Broke-Ass Student

I know I’ve stepped away from this site for a while but honestly have been feeling extremely drained and frustrated lately. It’s infuriating to see so many average Americans struggling financially and my heart really goes out to those who have lost their jobs recently. My Aunt received a phone call on the way home from work where they basically told her she was being laid off and not to bother coming back the next day!

Instead of keeping up on financial news, the main focus has been on enjoying the outdoors and spending time with loved ones. Lately I’ve been digging around in the dirt and establishing an even bigger garden – along with veggies, there are now blueberry and raspberry brambles alongside some grape vines and strawberry patches. And, of course, the primary goal for summer is to trim away more debt.

It feels like my finances have been bleeding unexpected expenses and unfortunately my original goal of funneling $1,000 toward my debt each month hasn’t been met. Once the summer is over, my work hours will be cut back to 19 hours per week so I’m desperately trying to pinch every penny possible for the next two months.

Right now my debt is at approximately $3,000 and I’ve decided to shell out $800 for July. Although I really wanted to slap down more, my car insurance came up for renewal in June and I opted to pay for the full six months upfront instead of doing a minimum payment. I used my Cash Back Discover Card for my insurance payment and just finished paying the bill off online. Since using a Cash Back card a couple of months ago, my reward points have accumulated to $15 so far – not too shabby!

I have to keep reminding myself to be patient and feel proud over my progress over the past year because at this point, I just can’t wait to be debt free!!