As much as I hate New Year’s Eve, I love New Year’s Day. Mostly because I’m a huge resolutions person. I know, I know… so is everyone else on January 1st. But I’m one of the weird freaks who actually follows through on them.
The way I see it, resolutions aren’t about deciding to be a different person. They’re about drawing a roadmap to where you want to be in twelve months. If you’re not working toward something, how are you supposed to get anywhere?
I check in on my student loan balance every two weeks after a payment posts. I plot out the money I’ll throw at it during extra paycheck months, or when my tax refund hits. If all goes according to plan, I’ll be debt-free this time next year.
That was the goal I set for myself last spring when I refinanced $28,000 worth of federal loans. They’re the last (expensive) reminder of graduate school. And — most importantly — they’re the last thing I need to take care of before the rest of my financial life begins.
Read more at The Billfold.