readercurious

That feeling of treading water is all too real - I’ve been there, and it’s brutal. One thing that helped me was reaching out to a credit counseling agency. They helped me map out a plan and even negotiated lower interest rates with my creditors, which made the payments feel less overwhelming. It’s worth checking if there’s a nonprofit service near you; they’re usually free or low cost. Also, consolidation loans can be helpful but only if you’re confident you won’t rack up new debt on those cards afterward. Sometimes just having one payment to focus on makes a huge difference mentally. And don’t beat yourself up over unexpected expenses - life throws curveballs, and budgeting is more about flexibility than perfection. Hang in there and take it one step at a time. Breaking it down into small goals, like paying off one card or even a chunk of the balance, can really boost your motivation.