presenting, researching, and growth in ways I never could have imagined.

What’s next for her…

I’m so grateful that she is already so much further ahead than me in her knowledge of finance. And I’m especially grateful that one of my brothers is also in the corporate finance world so she’s had someone we trust to guide her, understand what she’s talking about, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. She’s now completed her onboarding training in the commercial banking world as an analyst, and is loving her job.

The post Financial Education Failure appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

We’ve gotten that we clear off the table bi-weekly when the family comes for dinner. But we just pick the piles up, and pile them on a bed in an extra bedroom. I told dad this week as we were doing that yet again. That I don’t know what I agree to this. Because once I return from my wedding trip to Georgia, I’m going to have to tackle that room. It will be piled high with randomness and the closet is already full of boxes of paperwork, sentimental items, and things they never unpacked when they moved here over a decade ago.

The Decision Framework

“Honor the story, protect the space.” The goal is to keep visible, curated history-without losing the room to cardboard time capsules.

Two Power Stations

This is my plan for October, leading up to the holidays and the kids coming. Because we will need all the extra beds/bedrooms for their visits

• Incoming Paper:

  • Three files by the printer in the back room: “To Pay,” “To File,” “To Call.”

  • One small shredder.

  • Weekly 15-minute “Bills & Banter” appointment on the calendar.

Dad wants me to take over the bill pay and financial tracking. But for now, I’m just trying to get it organized and be familiar. And I’ve got to file several years of back taxes. (My sister takes care of my mom’s accounts, etc.)

• Memory Lane:

  • I’m slowly going room by room and sorting through the “stuff”. My mom has been incapacitated for the bulk of the last 5 years (diagnosed 8 years ago) so the house has long been neglected. I mentioned earlier that all items I question keeping first go through my dad, then my siblings. It’s working for us.

My mom has always kept a beautiful home. I have no idea how she did it with all 5 of us kids. But she also became a thrifter in the last couple of decades. It’s all curated well, but us kids don’t have a lot of sentimental value placed on many of the decor or knick knacks collecting dust.

Wrapping Paper & Bags Limits

I discovered two LARGE boxes of just gift wrapping supplies. And then a hutch full of holiday tins. I’ve put them in away for now. But made it clear to dad that we are going to use that stuff for Christmas this year and do a major purge at that time.

I’m sure as I continue on this with segment of the purge, there will be more, but the mail and paperwork are the bane of my existence right now. Thankfully, I enjoy being busy. So when I’m not working, I’m sorting, purging, cleaning, and organizing. Keeping an continual list of to dos as I discover them.

Money Impact

• Bills surface and get paid on time.

• No more buying gift bags or wrapping paper.

• Clear surfaces by putting things in their place. And if they don’t have a place, do we really need to keep this?

30-Minute Reset

1. Sweep every flat surface into three piles: paper, not-paper, sentimental.

2. Paper goes straight to the station: pay/file/call.

3. Not-paper either returns to its home or gets reviewed for its merit.

The Livability Test

THIS! I saw this in an article and keep it on repeat for dad as we discuss upcoming family gatherings and maintaining the home.

• Can we sit on every seat without moving a pile?

• Can we vacuum without clearing the floor first?

Maintenance Schedule

I’ve built myself a cleaning schedule that I am working hard to stick too. After sweeping, scrubbing, and mopping the kitchen took me 6 hours the first time because there was so much build up, I said never again. And so did my back.

• Weekly 15-minute “Room Reset” (set a timer, cue a favorite song). I have to do this when dad is away. He doesn’t like my music

• Weekly mini-audit on what’s coming up the next week. And what can I do to support him. We are currently sharing my car while his is in the shop, so this has become even more important although outside of church and a meal out every two weeks, I rarely leave the house.

What one limit would make the biggest difference where you live?

The post Debt Detox by Room, Part 3: Living Areas & Paper Zone appeared first on Blogging Away Debt.

My husband and I sometimes joke that I missed my calling – with as much as I love crunching numbers, I would’ve been a great accountant or financial planner! 

I run a pretty tight ship with regards to our finances. And I’ve gotten pretty good over the years at anticipating and planning for those once-in-awhile type of expenses. I have a “semi-annual fee” budget line where I save a flat rate per month to help cover those one-off expenses that come up. This includes things like our annual Costco membership, our quarterly HOA payments, our biannual car insurance payments, and here lately, I’ve added another thing to the list: savings dedicated to Black Friday purchases.

Now, this isn’t those gift-giving type of purchases (those come from a separate part of my budget specifically set aside for gifts). This is for household purchases that are cheaper if purchased during big Black Friday promotions and sales. The thing that’s brought this up is our Water Filter replacements and our Reverse Osmosis filter and membrane replacements.

At first glance, this may seem a silly item to budget for and plan to buy at Black Friday time. But I’ve been watching the sales for long enough now to know that the biggest sale, by far, is at that time of year. You can find a 5% or 10% off coupon once in awhile. But last year for Black Friday, Dupure had a 40% off site-wide sale. And if you are familiar with reverse osmosis systems, those filters and membranes can get PRICEY! I’m talking $121 for the outer filters (required annually), and $169 for the membrane/inner filter (required once every 3 years). This is the year we have to replace all the filters, with a price tag of right at $300! You better believe I’ll be waiting for the 40% off sale instead of buying right now.

I’ve also been looking at products I use for skincare. Sometimes you can find little discounts, but last year at Black Friday time was the only time I’ve seen a 25% off coupon for a specific brand I really like.

The same is true for the yoga studio where I practice. The only discounts they offer are for new client sign-ups. But once a year they offer a sale on pre-purchased packages and – yep – it happens to fall right around Black Friday time.

Now that I’ve noticed and paid attention to these sales and know how much these items cost, I’m going to add them to my “semi-annual” budget so I can save and account for them. It’d be a lot of money to drop all at once at the end of November if it wasn’t planned out in advance! And with Christmas time coming up, I likely wouldn’t be spending extra money on things like skincare and yoga memberships. But again – if I plan and save up in advance, then it’s no big deal when I make those purchases because I know I already have the money sitting in an account ready to cover the expenses.

It’s easy to do once you’ve been tracking your spending for a while. I simply add up all of these “semi-annual” expenses across the entire year, divided by 12 months, and that’s how much I need to save per month! For me, it comes to about $350/month. Then I use this as a revolving account. I spend when expenses arise, and I replenish with a new $350 every month! 

When the really expensive months arise (like our car insurance, which costs $858 every 6 months), I don’t have to stress about it being a high-spending month. I pull from my savings to cover the cost (over and above the $350 that I budget), and the next month when I have no semi-annual bills due, I put the entirety of the $350 back into the bank to save back up again.

It works great and relieves so much stress from when I used to “borrow from Paul to pay Peter” (which trust me – I’ve had to do in the past!)

I know lots of people anticipate irregular expenses, but I wondered if anyone else has done this method of anticipating Black Friday purchases (not gift-related purchases, but the more typical household type of purchases) and specifically budgeting and saving to make those purchases at a time when big sales are typically in effect?

What types of things have you noticed go on great sales for Black Friday that I might want to anticipate for the future?

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I’ve kind of stepped back from the garage as that is really his domain. And it gives me somewhere to pile stuff that I can’t get rid of…yet…but we don’t need in the house.

Logical

Thankfully both my dad and I lean toward practical and logical. Since I’m running the house for the most part, he’s let me take lead and rearrange things (cleaning and purging as I go.)

And I’ve just started piling “must keep but don’t really use” items on his workbench in the garage. A truly out of sight, out of mind function for right now.

I have learned that not only do I need to tell him, show him, and remind him of where I put things. But also expect to be woken up in the night when he’s searching for something. He feels bad about waking me up, but I would prefer he did that than get frustrated trying to find whatever. This week, it was the electric knife at midnight when he decided to cut up a watermelon and store it in his yogurt containers.

He used to keep the electric knife in the cabinet where his hoard of yogurt containers now lives. So he found the containers, by accident, but couldn’t remember where the electric knives were. They had been moved to the hutch which I had moved from the living room to the dining room. He remembered me telling him where I had put them, but not actually where I had put them.

Money Impact

• Fewer duplicate runs to the hardware store “because I couldn’t find it.”

• Lower injury risk (and medical costs) from trips and falls.

• No more utility-room pest parties from clutter, piles of cardboard, and old detergent gunk.

Not to mention in clearing out the laundry room and rearranging some furniture, I was able to really clear off the countertops to make them easy to clean and more useable.

The Prep Shelves

Dad has LOTS of prepper stuff – from generators, to propane heaters, to gas containers and so much more. What we kept in the house has been organized by item.

• Flashlight + batteries (dated), small radio, basic first-aid kit, duct tape, multi-tool.

• Lightbulbs.
• Enough sanitizing stuff for the next decade or more which I understand considering COVID and my mom’s health.

• Winter stuff – blankets, jackets, gloves, etc. Reminder: we are in Texas, but it did freeze real bad a year or two ago.

I am still working through room by room, drawer by drawer, closet by closet. But with every load out, I think we both breathe a little easier. And I believe he’s really coming to appreciate the improvements especially the cleaning that goes along with it

What’s the most ridiculous “mystery hardware” you’ve kept? Did you ever find what it belonged to?

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