Debt Rhymes With Wet
In the past, I would probably consider myself an impulsive shopper — racking up substantial bills on my credit cards. At the time, I was able to pay the balance in full each month so it was justifiable and something I deemed ‘healthy spending.’ I only paid $500 for rent, shared breadwinning duties with a boyfriend at the time, and carried a predictable health history (at least, I willfully neglected health issues that may or may not have been best to deal with from the get). I had no dependents. I was ahead but I had no plans to quit. Then alas, a stroke (or year long marathon) of bad luck.
At the end of the lease of my cheap apartment, I was newly single, experiencing high levels of anxiety and depression, and drunkenly stumbling around a nearby metropolis for some semblance of positive distraction. Reeling from my breakup, I made purchases for unnecessary things, such as clothing, shoes, accessories, an avocado slicer, a dog. Okay, the dog was actually necessary but more on that later. I called this kind of shopping “an emotional freedom that costs just as much as regular therapy.” In my head, I deserved these things. These items made me happy. Ergo, a grave mistake had been made. I did not plan (financially/mentally/emotionally/physically) and I was slowly declining into financial deficit hell.
I moved to the city with my dog and incurred plenty of unforeseen expenses, along with the necessary and predicted expenditures. I remember thinking, “holy SHIT why is everything so EXPENSIVE?” about anything I actually had to spend on. I had to take Binx (my v temperamental Maltese/Pekingese dog) to the vet a couple of times due to infection. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and spent a small fortune on psychotherapy and medication. My freaking birth control (name brand) even cost over $200!! Things just got too much, too fast. I was swiping my credit card, out of anxiety and probably desperation, believing that the money from my income would cover it. Eventually. The only type of defensive move I had was to offset each expenditure by eating processed foods because I felt it eased my emotional (literally nothing better than Elio’s after you’ve been crying for hours) and financial state. But, as you can imagine, that wasn’t quite cutting it. Add on a student loan bill and a hefty emergency room bill that was definitely avoidable but hi, yes, alcohol! The bills came plentiful and quick; I had to answer to them.
I suppose I should mention prior to continuing with the fact that I am not trying to put out some kind of cautionary retrospective, intended to guide other debt holder’s hands. I am sharing this simple fact that if you are indeed in debt, you aren’t alone in making some pretty tactless financial decisions, which have led you into financial squalor. It happens.
After weeks of Google searching ideas of how to save more, talking to money smart friends and family, and reading up on how to alter spending behavior, I ended up with this: I found a cheaper apartment, landed a freelance job for some extra income, and left the impulsive and unnecessary shopping at the window. I also clip coupons, shop deals only, and eat out less. It might seem trivial and straight stupid but these small changes have made looking at my bank account, well, only mildly terrifying.
Admittedly, I learned something. I kind of grew up. Now what?
