As of this weekend, I have officially paid off $5,000 of my original debt. I’m not quite on track with my debt repayment plan but I’m still ecstatic about the progress.
Now, I know I’ve written posts about how I have been socializing on a budget and staying focused on school and doing homework, but I thought I would share some of other ways I have been able to stay committed to my debt repayment plan.
- I have not shopped. Like, at all. I’m looking around my room right now, to make sure I’m not lying… no new clothes, no new shoes… oh, I bought Sims 3. But that’s it.
- When I go grocery shopping, I don’t always buy everything that I want to. Instead, I plan out healthy / budget friendly meals and snacks. (No expensive cheeses for me!)
- I haven’t gotten my hair cut or dyed since February. Goodness knows I need a haircut though! But I can’t budget one in yet… maybe (hopefully) in September.
- I have only drunk alcohol a few times, all of which were at home or at a friends’ house. I’m missing summer patio season, but I’ve got homework to do anyway…
- I haven’t gone on any vacations. Not even camping! (And I want to so badly!) I just know that one or two nights away will cost me $100-200 and I can’t afford that yet.
- I didn’t adopt the puppy I fell in love with. I know I would have given her a wonderful home but, the fact is, I cannot afford a pet right now.
- Finally, I haven’t bought concert tickets in a really long time… and that part kind of sucks! Victoria hosts a music festival, Rifflandia, every summer and a ton of my friends are going… but I just can’t afford a $300-400 weekend. Not this year.
Typing all of this out, it sounds like my life sucks! But the thing is, I’m not going to be broke forever. I still make lots of time to see my friends and have cheap fun… I’m just at a place where I’m so focused on getting out of debt that it doesn’t bother me when my friends go out without me.
Unfortunately, I’ll only be paying off another $300-400 this month, as I have a tuition payment to make by September 1st. But I’m happy to report that I only owe my parents $752 and after that I can finally focus on paying off my credit cards! Feelin’ pretty darn good… and I can’t wait to be in the -$22,000′s!
