Q&A with Cara

Welcome to Member Money Moments – a Q&A series sharing the wisdom, struggles, success, and goals of our Happy Money Members as they navigate their journey to financial freedom.

How does money and or debt affect your mental health?

😟 Negatively

What do you find is the most difficult challenge you face when it comes to money?

💰Saving Money
✍️ Creating A Budget
🤑 Impulse Spending

What do you wish you knew about money growing up?

I wish I understood how hard it would be to save money. I would've tried harder when I was younger!

What topics would you most like to learn about when it comes to money?

💰 How to save + achieve financial freedom
😊 Healthy budgeting techniques

What is one piece of advice you would give to others on their personal finance journey?

If you're trying to get ahead of your debt and interest rates are the only thing holding you back, consolidate! I can't even begin to explain how much I've saved and how much it changed my everyday budgeting!

What’s your first financial goal when you become debt free?

🏡 As of April 2022, I am credit card debt free. Thank you, Happy Money! I still have my student loans to tackle, but I desperately want to save and buy a home.

In what way did Happy Money assist you in your personal finance journey?

Trying to get established in a new city is difficult, so I ran up a lot of debt when I moved. With high interest rates keeping me behind, I felt like I would never climb out of it! Even my above minimum monthly payments seemed like they were just paying the interests. The Payoff Loan saved me--it gave me a way to consolidate that debt at a much lower interest rate. After years of struggling, I paid off a huge amount of debt in just two years. Happy Money helped me manage my money in a healthier and more effective way by saving me thousands in interest fees.