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

Think paying off your debt fast means you are finally getting ahead? It doesn’t. Not if your credit card is still acting as your safety net.

In this episode, I introduce the first debt identity in my Debt Identity Series: The Safety Net User. If you have ever used a bonus, tax refund, stock payout, or balance transfer to rush your balance to zero, only to end up right back in debt months later, this episode is going to feel uncomfortably familiar.

I break down lump sum debt payoffs and why they never seem to help you stay on track. You will learn why zero is not a plan, why paying off debt quickly is not the ideal solution, and why creating savings is the only way to stop the cycle for good. We talk through predictable expenses, fake emergencies, interest reframes, and the emotional urgency driving your debt decisions.

I walk you through the exact shifts you need to make if you want your next payoff to finally stick.

Listen to learn how to break the Safety Net cycle and rebuild your financial stability…

[01:14] What defines the Safety Net User

[03:22] Why lump sums feel like the answer

[06:20] The problem with rushing to zero

[08:46] Why zero is not stability

[10:41] The interest reframe that will change everything

[14:17] Five questions to uncover your patterns

Tune into this episode of Money Files to learn how slowing down your debt payoff can help you build real savings, break your patterns, and finally stay out of debt for good.

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://wealthovernow.com/debt-payoff-returning-debt-cycle-high-earner-finances-financial-stability-savings-habits-financial-preparedness-budgeting-tips-debt-identity-fake-emergencies-overspending-patterns-credit-car/

Links mentioned in this episode…

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

Download my FREE spending plan

Are you tired of paying off debt only to find yourself right back where you started months later? You are not alone.

​​I​n this episode, I'm answering the question so many high achievers quietly carry: Why do I keep getting back into debt, even though I know how to pay it off?

​

Debt numbers are simple—money in, money out—but the patterns driving your decisions are not. Most people try to fix their debt with strategies like balance transfers, avalanche vs. snowball, or throwing lump sums at their credit cards. But without understanding why debt keeps resurfacing, those strategies never stick.

​

This episode walks you through the four debt identities, the Safety Net User, the Status Keeper, the Points Chaser, and the Survival Debtor, and breaks down the fake math, emotional hurdles, and hidden habits that keep smart, capable people stuck in the debt cycle.

​

If you want your next debt payoff to be the last time you ever do it, this episode is your starting point.

In this episode you'll learn... ​​​​

[00:30] Why knowing how to pay off debt is not the real problem

[01:40] Why debt keeps resurfacing, even after you pay it off

[02:16] Why your debt payoff strategy must match your debt identity

[04:10] Debt Identity #1: The Safety Net User

[06:20] Debt Identity #2: The Status Keeper

[09:30] Debt Identity #3: The Points Chaser

[11:35] Debt Identity #4: The Survival Debtor

[13:45] Why shame keeps survival debt lingering

[15:00] What to reflect on before paying off debt again

​

Tune into this episode of Money Files to discover how understanding your debt identity can finally help you change your money patterns for good.

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://wealthovernow.com/debt-identity-series-why-debt-keeps-coming-back-and-what-to-do-about-it/

Links mentioned in this episode…

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

Download my FREE spending plan

If you’ve ever made a purchase that seemed like a good idea at the time but ended up collecting dust, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Money Files, I introduce you to The Pause Method, a simple but powerful five-step tool that helps you stop impulse spending and make intentional, values-aligned decisions with your money.

Most of us make purchases in the moment, convinced we’re buying something useful, needed, or “on sale.” But when those purchases pile up, they quietly drain our accounts and delay the financial goals that matter most. The Pause Method helps you catch those moments before they happen so you can spend with awareness, not guilt.

I walk you through how to perform an ROI Spending Audit to review your past purchases, uncover what brought real joy or value, and identify what was driven by stress, convenience, or emotion. Then, I’ll teach you how to apply The Pause Method before every purchase using five key questions that protect your wealth: Purpose, Alignment, Usefulness, Sustainability, and Effect.

This is one of the most practical mindset tools I teach in coaching, and once you use it, you’ll see how small moments of mindfulness can add up to thousands of dollars saved without sacrificing your joy.

Listen in to learn:

[01:20] How impulse purchases quietly sabotage your goals

[03:45] The one skill that can free up thousands, without earning more

[06:10] What a personal ROI Spending Audit reveals about your habits

[08:25] The five steps of The Pause Method (P.A.U.S.E.)

[10:45] Why aspirational purchases lead to financial clutter

[14:30] How to stop using “fake math” to justify small expenses

[17:50] The connection between mindfulness and wealth building

[21:10] How The Pause Method accelerates your Five Figure Reinvention

Tune into this episode of Money Files to learn how The Pause Method can help you stop impulse spending, reclaim your wealth, and build financial confidence that lasts.

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://wealthovernow.com/the-pause-method-how-to-stop-impulse-spending-and-reclaim-your-wealth/

Links mentioned in this episode…

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

Download my FREE spending plan

Five months from now, you won't recognize yourself.

Not because of the $10,000. Because of who you became.

In this final episode: The month-by-month transformation. What changes beyond your bank account. Real client stories. And the question that changes everything.

Who do you want to be 150 days from now?

Apply: wealthovernow.com/appointment

"I really DO need to wait for my bonus. That makes sense.""Work really IS crazy right now. It's not a good time.""I really SHOULD feel more ready before I invest."

Your brain gives you very convincing evidence that waiting is the right call.

But here's what you can't see when you're in it: You've been saying some version of this for months.

The circumstances change, but the stalling stays the same.

In this episode:

• The 3 types of stallers (Almost There, I Should Know Better, Too Busy)
• What stalling protects you from—and what it's costing you
• Why you can't see the pattern when you're the one creating it
• Why every month you wait is another month you're practicing staying stuck
• The shift: Starting scared is still starting

You can't coach yourself out of stalling because you're also the one rationalizing why it makes sense to wait.

Episode 4 of the Five-Figure Reinvention mini-series.

Limited spots before year-end. Apply: wealthovernow.com/appointment