Happy New Year! And welcome back to another episode of Money Files.

This is the ​last ​episode ​of the ​debt ​identity ​series ​and ​I ​am ​going ​to ​be ​talking ​to ​you ​about ​survival ​debt. The kind of debt that shows up after a divorce, a medical issue, a job loss, a major income shift, or a season you could not have planned for. Survival debt does not come from overspending or poor discipline. It comes from life happening faster than your savings could keep up, and it may be flavored with ​a ​little ​bit ​of the ​multiple ​types ​of ​debt that we’ve discussed in this series. ​

When you understand why the debt exists, you stop treating it like a personal failure and start managing it with clarity instead of shame. Join me as I walk you through how survival debt often gets misclassified as a spending problem, how fake math shows up when emotions are high, and why paying off debt aggressively without changing the story usually leads to burnout and repeat cycles.

If you have ever felt shame by debt that came from trying to survive a hard season, this episode will help you breathe again and move forward without self punishment.

Episode Highlights:

[01:47] Why naming your debt matters

[02:10] What survival debt actually is

[05:00] Life events that create survival debt

[08:45] When debt becomes a story about who you are

[11:30] How fake math shows up after hard seasons

[14:20] Why rushing payoff plans lead to burnout

[16:50] Renaming debt to reclaim control

[19:40] Five questions to neutralize survival debt

1. What did ​this ​debt ​allow ​me ​to ​survive ​or ​protect?

2. What ​story ​am ​I ​telling ​myself ​about ​what ​this ​debt ​means?

3. How ​would ​I ​view ​this ​debt ​if ​it ​belonged ​to ​someone ​I love?

4. What ​would ​neutralizing ​this ​debt ​emotionally ​look ​like ​for me?

5. What would ​change ​if ​this ​debt ​wasn't ​treated ​as ​a ​personal ​failure?

[23:00] Choosing a calmer path forward

Tune into this episode of Money Files to learn how naming survival debt helps you release shame, stop fake math, and build a sustainable plan rooted in clarity and self trust.

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://wealthovernow.com/debt-identity-series-understanding-survival-debt-why-your-debt-is-not-a-personal-failure/

Links mentioned in this episode…

Set up a call | Financial Coach Washington, DC | Wealth Over Now

Download my FREE spending plan

Do you put everything on your credit card because you want the points, cashback, or “free travel”? The Points Chaser identity feels smart and strategic at first. But without a real money system behind it, your card becomes a second bank account, your balance becomes unpredictable, and your savings stall out.

In this episode, I break down how the Points Chaser mindset forms, why it hides overspending, and what needs to shift so your credit card works with your financial system instead of against it. I explain the real mechanics behind unpredictable balances, why paying your card off monthly is not a sign of financial mastery, and how weekly payoffs reconnect you to your spending in real time.

You’ll learn how to create structure around your card use, how to limit categories, and how to align your spending with your income so the points you earn actually feel like a reward and not a trap.

If you’ve ever wondered why your balance keeps surprising you or why you aren’t saving more even though your income is high, this episode will give you the clarity you’ve been missing.

In this episode you'll learn... ​​

[00:42] Who the Points Chaser is and why it feels so strategic

[03:18] How credit cards quietly become a second spending account

[06:11] Why monthly payoffs do not mean you are good with money

[09:48] How points hide overspending and disrupt your cash flow

[13:03] The three money bucket system and how it fixes visibility

[17:22] Weekly credit card payoffs and how they reconnect you to your spending

[23:12] Five reflection questions every Points Chaser should ask

Tune into this episode of Money Files to discover how to build a credit card system that keeps you connected to your spending and supports your financial goals.

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://wealthovernow.com/debt-identity-series-when-free-points-keep-you-broke/

Links mentioned in this episode…

Set up a call | Financial Coach Washington, DC | Wealth Over Now

Download my FREE spending plan

We are continuing the Debt Identity Series, and today we are talking about The Status Keeper, the identity most people never realize they have.

This identify is sneaky because you tell yourself you don’t spend “extravagantly” because you don’t drive a luxury car, you’re not buying designer bags, and you’re not chasing labels. So when you hear “keeping up with the Joneses,” you know that’s not you because you don’t drive a Bentley. But the truth is, Status Keeper debt has nothing to do with materialism and everything to do with subtle, socially accepted spending habits.

If you say yes to the girls' trips, the concerts, the spa days, the quick getaways, and the “why not” dinners because you deserve it, this episode is for you.These purchases do not feel big or irresponsible, but they add up.

And even though you can likely pay off your credit card at any time, you find yourself right back in debt because the root cause has never been addressed.

This episode breaks down why Status Keeper spending is driven by:

• emotional justification

• fake math

• unconscious lifestyle choices

• values that unintentionally override your real financial goals

You will learn how everyday “yeses” cost you thousands each year and how to shift out of this identity with awareness, trade offs, and a healthier relationship with saving.

Listen in to learn:

[00:45] Why Status Keeper spending doesn’t look like overspending

[02:10] How “I deserve this” thinking fuels lifestyle debt

[03:40] How fake math justifies small but frequent purchases

[05:55] Why savings feels restrictive and swiping feels like freedom

[07:50] The real annual cost of trips, concerts, dining out, massages

[08:25] What “experience spending” is actually costing you

[10:15] Six questions every Status Keeper must answer on paper

[13:25] How one simple trade off can free up thousands

[17:10] Why saving is not a no, saving is a future yes

[21:10] How identity awareness helps you finally stay out of debt

Tune into this episode of Money Files to uncover the real reason you keep returning to credit card debt, and learn how to align your spending with the goals that matter most.

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://wealthovernow.com/debt-identity-series-the-status-keepers-hidden-spending-trap/

Links mentioned in this episode…

Set up a call | Financial Coach Washington, DC | Wealth Over Now

Download my FREE spending plan