# Crossed the $25,000 line **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 13, 1999, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314 "1999-10-13T04:04:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/1 "1999-10-13T04:04:00Z")
In doing the bills last night, I watched the ol’ spreadsheet ratchet the number down. I’m talking unsecured credit debt and I hit a personal high of $56,XXX in October, 1996. Last night’s total is $24,841.76. I financed a business, so it’s not like I have a lot of toys lying around. I do all the tricks, i.e., transfer debt around, etc. It still bugs me to think about what I paid to get that $31,000 gone. BUT, I WILL prevail. I live like a student hippie, but I will be debt-free in ~ 2 years. I’ll post again at $20K, $15K, $10K, $5k and then the Countdown begins… I’ll beat the monster…you can, too! ---
**Author:** ![pluto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f08c70/32.png) [@pluto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pluto)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/2 "1999-10-13T04:40:00Z")
Congrats, beatle! Been there. Done that. Will be debt free in March of 2000 (unless that Y2K bug works in my favor, in which case I will be debt free on January 1st!). The really sad thing is if we had worked as hard at avoiding the debt as we have to work to get rid of the debt we’d be hobnobbing with Bill Gates and the Buffet brothers by now! Oh well! Live and learn. * * * Strangers have the best candy. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisCTP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@ChrisCTP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisCTP)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/3 "1999-10-13T04:45:00Z")
Good job, beatle! We’re finally (mostly) debt-free. One car payment, Mastercard (gets paid off every month), and Culligan. Not even mortgage… It is SO nice. Congratulations again, beatle! And best of luck to anyone else who’s trying to clear out. * * * “ChrisCTP-…the sweetheart of the SDMB…” --Diane Chris’ Homepage: [Domestic Bliss](http://www2.crosswinds.net/~domesticbliss/) ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/4 "1999-10-13T05:30:00Z")
Good job bro! I’m $7,500 in the hole, but most of it is in a car that will be another couple of years. I hope to have everything else paid off in a year, maybe… _crossing fingers_ * * * Yer pal, Satan ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/5 "1999-10-13T14:45:00Z")
Since my SO and myself just consolidated all of ours, I know almost exactly how far we’re in the hole…about $19,000…that’s including all cars (3), photographer for the wedding($3,000 damn they’re expensive), all charge cards, and all moving expenses from our big move a few months ago…Hoping to make larger payments, and be done in a little over 3 years… * * * _I haven’t lost my mind, I have a tape backup around somewhere._ ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/6 "1999-10-13T15:25:00Z")
Go, beatle! Go, beatle! Go, go, go beatle! I just sold my first home, and with the equity was able to make a nice down payment on a bigger house, plus pay off all other debts! No credit card debt, no car payments! 'Course there’s still the private school tuition, but that’s a choice we’ve made. Life IS a little easier now, though. Keep up the discipline, it will pay off. * * * The overwhelming majority of people have more than the average (mean) number of legs. – E. Grebenik ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/7 "1999-10-13T20:48:00Z")
As of today I am something over $300,000 up. Of course, after I pay my $75,000+ in taxes next April, that will change. ---
**Author:** ![Satan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 1999, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/8 "1999-10-13T21:39:00Z")
Diver: Brother, can you spare a thou? ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 1999, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/9 "1999-10-14T00:22:00Z")
Thanks, folks! I’ll see y’all when I post the next milestone. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 1999, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/10 "1999-10-14T00:29:00Z")
**Diver** Enough income to pay $75K in one-year taxes and only $300K saved? Dude, you need some serious financial planning and/or taxation advice (or a relative needed estate advice). Get thee to a planner! * * * Livin’ on Tums, Vitamin E and Rogaine ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 1999, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/11 "1999-10-14T12:04:00Z")
Thank you for making me extreamly depressed Diver…I really gotta change jobs… * * * _I haven’t lost my mind, I have a tape backup around somewhere._ ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 1999, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/12 "1999-10-14T12:38:00Z")
You know, whether or not Diver needs a planner depends on how old he is… If he’s 40, he needs a planner. If he’s 25, he’s off to a damn good start. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 1999, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/13 "1999-10-14T14:36:00Z")
Satan, If it was on-hand money I could but it’s put away. The $75000 taxes are additional out of pocket dollars (or actually stock sales) because of some stock options I was lucky enough to make some bucks on this year. The 300k is dollars put away for retirement and does not include other assets. It’s not enough yet but have been working with a planner for a few years and things are progressing. My problem is I started out as West Texas oilfield trash and it’s taken a lot of luck and some extra time to get this far. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/14 "2000-12-31T04:34:26Z")
In an old thread, [Crossed the $25,000 line](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=14155), I discussed where I was at at the time. Now I’m hovering about the $5000 mark, and I _think_ I’m going to get there. Cheers, y’all! One of my favorites from that thread was **Doctor Jackson** ’s encouragement: > [@](#): > > Go, beatle! Go, beatle! Go, go, go beatle! ---
**Author:** ![Tzel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzel)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/15 "2000-12-31T04:59:48Z")
Congratulations, keep reachin’ for that rainbow. Meanwhile, I’m busy accumulating debt via student loans. Not a whole lot, but damn I hate knowing I’m going to have to pay them back eventually. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/16 "2000-12-31T06:32:09Z")
Beatle, congrats. But do you realize you linked to the same thread you posted to? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_In\_The\_Cape](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9a140/32.png) [@Cat\_In\_The\_Cape](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_In_The_Cape)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/17 "2000-12-31T06:39:45Z")
Time for a consolidation loan, if you haven’t done it. And then chop up the excess cards. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/18 "2000-12-31T14:21:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Beatle, congrats. But do you realize you linked to the same thread you posted to? Not the way I planned to do it; ah, well, I guess it still works. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/19 "2000-12-31T15:12:34Z")
Congrats, Beatle. Sounds like you are getting things under control. Lifting that heavy cloud of debt that hangs over you sure helps put your mind at ease. And thanks for the champagne. That was very thoughtful. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314/20 "2000-12-31T15:25:20Z")
Good work, beatle! I’ve managed to get mine down to \<$2,000 from a high of \>$10,000 in about 2 years. I should have it gone by the middle of next year! Now I just have “regular” debt: mortgage, utilities, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossed-the-25-000-line/9314.md?page=2)