real life with (very) real debt
We’re slowing down our student loan repayment in 2021.
After a year that saw us shave close to $10K off the principal balance of the student loan, we set a goal for 2021 that will see the balance shrink by less than half that amount — about $3.5K.
Considering how paying back the student loan has been a key focus for us over the last two years, this represents a big shift.
But there are a few factors that make me feel good about the decision.
Continue Reading
I filed my first credit card extended warranty claim in June 2020.
I’ve been using credit cards regularly for years. It’s my preferred way to spend money. I’ve tried a few different spending methods and nothing works for me the way credit cards do.
Worth noting: I treat the credit card like debit, meaning I only use it to spend money we already have. In most cases, we make a purchase on the credit card then immediately transfer the money from our debit. There are exceptions to this (like December Christmas spending) but they are just that: the exception, not the rule.
Despite my years of credit card use, I’ve barely scratched the surface on using features associated with my cards. This includes the extended warranty. In a way, this is a good thing — it means the items I have purchased have held up well, right?
That said, it did result in a bit of a learning curve when it was time to actually use the benefit. Here’s what I learned through the process of using my credit card extended warranty.
Continue Reading
Welcome to another edition of personal finance confessions — a totally irregular recap of things you might not know about how I’m managing my money lately.
This is my third confessions post — you can find the first two here and here.
This round features five confessions (although much like the first two posts, I still think calling them personal finance confessions is a bit dramatic).
Here we go.
Continue Reading
Should I pay down debt or save?
The answer to that question will vary depending on who you ask — and chances are, the person answering it will have strong opinions.
But the trouble I’ve found with a lot of the advice is, often, it errs on the side of too simplistic, too all or nothing. And while I’m not a financial expert, that has never felt right to me.
When it comes to paying down debt or saving, I don’t think it needs to be all or nothing.
Here’s a look at why and how we’re doing both.
Continue Reading
It’s safe to say the way I spend my money has changed a lot over the years.
Working at the grocery store in high school, I didn’t think too much about how I spent my pay cheque. I saved some money, sure, but for the most part, I purchased whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it.
Thankfully, as an adult, I am a lot more conscious about what I purchase — and, perhaps just as significantly, what I don’t spend money on.
In this post, I’m sharing five of the things I don’t spend money on — and five things I splurge for.
Continue Reading