So after a month of internet searching, I have devised my debt paydown plan. I'm hoping it takes me less than a year to knock this out!

I've learned a lot about "snowballing" my payments into my highest APR credit card. I've been doing so, but my APRs have actually changed a bit recently. Even so, the payments are all going to debt reduction. So I'm now paying the minimum on all my cards, except for CC #1 (with the highest APR). I'm taking everything I have left over and putting it on that card. But I will continue paying the minimums - as they are now - and that way, once those balances go down a bit, I will actually be paying a couple of extra dollars a month on them. Hopefully in the next few months, I'll have two or three more card balances gone.

Also in the past month, I've read Suze Orman's book, "Young, Fabulous & Broke" (thanks for the gift, Captain). With what I've learned from that book, as well as internet sites, I've armed myself with tools I need to get my credit score in check. So far, I've convinced 4 creditors to lower my APR and I've re-opened two accounts. I know that might sound like the last thing I need to do, but wait! I've learned that I need to work on my debt to credit limit ratio. Who knew it would hurt your credit score to close accounts with balances on them! My college roommates "froze my assets" once - that didn't help. I've cut up my Victoria's Secret card before, unfortunately, I memorized the account number. My last hope was closing the accounts. But now I know not to do that! So, like I said, I've got a couple of accounts open, and I even got my credit limit increased on another card. I promise I'm not using any of them though!

Sure, we all have our own story behind our debt - consumer debt, student loans, mortgages, vehicles, medical bills, and so on. The sad truth of mine is, it's ALL consumer debt. Too many trips to Victoria's Secret, numerous bar tabs, new outfits for Keeneland or a new shirt for a UK game, spring breaks, bachelorette parties -- it all adds up! All the way up to $13,642.54. Eeeek! That was back in June, when I made the realization that my non-profit paycheck wasn't keeping up with my material-girl shopping sprees! I've been extremely committed the past month and a half to reducing my debt, and I've already paid down over $1000.

So that's me in a nutshell. I'm hoping this blog will help me to stay accountable over the next year during my "debt management journey."