Month in Review: Debt Update

I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. I’ve been working hard to get my client work done, side hustle, and try to get things done early before the holiday.

The past two weekends I worked as a brand ambassador for one of my favorite companies, Columbia Sportswear. I worked for them three years ago in NYC and got tons of free clothes, and was pleasantly surprised to get more free clothes. I hate shopping and never buy clothes, so it was a nice bonus. I’m very happy as the $500 I will get from this gig will go straight to my Spain fund, and now I have $400 in free clothes, which includes a nice jacket, boots, scarf, hat, and a shirt. I’m telling you, I love being a brand ambassador.

I have also had some fun writing opportunities that deviate from the normal blog posts. I wrote a video script for a financial literacy nonprofit (using my theater degree, woo hoo!) and also did some copy writing for a friend. I love tinkering with words, and am looking for more projects that are outside of the box.

Aside from that, I also just confirmed a sweet opportunity that I’m beyond excited about. I’ll share the details once everything is ready to go, but it was a nice, early Christmas gift.

This weekend, I am working an epic 11-hour shift for a holiday event, and then Monday I fly to Los Angeles for the holidays.

I will be in SoCal for a whopping 2 weeks. I’m excited and nervous. It will be the first time that I’ll really be utilizing my location independence to work and I’ll be staying with my partner’s family. I love them to pieces, but I will also need to carve out some personal time.

We are flying down, but we are taking the train back up to Portland! 31 hours of train time — that may sound insane, but I love trains. I love that time stops and that you have nowhere to go. It forces you to be in the moment. Last year, I applied for Amtrak’s writers’ residency and they rejected me — so I’m creating my own!

Aside from all this, debt repayment is going okay, but I keep chugging along.

In the past month, I’ve paid $827 towards my debt and my current debt totals are:

Grad loan: $28,725.93

Undergrad loan: $5,819.42

Total: $34,545.35

I’ve paid off about $10k in debt this year, on a minimal salary! Every month it feels like I’m barely progressing, but when you look at the totals, I am! It’s always important to look at the big picture.

Lastly, I know I haven’t been writing here as much as I’d like. It makes me sad and I want to try to change that. I’ve just been dealing with client work, some ups and downs, and an intense need to take care of myself first. I didn’t want to force writing here because of some self-imposed schedule and deliver content that didn’t have any heart or soul in it. Dear Debt is still my baby and I have big plans for 2015 — but I’m still figuring things out!

If you do want more things to read, check out my work elsewhere:

4 Non-Traditional Ways to Increase Solopreneur Income and Productivity via Careful Cents

3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before the New Year via Retire by 40

5 Ways You Are Sabotaging Your Finances via Personal Income

21 Tips to Overhaul Your Finances for the New Year via The College Investor

Hobby to Business: How to Grow Your Hobby into a Serious Income Source via NarrowBridge Finance

How Your Relationship with Money Affects Spending and Earning via Money Ning

3 Steps to Avoid Financial Infidelity in Your Marriage via The Savvy Duo

How Not Having a Smartphone Cost Me Money via Cell Phone City

Also, I got with the program and am now on Pinterest and Instagram. Still figuring it all out, but you can find me there!

What’s new with you? What are your plans for the holiday?

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Melanie

Melanie Lockert is the founder of the blog and author of the book, Dear Debt. Through her blog, she chronicled her journey out of $81,000 in student loan debt. She is also the co-founder of the Lola Retreat, which helps bold women face their fears, own their dreams and figure out a plan to be in control of their finances. She is passionate about empowering women, helping others get out of debt, and focuses on the intersection of debt and mental health. Every September she organizes a Suicide Prevention Awareness Blog Tour, to help share resources for those struggling with debt and suicide. In addition to her love of personal finance, art and music, she is also a karaoke master and a cat mom to Miles and Thelonious.

Latest posts by Melanie (see all)

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