100 days

Drum roll please....

In 100 days, if everything stays on track, I will be completely 100% credit card debt free!!!

This makes me very happy. And grateful for the light at the end of the tunnel I've been chugging along through since probably age 19. I've been SO close to paying off my balances before but never had the nerve to just shut it down and say no more. I'm glad that I'm willing and able to do that now. So very glad.

I'm cutting over 2 months out of the process by putting my "extra" paycheck for November towards the debt - 70% of it, in fact. That's the beauty of being paid 26 times a year, and I need to make better use of that little bonus when it comes around again in 6 months or so.

After the payments have been made, I'll be into the thick of student loan repayment, which is a bummer for the next 10 years. Ideally I'll pay them off early too, but my focus instead will be building up my short term emergency cushion of $1,000. Then it's onward to the long-term 6 month cushion. And THEN it's on to the down payment savings.

Ideally somewhere along that path I'll start bringing home more income and can accelerate my progress. That was the point of grad school - at least on one level! I feel good though. I feel hopeful for the first time in a long time, and I feel proud for doing this bit by bit. Makes the little sacrifices more than worth it. I got myself into this place, and now I'm very glad to be getting myself out. If only I had this revelation 5 years ago. Oh well, c'est la vie.