2. I discovered that getting out of debt isn't always a straight line
I put a lot of effort into getting out of credit card debt, but things like broken chargers and unexpected trips to the doctor came up. That meant my balance sometimes went up instead of down. Even though I graduated with $5,000 of credit card debt, I ended up paying off about $6,500 because of unexpected expenses.
3. I learned that the small victories don't automatically feel special
I paid off my credit card debt over about 18 months, but it felt much longer because I was now so aware of my debt. To keep myself motivated, I celebrated each three-month milestone by giving myself proportionate and affordable rewards, like going to my favorite vegan restaurant with my roommate.
This practice was especially important in the beginning, because it prevented my remaining debt from overwhelming me and gave me a feeling of accomplishment.
4. I celebrated the final payoff by telling people about my victory, instead of spending money
Rewards along the way were important, but once I paid off my credit card debt, I decided that my reward would be sharing my news with the people I loved and trusted, like my mom and dad.
I did this because I wanted to start a dialogue about personal finance and fight the stigma around people who had acquired “bad” debt. For me, this tactic worked, and I now feel much more comfortable talking about my finances.