Hi guys! I’ve missed you all! Last week I wrote a bunch for other sites, worked a bar mitzvah, and had a lot going on at my day job. I can’t wait to get back to writing here, but today we have a fantastic dear debt letter from Debt Debs. Enjoy!Â
In her words, “I am a fifty-something wife and mother and new grandmother, blogging my way to retirement on a cash strapped entertainment budget. I used to hate managing my finances, working hard all day and not having to do more when I got home. Consequently, I had “my head in the sand” ignoring our financial situation until 2 years ago when we had amassed $235,600 worth of consumer debt. If you feel bad about your financial situation, jump on board ~ misery loves company!! I’m interested in sharing ideas to keep my motivation up as we wrestle this debt monster to the ground.”
Dear Debt,
I know now that I shouldn’t have ignored you, as you lurked and plotted all those years. You slowly gained foothold with every trip to Costco (such great deals) and seemingly benign LCBO* wine stops (a girl’s gotta live!)
All necessities, or so you said, laughing encouragingly. “You work too hard. This will make your life easier” you told me, complimenting me on my savvy shopping eye to find the household items we’d done without for so long but now suddenly needed. “Plus you’ll eat healthier” you added, clinching the deal.  Anyone wanna buy a fruit dehydrator?
You also encouraged me to get new clothes for that business trip. What a waste! Like anyone would notice, even if it did matter. After one trip, they were stuffed in my closet with the other multitude of clothes you insisted I needed last trip around the world. I had so many clothes, that I forgot to empty a drawer in India when I was packing to return! At least those clothes found a good home with someone who needed them in India!!
“You deserve it!” you flattered me about that cute little bag. “And while you’re at it, you should get those matching shoes.” Like who matches their purse with their shoes these days?! #Dork
But do you wanna know what makes me the most mad about you, Debt?
It’s the fact that so much of you is interest. Not stuff, just $. Someone else’s $. Like the credit card company or the bank’s.
I also hate that you really scared me. When you came out of your hiding place and said “Booyah!” I ran for shelter from your evil cousin named Lender. I think Mortgage is his first name. I felt compelled to put your fire out ASAP, only to replace it with a smoldering pile of rubbish. Much larger than it needed to be. If I hadn’t freaked, maybe I could have negotiated some of your interest charges away. You’re a bully.
Debt:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “No I’m not”
Debt Debs:Â “You are”
Debt:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “You’re a bully!”
Debt Debs:Â “I may be stupid, but I’m not a bully”
Debt:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “You’re a stupid bully!!”
Debt Debs:Â “Listen, I’m not a bully, and you’re not even half as smart as I am”
Debt:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “Am so”
Debt Debs:  “How can you be? I am two of you, and ‘s’ comes before ‘t’, so don’t even go there”
Debt:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “I know you are but what am I?”
Debt Debs:Â Â “I regret the day I ever let you into my life …”
You can’t win a conversation with debt. You can’t win anything with debt.
So long Debt. Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out.
Debt Debs
*Liquor Control Board of Ontario
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22 comments
Debs, I didn’t know you lived in Ontario!?! Ah, the LCBO 🙂
Ah, the “I deserve it”, I remember those days, sometimes they still crop up, but now if I don’t have the money, I don’t buy 🙂
Ha ha.. only the Ontarians would read right through the LCBO reference without batting an eye. My “I deserves” are now followed by “…to be debt free”. Heee!
All I kept thinking was, my mom would be so jealous that you’re a grandmother 😉
And she should be! Being a grandmother is wonderful!! But no pressure Stef! 😉
Love the conversation you have with debt. Thanks for sharing with us Debs!
You should try it Shoe! You’d be like the little woman who lived in a shoe with all her little debts around her. {giggle}
That’s funny Debs!
I love this 🙂
It’s so true; wants can very easily turn into needs if you’re able to convince yourself enough :/
Thanks, Mario. You’re so right ~ I could whip out business cases on wants if I wanted to before!
Ah reasoning with debt…it really gets you nowhere. 🙂 The allure of just saying f it and putting a brand spanking new wardrobe on my cc is always there. Just lurking…waiting for a weak moment. It’s a temptation that really never goes away, but can be tamed. Good luck on your debt repayment, and thank you for sharing your story.
Thanks Tonya! Quitting debt must be like quitting smoking. Best to go cold turkey. You can still hang around smokers / have credit cards, but never cross that line of having a puff / not having the money in the bank to pay for your purchases. That’s how I see it anyways, although I was never a smoker. 😉
But you will have the last laugh, Debs!! 🙂
I’ll be laughing all the way to the bank to discharge my mortgage, that’s for sure, Debby!
Thanks, Mel! It was great fun to do, and cathartic! I think I heard Debt stomping away in a huff just now…. heeee….
Great letter. I hate the interest too, even when it is minimal. I just paid off my car, and it only had .9% interest. Less than $1 a month, and I hated it.
Of course mortgage interest, I have to have…
Ha Eric. I could handle that interest rate. I’m actually pretty pleased about our mortgage rates. I have my big one to renew in by March next year which I can lock in 6 months before. We had news here in Canada today that Investors group is offering 1.99% 36 month mortgage. Hope it keeps rates low or even lower.
“You deserve it” might as well be a line that many people should completely forget if it will only lead to debts. But then, regret almost always comes in the end where it hurts the most.
So true, Jen. Sometimes people have to learn from the school of hard knocks. I want to help people from making the same mistakes by sharing some deeply painful and personal information on my blog. Thanks for reading my Dear Debt letter. 😀
Wow, you’ve got a monumental task paying off that huge debt, but you are so brave to tackle it head-on. I know so many people that age and older who just continue keeping their heads in the sand. It takes a lot of courage to admit you messed up and then do the hard work to change course. Kudos to you!
That means a lot to me Jen! Thank you!
I don’t even know why you keep talking to Debt, Deb. Debt is very deceiving and conniving. You should just keep your distance.
LOL, good advice Peter. I promise not to make eye contact anymore. 😉