And so closes 2017...

When I reignited this blog a year ago, I had set an unrealistic ambitious goal of paying off $20,000 of my debt.
 It didn’t happen and I make no excuse other than it was just too big a goal to begin with.  In August 2016 I accepted a job that was about a 15k pay raise and a shorter commute, but I had been living “in the red” at my previous job, and I had some increased expenses in 2017.  Some of these were by choice (adopting the cat, having a boyfriend who lived 30 minutes away, starting my own businesses- no investments that I regretted, though!) and some were unpreventable, such as my rent increasing.  Even with a second job and constantly scouting for other sources of income, $20,000 wasn’t realistic.

But I don’t regret anything.   This year has been part of a journey and I am proud of it.  I started directing theater club after school and I had the chance to teach an English camp this summer.  What started out as an extra-income search landed me both of these great professional opportunities!  I took on two business ventures as an Advocate of Hope for Starfish Project and a Consultant for Rodan&Fields (and I finally got rid of my acne for the first time in 20 years!). I let go of some things I had been hoarding for a long time.  And I paid off both my Discover card and my loan that was held by Navient.


 I still have several student loans, but they are all under one servicer now!


Since my last entry:
Squoob: $710.62 (Goal for 2017- 10,000; Actual- $3,451.58)
Tanning Salon: $1,482.75 (Goal- 3,000; Actual- $3,183.65! 😊)
Summer Jobs: $1,498.38 (Goal- 5,000; Actual- $3,464.18)
Apps:
-$8.01 from Pact
-$30.00 from Field Agent
-$20.00 from a health accountability agreement with my best friend
58.01 (Goal- $1000; Actual- 220.99)
Sales:
-Princess costume on FB Market 10.00



















-Lotion from a DS company I am no longer with 55.00
-Dance Shoes on FB Market 15.00


-Peach Cocktail dress from a Halloween Costume on Poshmark $12.00
-Combined Rodan&Fields and Starfish Project $328.75
410.75 (Goal- $1,000; Actual- $821.26)

And so, my total payoff for 2017 is: $11,141.66!

No, it’s not 20,000, but it’s still a big number and I am proud of it!

So, for 2018:

I will do at least one Debt-busting activity a day for $365 days!!

Each jar represents a separate loan.  My goal is to go from smallest to biggest (Debt Snowball!) and be halfway through the biggest jar by the end of the year.  If I can do 11k in one year, I can do more in the next!  Bring it on, 2018!



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