As the title says, I’m a 21-year-old full-time college student earning about $500 a week after taxes. My monthly expenses are $510, covering my car payment and part of my siblings’ car insurance along with mine. I owe $2.3k on one credit card at 27% interest and $2.1k on another, totaling $4.4k in credit card debt. Is it possible for me to pay this down before it spirals out of control?
There are not many bills on you. then it will be easy for you to repay this. You earn $500 every week. That comes to $26,000 annually. The annual payment on your car is $6,120. Car insurance plus a portion of your sibling’s auto insurance is the only other expense you have. It would be helpful if you could let us know how much your annual auto insurance premium was, let’s say $3,000. You will then have $16,680 every year after that. That means you will have an extra $320 per week. After deducting gas costs, your weekly income remains approximately $300. Your credit card debt will be settled in six months if you make 800 monthly payments.
Each person’s car insurance costs $140. I pay for my car insurance plus one of my siblings’ insurance policies each month, or occasionally I pay for my car insurance plus two of my siblings’ insurance policies. As I mentioned in a previous response, I presently assist my father with his bills, and he asks for a certain amount of money every month a few times. As a result, my monthly bill budget is incredibly unpredictable.
Indeed.
Not much can be said because so much is left unsaid, but your expenses equal one-fourth of your income. How are the others doing? You’re either overstating your income or understating your costs.
Keep tabs on your spending, make a decision on what matters most and what doesn’t, and don’t tell yourself lies.
That’s the portion that I find the hardest to handle, then. My father was earning a solid living from his job, which he lost suddenly. The salary at his new job is far less than what it was at his previous one. He so begs me for arbitrary sums of money each month to assist him pay his expenses and mortgage. However, I simply need to pay for gas, auto insurance, and car payments for my specific needs.
I suggest trying envelope stuffing.
It’s exactly what it sounds like—grab an envelope and label it “Credit Cards.” Right after each paycheck, put $20, $50, or $100 in it. Once that money is in the envelope, consider it spent—it’s off-limits for you, your siblings, or your parents. If needed, hide the envelope to keep it out of sight and out of mind. The goal is to only take money out of the envelope when you’re paying off your credit card.
The more you pay down, the faster you’ll be able to clear your debt.
Since you’re 21, if this method works for you, I’d recommend continuing to “pay” that bill, but start depositing the funds into a separate savings account that you don’t see when checking your regular account. When you can’t see the money on your screen, it’s less tempting to spend. Spending $500 on a card doesn’t feel the same as spending $500 in cash.