Debt is a Mean Girl

by Melanie

Hey debt fighters and money mavens! I have another kick ass dear debt letter for you. Get inspired and kick debt to the curb in the New Year. Today’s letter is from Liz, who blogs about DIY and personal finance at www.fridaynightshenanigans.com. If you’d like to dump debt and write a dear debt letter, get in touch!

Dear Debt,

We’ve known each other a long time now. I suppose we kind of grew up together in a way. We first met when I was 18 and had just moved across the country to go to college. I was young and naïve and it was fine because we were really just casual friends then. But when I was 20 and went to law school I ended up seeing a lot more of you. Truth be told I didn’t realize then just how much of you I would see or for how long our relationship would last. For years I went about life just assuming I’d always be stuck with you in my life, the guest from the party that just never leaves.

However, living without a roommate this past summer forced me to take a good hard look at my finances and I realized just how much you were costing me. I thought back to when I was in high school and my plan had been to meet up with you in school, spend my 20’s living on the cheap and paying you off by the time I was 30. Granted I could not have predicted the recession and how it affected my job prospects, but looking at things now, I’m no longer willing to just let you hang around for forever. So from now on I’m going to keep you close. You know what they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Guess what debt – I just became your best frenemy.

I’ll walk next to you for a good long while still, I’ll eat lunch with you and remember to wear pink on Wednesdays, but all the while I’ll be doing everything I can to bring you down. I’ll be making frequent extra payments, cutting you down one loan at a time, until you are no longer relevant in my life. Because honestly debt, you’d be nothing if it wasn’t for your high interest rates on high balances and my poor decisions. Well I’m making better decisions now and they are going to impact the other things you’ve got going on. You are going down.

XOXO,

Your Best Frenemy

Melanie
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18 comments

Tonya@Budget and the Beach January 7, 2015 - 1:52 pm

Great letter! It’s amazing how much of a life debt can take on its own. Good luck on your journey!

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Prudence Debtfree January 7, 2015 - 3:35 pm

Great Mean Girls reference! I think you’ve got a little Gossip Girl in there too. (I have daughters who watch these things.) Liz, you are not alone. I’m on a journey out of debt too. And it’s so true that we have to keep our debts “close” in order to get rid of them. All the best!

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Kassandra January 7, 2015 - 4:55 pm

Great letter! I wish Liz continued stamina to keep pushing the “frenemy” out of her life for good!

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Melanie January 12, 2015 - 10:25 am

Thanks, Kassandra!

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Michelle January 8, 2015 - 2:40 am

Frenemys forever!! Fantastic letter.

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Melanie January 12, 2015 - 10:24 am

Haha right? So good!

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Laurie @thefrugalfarmer January 8, 2015 - 6:50 am

I just love these letters. Every one of them speaks to my heart and motivates me to finish my walk with debt. THANK YOU. 🙂

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Melanie January 12, 2015 - 10:24 am

Awesome! We can do it, Laurie!

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Kayla @ Shoeaholicnomore January 8, 2015 - 12:56 pm

Love the Mean Girls references! 🙂

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Melanie January 12, 2015 - 10:23 am

Me too! So clever!

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Kate @ Money Propeller January 9, 2015 - 3:50 am

Perfect letter for your debt! I think, I should start to write a letter for my debt too.

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Melanie January 12, 2015 - 10:22 am

Yes, please do!

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Financedin January 10, 2015 - 12:15 pm

Great letter Melanie, I myself have struggled in the past with debt. The key is to stay focused and persistent. Keep writing, we all enjoy your posts.

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Melanie January 12, 2015 - 10:22 am

Thank you, that means so much to me. Debt repayment requires persistence, that’s for sure!

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FinanceQA January 11, 2015 - 10:50 pm

This is such a great letter to debt! I love the Mean Girls reference, too. I guess we all need to remember the saying: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

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Melanie January 12, 2015 - 10:20 am

Thanks, so glad you think so! Thanks for stopping by and keep that saying close to your heart 🙂

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Liz January 14, 2015 - 6:33 pm

Thanks everyone! It was a lot of fun to write it and there probably is a gossip girl reference in there somewhere, it was a guilty pleasure of mine back in the day. Thanks again Melanie for including my letter in your Dear Debt series. 🙂

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Melanie January 14, 2015 - 8:44 pm

Thank YOU for participating!

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