Becoming debt-free was one of my most important goals when I started freelancing.
Having debts and loans can slowly destroy you if you do not manage them properly.
People say there is good debt and bad debt. Credit cards and loans are part of that conversation.
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When I started freelancing, I had many goals, but becoming debt-free was at the top of my list.
Honestly, I hate credit cards and loans. But I became gullible because of people I loved. Not once, but twice.
First, my ex-husband introduced me to a credit card.
Second, my third-to-last ex-partner introduced me to a loan.
I will not tell the full story here. It is long and very personal. But the truth is, I used my heart instead of my brain, and I paid for it.
Aside from my full-time job, I had freelancing work both online and offline. Most of the time, my offline work gave me better earnings and more opportunities.
While I was saving for investments, emergency funds, and paying myself, there was always one thing at the top of my budget.
Paying my credit card and loans.
To be fair, my credit card did help in some emergency situation. I just needed to pay it properly.
I managed my credit card by stopping myself from using it and by not bringing it everywhere. Sometimes, because my income was only average at that time, I could not pay the full amount. But every payday,
I always paid more than the minimum.
For my loans, I paid in advance. The money stayed in the bank, and when the due date came, they deducted the exact amount with interest.
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Because my offline freelancing was doing well and my salary was fixed, I knew how much I could budget. Whenever I had extra money, I added more to my payments so I could finish earlier.
I became obsessed with paying them off. It affected my nervous system.
Some nights, it was hard to sleep.
Whenever payday came or I had extra money, my first thought was to pay my debts immediately.
Not groceries.
Not treating myself or my son.
Not even small joys like ordering without checking the price.
That habit quietly sabotaged my plans.
It became part of my budget, even though I was not happy about it. It limited what my earnings could do for me and my family.
Until I moved to the UK.
I became debt-free.
Why?
The currency difference helped me a lot. I was able to remit higher amounts and pay everything off as fast as possible.
And after that?
✅ I slept better.
✅ No anxiety.
✅ No constant stress.
And becoming debt-free gave me my life back.
It improved my mental, physical, and emotional well-being. It also changed how I work. I became more focused on growth and improvement, not survival.
The money pressure reduced, and the way I decide and behave shifted into a more relaxed but still productive mindset.
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Practical Advice for You:
If you are freelancing and you have debts or loans, learning how to manage your earnings properly is important.
Start by knowing exactly what you owe.
List your debts, due dates, and minimum payments.
Then decide, in advance, where your money goes before it even hits your account.
Pay your obligations first, not out of fear, but to give yourself mental space.
When debt stops taking up room in your head, you work better, decide better, and grow faster.
Yes, paying them first is the top priority.
It is an uncomfortable truth, but it helps you work and think better when you are not carrying debt.
Not because you owe something, but because mental clarity matters.
It will be challenging for months. But there is a good side to it.
It teaches you discipline.
It teaches you restraint.
It teaches you how to use money with intention.
Post to you soon 📩
Charmaine 🩷😊