How One Woman Got Into (And Out Of) $36,000 Of Credit Card Debt 

How she got out: she moved back in with her parents and makes $100k+ a year

I appreciate the guest acknowledged the areas she was privileged in. It helps me respect her ability to be aware of her situation and opportunities. Lots of good information from this interview.

THANK YOU for talking about how much of a privilege it is to be able to move back in with your parents to pay off debts. I could fix my debt situation in one, maybe two years if I didn't have to pay rent - but there's literally nobody in my family with the space to take me in for that long. I'm on my own & always jealous of people who do have that family safety net to fall back on - and annoyed when those people act like it's possible for everyone.

Not in credit card debt but I am paying off student loans while living with my father. It is such a privilege to have a father that will not only let me live with him but who I get along with and I am infinitely grateful to him. I try to view this is as a way to spend precious time with him because we are only getting older as opposed to I am a loser for living at home lol

Im 38 and have been paying off student debt for more than 10 years. Knock on wood I'll be done in less than 2 years. Things that are making that happen: - moving states - moving apartments - moving jobs, more money - not traveling or buying furniture - father helping me repair and replace used cars - at one point, sex work and dumpster diving The way you get out of debt is to grab whatever opportunity passes you to drop a different expense or gain more money. Barring forgiveness, that is the only way. It does not matter who is getting interviewed or what their unique circumstances are. It will always boil down to those two things. What that looks like for you individually is what you have to figure out.

I'm always impressed when people are willing to be honest and vulnerable on social media like this.

Without fail, someone or multiple people comment something to the tune of “this isn’t my exact situation, could you please focus on people in my exact situation?” as if TFD doesn’t have a whole back catalogue of varied content to sift through.

Can you do an episode of someone who paid of debts & didn't move back in with their parents? Might make it more relatable for people who don't want to or have no option to move back in with parents.

I'm in my early 40s and we were practically handed credit cards once we were on a college campus. I'm glad this is changing.

She’s right about it being pointless to sit in shame and anxiety about having made a mistake. We all make mistakes. We just shame people for certain mistakes more than others. Normalize praising ppl for recognizing mistakes over constantly reminding them of them 😅

So i actually have been going through this exact same thing. After my break up 2 years ago i got myself into 20k debt trting to live on my own. I moved back in with my parents 1 year ago & took a new job near them. Since then, i have paid off my car & half of my credit card debt.

Just wanted to voice a word of encouragement and appreciation! Needed to hear this story, as it’s literally so similar to my own. I think a lot of young people are influenced to spend spend spend. And with the yo yo state of the world, it’s so easy to slip into existential purchases for a false sense of control. Reeling in our spending is a “coming of age” that some of us discover late if at all. I appreciate this conversation so so much. Those critical of her apparent privilege and those dissatisfied by the fact that she “makes too much” want to invalidate existential struggles young people come into, and that does nothing to further the conversation and destigmatization.

Huge privilege to be able to move back home rent-free, I moved back home for 10 months but had to pay some rent there as well.

It was so interesting to hear her perspective on what someone could’ve said. I liked that she took responsibility but admitted she could have been influenced by a friend or family member questioning her decisions. It highlights the importance of financial transparency amongst our close circle and even more broadly in forums like this. Thanks for another great episode!

My three favorite channels: The Financial Diet, Stock Brotha, & How Money Works. Make my week complete! 🔥 🔥 🔥

Great video! I really do have a quick question. For someone with less than $10,000 to invest, How would you recommend we enter the market? I am looking study some traders and copy their strategy rather than investing myself and losing money emotionally. Whats your take on this approach?

It's crucial to address that debt before considering any major investments. Maybe focus on paying off the high-interest debt first to minimize its impact on your portfolio.

I'm so happy I made productive decisions about my finances that changed my life forever,hoping to retire next year.. Investment should always be on any creative man's heart for success in life

Hilarious sidebar, right when Chelsea asked about travel expectations inflation the video was interrupted for a booking hotels commercial

It's a privilege to move back home, but it must have been pretty tough. I would be too proud to do it. 😬 Kudos to her for making sacrifices!

Women have more credit card debt then men. Because the economy markets more to women then men. When you go to the mall, you will see more stores marketed to women than men.

36 minute: the nitty gritty on payment method, no joke happy to hear the good stuff!

Great interview, fantastic questions! Ugh the shame but yes we have to face head on. Thank you, TFD!

If I had the opportunity to move back home, I would’ve done the same thing. Kudos to her for tackling this head on!

It's interesting that she said more than once "I could have afforded it if I had planned better". I wish that had been explored more. I feel like usually, the credit card debt stories are either a) I was broke and had to put my necessities on a card, or b) I was knowingly spending beyond my means because I wanted those things/experience. I feel like it could have been an informative convo to discuss why she didn't plan ahead, or what she would have done differently and guesstimate how much debt could have been avoided

Literally looking at my debt right now and making plans to pay it off 😂. This was a balanced transfer card and the balance is higher now 😢😂

omg I love Brittney!!! what a great guest to have on

This was really good to listen to, we're in the same place. I've recently allowed myself a credit card, trying to trust myself after closing out all my debts. I have savings and investments now and I've been proving to myself I can do it. Last month, I paid off my statement in full. It was an experience I was so happy with. Only using my credit card for costs that I already have the cash for. Trusting myself now after hard lessons learnt. Sidenote, I'd LOVE for you to delve into the whole child treatment with in-laws and how to go about that. I'm eldest and like a secondary mother to my sibling. But with my in-laws, I'm the youngest whose married to their youngest (proxy-baby treatment). Its beyond irritating.

Great questions in this episode!

I think it’s good to destigmatize moving home. I’d much rather my kids live with us for a while than struggle longer with debt.

Great video

I love both of you guys!

Escapism and avoidance of accountability seem to be the the two biggest themes of the people that find themselves in these situations. The idea that someone could spend 23 hundo on a ten day airbnb just so they can hang out and pretend to live lavish in their preferred city because they don't like their current city for reasons they can't really articulate, is so wildly foreign to me. Glad she's getting out of the hole. But i wish people didn't have to fall so deep to learn these lessons

It's funny that the solution is so often to move in with your parents, because it's totally opposite for me. My debt got its start during a period when i had moved back in with my folks, and I'm paying it off now while living independently.

I've actually seen a bunch of my friends and family need to kove back in with their family to save money or re-orient or a bunch of other types of things

I moved back in with my parents after graduating from college, with their encouragement that it was okay (i'm also lucky to have a really healthy relationship with my parents too), and now I'm making $46k a year and not paying rent, which allows me the privilege to save a ton of that money for a rainy day or for when me and my boyfriend move in together (hopefully after the housing prices come down, one can only hope that will actually happen)

You are not privileged bc you have a remote job. Luck is where opportunity and preparation meet. You created an environment where you can have a remote job.

The key take away is "no one is thinking of you that much", so do what you need to do without guilt or pride because no one really cares.

She was willing to make sacrifices.I know someone who is very low income .I have made many suggestions to them about house hacking etc but they never want to make changes. I have had to make many sacrifices to get somewhat comfortable even though I am still paying off debt !!

I do think it’s interesting that in the beginning , the guests spending is framed as “frivolous and unnecessary “ and then later upon digging we get to the fact that it was actually not just personal choices but also cultural messaging and mental health and coping mechanisms. So the spending had a use and wasn’t frivolous, it was an important albeit detrimental coping mechanism

I love Brittney!! Can’t wait to listen to

Aww I love her I follow her on tiktok she's a sweetheart

A bit aside from the topic of the video, as she said she is making money from TikTok, the question is how will she react after the TikTok ban in the US?

Omg Brittney!!

This is not a “real person”. $4k extra towards debt??? That’s more than my monthly take home. Can we get someone on here who makes a regular salary???

how does someone who earns 25K a year manage money and save?

Regarding traveling, my experience.. I work in a big, stable company, the salary is stable and as far as 2023 was expectable and stable. That's why I was confidant in booking a week long trip to Italy. A few weeks before the flight we were informed the annual bonus of 2,000$ is cancled. Which was supposed to cover my expenses. Choosing to go through with the trip anyway was such a bad decision for me and I ended up having a full on anxiety attack in the middle of the street there, and completely ruining my reflection on my second home in Italy. Now, trauma-stiked I can't even think of traveling without money anymore, it really isn't worth it...

Good for her to fight her pride and move back home!

for rich ppl even being poor and in depth is so much easier

Joybird? 4 grand? i'm confused.

she was able to set 4k a month? she never was in a tough financial situation tbh

Wtf spend $4k on a couch?! This isn't the first woman I've heard say that. Where do you even find a couch that costs that much???

Adult Job + Child Living Arrangements = Maybe you’ll build up some equity i dunno we’ll see

Has Chelsea ever done a video on elder care? As millenials get older and their parents hit that age of needing care, how does a typical millenial deal with their own finances and or care for their parents?

I miss Chelsea's solo videos. I understand TFD's desire to diversify but the guests they bring in just aren't as well spoken, though provoking or engaging as Chelsea herself. It's been month's since I've watched a full episode of TFD now. The viewership on these videos shows similar agreement. Might be time to unsubscribe.

TikTokers are considered "normal" people now??

I respect the honesty and accountability this person has. Its refreshing, so im not negging that at all. Everyone deserves to not feel alone in their struggles and in my younger 20s, i spent to keep up with friends too. Its common. However, With how bad inflation is right now, i feel like this video may be bad timing and not hitting well with me. I think id rather see more content about surviving the silent recession were in, how to do momemts of joy or happiness when the world is burning and your broke, or how to build communities to help you all save money rather than content like this. Alot of that is doom and gloom, but its relevant to today. Even content about small scale homesteading in a city for community building is less doomer and doable for most folks. Though her privilege was discussed, i just dont think its a good time to center a story about someone with the means to live alone in CA with debt from fun high lifestyle choices and a bad relationship when so many people are struggling atm. Again, i may be angry and jaded bc of my own struggles created by corp greed and no safety net bc i only have chose family, but i dont think im alone in these feelings.

Man, interviewer is just windmill dunking on the subject

Chelsea hello beautifu

Now can we hear from someone who doesn’t have all that privilege? If I had parents like that I wouldn’t have gotten into credit card debt in the first place. This is not a relatable perspective for the majority of people in debt

LMAO breaking up with her partner and moving in with her parents and working remotely for her girl boss job in her sleepy hometown… She’s in a Kate Hudson romcom

I understand the change in location for the episode… but why did you recorded it with a potato? video quality is not on par with regular TFD videos

Terrible example and very unengaged guest, she can’t even open up the topic. Basically what I got from it is this girl was working in IT, overspent and moved in with mom and dad. Not relevant at all.

Lmao “real person”

I don't really think these are helpful... just switching cold turkey and moving home is not practical by any means.... most of these interviews of real life just feel like plugs for content creators... even her description of overconsumption comes off as bland lacking any real transparency.. borderline denial...and the real root cause was glazed over... it just feels like these ppl have no depth... now I get a hit paying of my debt and walking 😮... so the solution is to monetize your debt journey on tiktok to pay off debt 😒

For fuq sake learn the difference between Fortunate and Privelege.

Millennials and Gen Z are killing themselves with travel. I'm considered an "evil" landlord because I saved my money to purchase a few single family homes. I've also been called privileged, but I have never once taken a vacation that involved flying somewhere, staying in a hotel, etc. My vacations have been camping at the state park, and even then only about every 3-5 years.