Woot! UPDATE and More Questions

[tortoise]

I am SO happy right now. I have to share with people who understand!

I got my federal tax return - bigger than I expected. And I paid off $3,000 of old debts! Most were about $150 each, but I couldn't keep up with the minimum payments. I had been paying them off one at a time, but it wasn't going well.

Now, all I have left are 5 "revolving" accounts that will improve my credit score! Sweet! And a hospital bill pending insurance - I shouldn't have to pay anything on it.

And I'm still waiting on state tax returns which I'll put on the highest interest revolving account. Having that balance paid down can improve my credit score by 15 points.

I am so happy! My SO is really good with money - his credit score is just about perfect. I felt really crappy about carrying around this debt. A lot of it was marital debt that I got stuck with in getting divorced. Now I feel like I am totally free of that jerk! The rest were from being a single working momma and not having enough money to go around.

I am so happy. About *this* close to happy tears. :bun

 

[Dace]

Congrats! You must feel awesome!

 

[FarmerDenise]

I know the feeling.
for you

 

[Ldychef2k]

That is a huge weight off you, isn't it ! Dance the dance of freedom !

 

[curly_kate]

That's awesome! Trust me, I understand how stressful it is being in debt! But now I that I'm out, I'm never going back!!! Remember how good it feels to not owe when you're tempted to put something on your credit card.

 

[tortoise]

No credit card here! I would screw that up so badly!

(small) student loan, car loan, checking account "overdraft protection" loan - this works like a credit card basically with $1000 limit at 18% (Yikes!) and mortage - but the house is leased out for expenses so no worry there.

And I don't have to pay on the student loan for another 6 months. I thought I would pay off the overdraft protection account - it is still a revolving account reporting to credit bureaus even if I owe $0. And save up / pay extra on my car. Then when the student loan comes due, I can pay that off in 6 - 7 months.

I hope I can sell my house soon. I REALLY want to be totally debt free and start saving again.

FWIW, I have a fixed income of $300 per month. ALL of it has been going to old debt. Now I can start putting it to use in other ways. I try to earn some spending cash with dog training, odd sewing jobs and rabbits. My SO pays for all household expenses, food, gasoline. (Have I ever mentioned he is the most fabulous guy on the face of the earth?)

 

[abifae]

that's awesome !!!

i too have never had a credit card. i don't trust me to hold down a job well enough to make payments hahahaha.

i make about 800-900/month and that has to cover all my bills.

 

[tortoise]

Just when I think everything is OK...

I found a couple thousand MORE of debt that my XDH was supposed to pay off in divorce settlement, but didn't. So I am stuck with it. I am so glad I checked my credit report.



But I found out that I had a $3,600 tuition refund from the last semester! I received grants that I didn't know about!

So I am very excited for tomorrow when I can deposit the check and pay these off.

Then I will be down to $6,300 between my car and student loan. I plan to get a forbearance on my student loan and pay my car off first because the interest rate is higher on my car loan.

If I don't discover any more late surprises from XDH, I should have everything paid off in 2 years and begin SAVING!

 

[chipmunk]

Yay Tortoise!!! It feels so good to be able to cross those debts off the list, doesn't it? Keep pluggin', keep up the good work, and soon you'll be debt free

 

[tortoise]

I got the rest of my free credit reports today, pored over them. Paid off a bunch of things. Spent hours on the phone making calls and checking if I owe anyone anything. Found a couple more smaller things - paid those. Verified that my hospital bill was paid in full by insurance.

I am all good! Just the car loan and student loan.

I have to find out why my mortgage is only reported to one of the big 3? That should pull my credit score up a few notches.

My SO's credit card is reported onto my credit because he gave me a card in his name. So yay for another "good" account.

Feels good. I was telling myself that I couldn't re-marry until my marital debt was gone. It is GONE!