Hi, I’m Jasmine and I am 32 years old. I currently live in Las Vegas, NV. I have been very blessed to graduate from college without any student loans. However, I struggle with credit card debt. When I was 28, I was completely debt free. I paid off all of my credit cards and my car loan. Last year, at the age of 31, I reaccumulated $6,000 of credit card debt. To be honest, it was probably more than $6,000 because I was making payments on the card as I was spending. I just remember seeing a $6,000 balance and realized that I needed to do something about it. I couldn’t stand having it over my head.

I knew I would be successful in paying off this debt because I have done it before. I did it four years ago and I knew I would be able to do it again after creating a plan. I think the hardest part was taking some time to evaluate my spending habits and creating a budget.    

I have always had the money mindset of not being in debt. This mindset was developed from my parents because they always had a negative view about debt. Even though I knew being in debt was something I did not want, I kept spending anyway. My paychecks were used to pretty much make payments on the credit cards. Because I would use the majority of my paychecks to pay the cards off, it caused me to continue using the credit cards. In a way, it felt as though the credit cards were extra money, when in reality it really wasn’t because I had to pay it back. It was just holding me over in between paychecks. It was a continuous cycle of paying the card off and spending. It got the point where I was unaware of what I was doing because it became a routine and I had no idea where my money was going.

I still have the mindset of not being in debt, however I am more in control of finances. I am now aware of where money is going. I track every dollar. I am obsessed with tracking my money because I no longer want to be in that continuous cycle of paying off my credit card, being broke, and then using my credit card again. After discussing this issue with Jacent, she told me to take myself more seriously and to stop playing around. She knew that I had got out of debt before and that I could do it again if I took myself more seriously. After that discussion with Jacent, I have decided to take control of my life and it started with being in control of my money.

The most important skill that I have developed on this path is discipline. It takes discipline to create a budget, to stay within budget, and to track all your expenses. Every paycheck, I create a budget and I stick with it. I have noticed that being disciplined with my finances has also rolled over into other aspects of my life, such as fitness. 

The greatest reward for me is having a peace of mind. I no longer have to worry about debt being held over my head. Not only did I gain a peace of mind, but I also gained more self-confidence. Being able to stick to a plan and accomplishing a goal really boosted my self-esteem. In the words of Jacent, I took myself more seriously.

I paid off about $6,000 of credit card debt within a month!

Author Jasmine