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The mental load of money stress is a LOT.

Worrying about the next bill, the growing credit card balance, the spending you can’t seem to get under control.

When you’re in this stress it feels like you’re drowning and there’s no way out.

The thing I’ve found that helps the most it to take action.

One small action.
One big action.

Whatever you can do, do it.

Make moves.

Here are some of my favorite ways to work on the money stress:

• Check bank accounts. Being aware is the first step. It’s hard but we have to face it in order to fix it.
• Look at all recurring or pre-authorized payments. Can you stop any of these payments permanently or temporarily?
• Create a “lights on” list. I heard somewhere that you should create a list of bills that keep the lights on, food in belly, home paid for, etc. What are the bare bottom essentials you need to make these payments. This can feel MUCH more possible than the full life list you might be dealing with.
• Reduce interest. Calling my bank allowed me to find out I could move my credit card from a 20+% interest to a card with 13%. Simply by switching the cards with one phone call. Money saved.
• Talk to someone. Having a friend you can confide in can be a huge help when you’re stressing big time.

Ok so after you’ve taken some practical action it’s important to help your nervous system calm down as well.

You’ve been in fight, flight or freeze for far too long.

Do things that calm you, whatever they are. You might try:

• Sitting in a dark room with a blanket over you and just keeping quiet. This can signal to your body you are safe. It removes overstimulation and even if you can’t sleep you can rest.
• Breathing. Don’t forget to breathe. It matters more than you might realize.
• Water and nutrition. Make sure you are taking care of your body. It helps your mind and emotions as well.
• Reduce other stresses. Don’t add anything stressful to your life at this time. You have enough going on.

Ultimately if you keep looking you will start to find things that help you manage your stress. Keep looking! You got this.

Signed,
A Debt Blogger

About a year ago I had thought I’d hit rock bottom with money.

I was stressed out, in major debt, and had no idea how I was going to handle anything.

As a business owner I decided it was time to get a job and I went on the hunt (kind of). Over time my business picked back up and I dropped the job hunt idea and kept moving forward.

At that time I made the decision:

“That’s IT! I’m so done with this!”

I thought it would stick.

I thought it would be all uphill from there.

But I was oh so wrong.

It wasn’t the rock bottom, either.

You see I was so sick of struggling with money and being in debt and never seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I truly was.

But, I couldn’t just turn this tanker truck around on a dime.

The first decision I made was to STOP the cycle of using debt to pay for debt.

This was a cycle I had been in for 30 YEARS at that point.

I’d get into debt and just get more debt (credit cards) to supplement the lack of money I had/wanted/needed.

When the credit cards grew to be too much to manage then I’d get a consolidation loan and start working to pay that off.

In the meantime I’d go about SIX MONTHS or so with no debt.

Yay! I’m out of the woods!.. I’d think.

But, nope.

Few months later something goes wrong or I need some money or I want some money and I start throwing things on the card.

And so it begins again….

Throw out the cards you say.

YES – I should have.

But I didn’t.

And here we are.

30+ years later.

THIS is the thing a money coach who tells you to consolidate has ZERO understanding of.

You can’t fix a money problem with debt consolidation IF you don’t fix the reasons you got into debt in the first place.

If you try you just give yourself a whole playground of credit cards to start the cycle all over again!

I have lost count of how many times I’ve done this cycle but if I had to guess it’s every 3-5 years and probably 8-10 times.

The thing that changed:

This time I said… NO BAILING OUT.

NO consolidation.

I have to fix the problem creating the debt.

And so began my decent towards more rock bottom money.

Because when you give yourself no bail out and you still haven’t fixed the problem then the problem gets bigger, more obvious, more of a problem you can not ignore!

So here I am today dealing with the mess.

No quick cash to whip it up into a nice cleanup.

The mess.

Sitting with it.

Living in it.

And trying to find my way through it.

I will update you as I go.

Signed,
A Debt Blogger

A friend of mine asked me to picture myself three years from now when I’ve overcome most of my debt issues and I’m advising someone else how to get out of debt.

What would I say? What advice would I give to get out of debt?

Well, this is entirely a GUESS and feels more like a wish list than a plan but here’s what I told her I think I would say to someone like me when I’ve got this all wrapped up and handled:

✔️Get rid of every non essential expense and do it over and over again because they creep back so easily.

✔️Watch your credit score, track all bills and build up an emergency for both business and personal ASAP (start with $500 and move to $5000 each).

✔️Cook and eat at home 95% of the time. If you go out for social spend no more than $15 (not $25-$50 like normal).

✔️Look for every way you can to reduce existing bills including paying annually, finding cheaper solutions, be more frugal, shop thrift, etc.

✔️Increase your income and look for every opportunity to add recurring income.
✔️Don’t be too good for hourly work or to take on projects.

✔️Make more than you spend!

✔️Automate bills, debt repayment and investments (when you’re able to keep a minimum account balance so you don’t pay overdraft and NSF fees).

✔️Organize your home and keep it clean because that costs you time, money, productivity and stress. Do a little bit every day until it’s done then maintain.

I hope that helps you make a plan and move forward with it. Not in three years from now but today.

Signed,
A Debt Blogger

I’m well over six figures in debt and I want to blog about it.

Not just for my own records and motivation but because I think there are a lot of people out there who’d like to hear the HONEST truth from someone in debt and what they’re doing about it.

So much of debt advice is so surface level.

Yes we’ve got the “don’t buy lattes” or “don’t go out to eat” crowd and that could be helpful to some.

But we’ve also got the experts who MAYBE got in a little trouble with debt one time.

We are NOT the same.

I needed to hear from someone like me.

Someone who got into debt at 19 and STAYED in debt for decades to come.

But I’ve never found that person. I’ve never found the person who hit “Rock Bottom” with their money after years and years and years.

Well into adulthood.
Well into parenthood.
Well into middle age even!

Where are THOSE money experts?

Well I think the truth is there aren’t many of them.

Because it’s INCREDIBLELY HARD to get out of the debt trap.

Add to that being a mom, running a home and trying to be a good partner, friend and daughter (ok – I’m a lady you got me).

So Rock Bottom Money has been created. A blog that I have no idea who will read or find because it won’t get social media accounts. You’ll have to find me on Google or maybe AI will send you here. You’ll have to comment through the contact form.

We shall see!

If you’re here and reading this, I’m so glad you are. I’m cheering for you. Welcome!

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