Why I Broke Up With My Credit Card

I am currently on the path to recovery from a bad relationship that practically wrecked me, left me with a lot of unnecessary messes, and kept me back from opportunities I could have otherwise taken.

Last year I broke up with my credit cards.

I know I am DRENCHING this in drama right now, but for me this has been a pretty big deal. And despite how proud of myself I am for the progress I’ve made so far, I know I’ve still got a long ways to go.

At 18 I went away to college, and it was suggested I get a credit card just for emergencies. The card itself only had a $250 limit, so I think my parents figured What kind of damage could she really do?  For me, emergencies quickly became movie tickets and amusement park season passes (guilty). I hit my credit limit.

But instead of being punished I was… rewarded! I received a letter that my new limit was $500.

I soon realized that my favorite stores had credit cards too… and those bills no one would ever have access to except for me. As my shoe closet grew, so did my card interest.

No one knew I had a problem, mostly because I didn’t see it as a problem. I had a part time job and an occasional allowance from my parents. Food and rent at school were taken care of.
Easy peasy, let’s go shopping again!

By college graduation I had 5 credit card accounts.

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I got my first full time job about 6 months later. College loan payments hadn’t kicked me in the butt yet, so it was easy to make my card payments and even pay a little extra on each. I even closed one of my store cards!

About a year later, I received an awesome opportunity to move to Nashville and be out on my own, working in the music business. But it was also time to start paying on my loans, and my new job paid considerably less than my previous position.

I made the leap, but I was struggling. Struggling to pay rent, my student loans, a car payment, groceries, gas.. all while trying to prioritize and get rid of my cards. It took a lot of tears and a few months of my very generous father’s help to stay on my feet.

When I got good and fed up, I started targeting cards to annihilate.
First JC Penney, then Victoria’s Secret.. eventually all my store cards were paid off!
I finally closed the account on a card I had opened just to get a free blanket at a football game. (DON’T EVER DO THIS CRAP.)

I decided that every few months I would choose a different card to pay extra towards. I put any & all extra income towards that card (gifts, tax returns, bonuses, etc). For me it also helped to put one of my low interest student loans in deferment while I paid down the cards.

Here I am today 4 years later, left with just ONE CARD, thank the Lord.

Remember that card with the $250 limit? Yeah… they extended that sucker to $15,000. These credit card companies are pretty much the devil. I was able to transfer the balance to a much lower interest rate with a different company. And now Lord willing, I’m a year or so away from credit card hell to freedom.

I’m telling my story because in the last few years I’ve realized how taboo it seems to be to talk about these things. As a young woman especially, I think we’re often embarrassed to admit what we can and cannot afford. If everyone is going to dinner, we don’t want to miss out. If fashion begins to change, we need new clothes to keep up!

However when we live and operate from a place of contentment, we leave ourselves freed up for whatever opportunities that may come. (And can actually afford them when they do!)

I just want to encourage any of you reading this that if putting things on credit (that you don’t pay off immediately) has become a habit, if it’s all too natural and you do it without a thought.. CHILL AND STEP AWAY FROM THE CARD.

Leave it at home. Only pay with debit or cash for a week to get into the practice.
Dedicate a summer or a year to pulling yourself out of debt. Your real friends will understand.
Because of student loans I am not even close to financially free yet, but I already feel so much lighter than I did.

So much of your future, your future family, etc, depends on the choices you make right now.
Choose wisely, friends.