Last week was a big one in our household...the BF paid off his credit card debt!
He really gazelled it in January, paying $1800 off in one month to get it all done before any more interest accrued. He used his tax returns, the $200 he made from selling his old bed, and his regular $400 per month payment.
I'm so excited for him to get a taste of the feeling of debt freedom. He still has student loans and a car payment, but this is a big step for him. He told me that if he weren't with me, he probably wouldn't have worked so hard to pay it off. Awww. I love it.
And I'm relieved to see him changing the way he deals with finances. He's being much more strategic now, and making better choices in general. He's talking about using the money he makes selling his couch and what he would have spent on CC debt to replace his laptop this month, looking into a cheaper option than a Mac (which is heartbreaking, but probably wise). His is on it's last legs, but I'm proud that he held out and didn't just add it to the CC, which I think he would have done in the past.
Seeing this growth in finances really makes me feel confident about growing our life together. We had a marriage talk and it looks like we won't get engaged this year, which is what it is. But, I also feel good about both of us working on finances this year in order to be in an even better place when we do take that step.
Have people in your life gotten more responsible because of your influence?
Congrats! That's a great step. You are a good influence. :)
ReplyDeleteI take some (ahem) credit for getting my SO to start saving for retirement. As a result, he has maxed out his Roth IRA every since he got a full-time job.
Bravo to him for putting the tax refund to good use and not spending it on something more fun!!
ReplyDeleteI remember the year I had a $5,000+ refund (had lots of education credits to claim) and put the entire refund onto my student line of credit.