Financial Horror Stories: Credit Card Debt

We’ve asked several people to share their financial horror stories with us with the idea that we can learn from their mistakes. Today we have the opportunity to get to know Andrea, the writer, blogger, and owner of Saving Joyfully. Andrea works diligently to share valuable tips and insights on how to save money and achieve financial freedom while living a more joyful life.

What’s the biggest money mistake you’ve ever made and how did it impact your life?

Debt acquired on credit cards while in college to help me be able to afford tuition and books when I was unable to get student loans. Once I was able to qualify and receive student loans I accumulated additional debt that way as well.

If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?          

I look back on these decisions now and wish that I had made them differently. If I could go back in time I would not use credit cards to fund my tuition and books, when I simply could not afford those costs.

Did anything good come out of the mistake?

I have learned from these mistakes and it has made me a much more frugal and financially conscious person. I now run the website SavingJoyfully.com, where I now use these mistakes to speak to others about the dangers of debt. I also try to help others by sharing many ways that I have found to save more money over the years.

What is your biggest financial fear?

Never being able to obtain debt freedom. It has been a huge struggle with debt since my early twenties and it is the one thing that I now want so much. I struggle with the fear of going back into worse debt all of the time. Saving money and paying off debt is often a daily struggle to remind myself of where I have been and where I want to be heading.

What’s one piece of financial advice you would like to share with our readers?

Be careful with credit cards and loans and always try to find another way if possible. If you can put off that purchase until you have saved, you are much better off. I would also say if you are going to use credit cards to make sure to use one that earns you rewards or cash back and pay it off in full every month.

Thanks to Andrea for sharing that financial horror story with us today. It can be really easy to get into debt without considering the long-term ramifications. Consider her advice and look for another way if at all possible! If you’d like to connect further with Andrea, you can do so by visiting her website, savingjoyfully.com.

 

Other posts in our series of financial horror stories:

Financial Horror Stories: Lack of Emergency Savings Leads to Financial Nightmare

Financial Horror Stories: Reckless Spending

Financial Horror Stories: Vacation Timeshare Regret

Financial Horror Stories: Investment Gone Wrong

Financial Horror Stories: Excessive Debt

Financial Horror Stories: Overspending to Please Others