Hey friends,
This week has been a journey—and not just financially. Let’s kick things off with the bad:
I was down for three days, sick as a dog. Throwing up, nauseous, the whole nine yards. But hey, silver lining? I didn’t spend a dime eating out, so there’s a small financial win in that little storm cloud.
Now let’s talk about the exciting progress I made, because while my body was down for the count, my financial progress was on the up and up.
The Big Wins
Investing on Auto-Pilot
Earlier, I set up automatic deposits into my Fidelity account—$369 biweekly, which is 10% of one of the household checks. But this week, I leveled up: I set up automatic investments. Now, every time money is deposited into the account, it’s invested without me lifting a finger.It’s officially on autopilot, just sitting there, compounding and growing for the future. The finance bros would probably wave their fingers at me for investing while still in debt (because “emergency fund first, debt second, investments third”), but guess what? My emergency fund is already set up and funded with BMO Alto, and I’m okay with delaying my debt payoff by one month to make sure my nest egg is already in progress.
For me, it’s worth it—and the idea of watching my investments grow while paying off debt feels like a win-win.
My First Big Debt Payment
This week, I made my first full payment beyond the minimums toward my $68,228 in debt! I chose to put $3,000 toward my Wells Fargo credit card because, honestly, it’s my only card not on autopay—and it’s a pain in the ass to deal with every month.Wells Fargo mailed me a paper form to set up autopay. Like, PAPER. In 2024. So yeah, I’m prioritizing paying that one off as quickly as possible because life is too short for that nonsense.
Feeling Freeing, Hopeful, and... Delusionally Optimistic?
Here’s the thing: I’m aware that life has a lot of moving parts, and the next 10-11 months could bring major shifts with the potential of my son getting into a Montessori and having to move (and possibly a lot of money alongside it). But right now, I’m committed to sticking to this plan, staying disciplined, and going into 2026 with a strong, debt-free foundation.
For the first time in a long time, life feels financially... hopeful. There’s something freeing about being on a path, even when it’s not perfect. I know there will be challenges, setbacks, and life to navigate along the way—but for now, I’m just enjoying the ride.
Want to Join Me on the Journey?
If you’re curious about how I’m tackling this mountain of debt while investing and staying mostly sane, check out my TikTok (@farrahcosby) for daily updates. Or dive deeper into this newsletter for more detailed tools and tips, including the exact steps I’m taking to manage this process.
Here’s to making progress, even if it’s messy,
Farrah