Debt Dumpers 2026

[Nettlelondon]

I hear you! So many containers. My neighbor sent me a text last year to save any take out containers and bring them to her as they will reuse them for their church’s feeding the homeless program. So now I’m not tempted to save them because I know they are being reused for a good cause.

That's great. Here similar schemes are not allowed to use recycled containers like that for contamination fears, no matter how clean they appear to be.

I have a friend who volunteers at a local animal shelter who takes all linens, pillows, bedding & towels - at times I think he would take them from the bathroom if he thought he could!

 

[Tygerlilly]

Back from our trip and I'm happy to report we came home with money! Not much, but we stayed under budget in some ways and spent more than expected in others. Gas I severely underestimated. I did not expect it being over $1/gal more than here and that made a bigger impact on our budget than I expected. It's $70 to fill the yukon up here, it was $97 to do it there. Food was about what I expected. We had Easter lunch at my inlaws, SIL paid for one meal, and then we either grabbed some pizza or Arby's or Bob Evans on Tuesday where kids meals were free (hello full yummy meals for less than what we got Arby's for). The lunch at the Field Museum was $108 and we treated our friend to breakfast with us and that was another $100, but I expected those.

We did save a little money and took the train from where we were into Chicago. That was something new for all of us, and was $40 round trip for me and hubby (kids were free!). Between gas, parking, and tolls we actually saved money AND I didn't have to deal with driving. Lol. So that was a win and we'll definitely do that from now on when we can.

Overall it was a much needed trip with family. Got to see just about everyone.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Gold is up, people, and we got nearly $800 at a local jeweler from some old rings that were just laying around. He was SUPER nice and kept telling us if we had any sentimental attachment to any of them to NOT sell them to him because he was just going to melt them down.

I inherited them from a great aunt who was like four and a half feet tall. The only person I ever saw those rings fit was my three year old at the time.

Also they were ugly.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Gold is up, people, and we got nearly $800 at a local jeweler from some old rings that were just laying around. He was SUPER nice and kept telling us if we had any sentimental attachment to any of them to NOT sell them to him because he was just going to melt them down.

I inherited them from a great aunt who was like four and a half feet tall. The only person I ever saw those rings fit was my three year old at the time.

Also they were ugly.

Did you shop around for best deal or went to a place you like?
I have old jewelry from waay back, as in a HS boyfriend.

We also need to have dh's wedding band re-sized. His knuckles are larger than way back 30 years ago, so they'll have to add gold to make it larger. It's going to be expensive.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Did you shop around for best deal or went to a place you like?
I have old jewelry from waay back, as in a HS boyfriend.

We also need to have dh's wedding band re-sized. His knuckles are larger than way back 30 years ago, so they'll have to add gold to make it larger. It's going to be expensive.

We went to a local jeweler we trusted.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

While speaking about gold pricing it wouldn't be a bad idea to get jewelry reappraised if you have it covered under homeowner's insurance or renter's policies. We need to take my ring in to get it reappraised truthfully, it's been a bit. Technically with the value of it most insurance companies require it to be done every 3 years so we're a bit behind on that.

 

[DanceDisney23]

The Hidden Brain podcast’s most recent episode is about the psychology of financial decision making and how marketers exploit it.

I found it very interesting, and I thought you guys on this thread might, too.

https://www.hiddenbrain.org/podcast/the-debt-trap/

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

So we just made the last $1,116 payment to pay off the bank loan (this is the one DW had to take out when she got in a wreck and the person at fault left the scene). So in the last month, we've paid off both CCs and now the bank loan. No time to dance or celebrate. On to the next debt.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

So we just made the last $1,116 payment to pay off the bank loan (this is the one DW had to take out when she got in a wreck and the person at fault left the scene). So in the last month, we've paid off both CCs and now the bank loan. No time to dance or celebrate. On to the next debt.

Awww, ya gotta dance!! That's awesome!

 

[bababear_50]

Well I'm going to dance for you!
Well done Hon!
Hugs Mel

 

[huggybuff]

Hiya! Not sure if I mentioned what I was going to pay off this month beforehand, but I paid off my Target card last Friday. I used it a couple of months ago to buy my hubby's bday present so the balance was on the small side. Next week I'm paying off my Sephora card which I used to buy my step-daughter's bday gift. Another small balance. Now those 2 can go back into deep freeze mode and I will move on to May.

 

[mmbrad02]

All of these debt pay off posts are so inspiring! I somehow swung the other way in March and our main credit card (we charge EVERYTHING) some how got a bit out of hand. I didn't really realize it till the bill came, so I was scrambling to get the payments worked out by the due date. I ended up borrowing $1K from our regular savings but have it scheduled to pay myself back over the next 6 weeks. And trying to be more mindful of my spending this month!

 

[Tygerlilly]

We've begun the great purge of 2026. We don't have anything major planned until July, and even then it's nothing major, just doing something for a long weekend for DS birthday. But we've decided these next couple months we will be working very hard on getting the house purged and all the little projects finished and finishing what needs done on the truck.

Today we tackled the sun room before hubby headed of to work. I took a whole load of stuff to the thrift store. Aaaaaand then I went in. I only spent $7 and came home with a whole bag of tech deck toys for my 10 year old (she is OBSESSED with them and they're so hard to find or really expensive and the bag full was only $5!) and a 5 book boxed set of Unicron Diaries for my 9 year old, and 3 cook books for myself. I came home and hubby opened the door and went "We're supposed to be getting rid of stuff!". The books were all 50 cents each and I love cookbooks. We always end up in a rut and need something new to eat, so I say it was $1.50 well spent.

I think I'm going to continue this purging energy and get a bunch of clothes gathered up to take to donation tomorrow. And also maybe unpack from vacation. Lol. At least it's all clean clothes to unpack since I did laundry the night before we left the rental.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Awww, ya gotta dance!! That's awesome!

Well I'm going to dance for you!
Well done Hon!
Hugs Mel

Thanks y'all. It's definitely a weight lifted off the shoulders, and it's nice to see that account is closed in my app. And now I can focus on paying off the photo loan. Hopefully that's done by mid-May, then we can go full force with $1k toward the car each month.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

I HATE having stuff on different credit cards. We have our main one that carries a ridiculous balance that we're trying to pay down (and has the lowest APR of all our cards), but every now and then will use a couple of the other ones we NEVER use because a good promotion comes up--but ugh it is so difficult trying to keep everything in mind!

One I use to book hotels and airline tickets since I get 3x airline points when I do -- had to use this for our July trip (stupid dance competition) and just paid that off before interest hit. Will be running that one up whenever airline prices come down (please come down).

One I used to buy Disney Gift cards at a wholesale club to get 5% back and I won't pay that off until next month (before interest hits).

And a third I'll use next month to buy Disney tickets so that I can get a bunch back for that.

But all that means is that instead of paying down the big debt, I'm spreading payment around for 2-3 months and I hate it because it doesn't feel like progress

 

[bababear_50]

I am also waiting for flight prices to come down but I have a bad feeling about this right now.
I am actively trying to collect points right now in order to buy some Airline gift cards,,plus my Mastercard also gives credit for flights.
Everything else is already pre-paid off. (Hotel,Parking, Food, Souvenirs, Transportation).

Fingers and toes crossed.

Hugs Mel

P.S.
For reference I am Canadian.
My Dad's house in Texas has sold and almost closed,,,what a process not to be repeated ever again.
Canadian/Texas USA rules, regulations , laws, banking info are so so different !!
I need to re evaluate retirement now that I am no longer doing supply work and pack a bit of money away for a rainy day.

 

[EilonwyWanderer]

Yeah, I have a bad feeling about it too. Normally I'd have bought tickets by now. It's making me SUPER anxious!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I HATE having stuff on different credit cards. We have our main one that carries a ridiculous balance that we're trying to pay down (and has the lowest APR of all our cards), but every now and then will use a couple of the other ones we NEVER use because a good promotion comes up--but ugh it is so difficult trying to keep everything in mind!

One I use to book hotels and airline tickets since I get 3x airline points when I do -- had to use this for our July trip (stupid dance competition) and just paid that off before interest hit. Will be running that one up whenever airline prices come down (please come down).

One I used to buy Disney Gift cards at a wholesale club to get 5% back and I won't pay that off until next month (before interest hits).

And a third I'll use next month to buy Disney tickets so that I can get a bunch back for that.

But all that means is that instead of paying down the big debt, I'm spreading payment around for 2-3 months and I hate it because it doesn't feel like progress

It's harder to manage while you're still paying down debt because the Disney spending has basically commandeered your snowball.
We have a CC Buffer Fund that we put $4000 into as a base/buffer and then each week on payday I add varing amounts that equals $3000/month, which is our average monthly cc bill. If I use alternate credit cards, let's say Discover offers 5% back on gasoline, so we use our Discover card to buy gas, I pay that from the CC Buffer Fund too since that would have gone on our regular card for everyday expenses if not for the other card promo.

If I buy flights or pay cruise fare, etc, then I pay that card from my Vacation Fund. Everything I charge has a savings account to cover the amount. It wasn't always that way but I've become very organized with money.

 

[pblack]

I HATE having stuff on different credit cards. We have our main one that carries a ridiculous balance that we're trying to pay down (and has the lowest APR of all our cards), but every now and then will use a couple of the other ones we NEVER use because a good promotion comes up--but ugh it is so difficult trying to keep everything in mind!

One I use to book hotels and airline tickets since I get 3x airline points when I do -- had to use this for our July trip (stupid dance competition) and just paid that off before interest hit. Will be running that one up whenever airline prices come down (please come down).

One I used to buy Disney Gift cards at a wholesale club to get 5% back and I won't pay that off until next month (before interest hits).

And a third I'll use next month to buy Disney tickets so that I can get a bunch back for that.

But all that means is that instead of paying down the big debt, I'm spreading payment around for 2-3 months and I hate it because it doesn't feel like progress

I feel this right now. Im carrying a balance on 2 more cards than I usually do. We have 1 card we use for literally everything and it gets paid off every month. But now I have the new card I've been putting backyard purchases on, but luckily has 0% interest until next year. I just want it gone as quickly as possible. My southwest card currently has a balance since I purchased our cruise flights because I was worried about flight prices skyrocketing. Plus our cabo trip payment is about to be due, the rest of our cruise payment is about to be due, and it feels like everything just happened at once. . I very much hope, even though I highly doubt it, that prices on everything will come down soon.

 

[barkley]

It's harder to manage while you're still paying down debt because the Disney spending has basically commandeered your snowball.
We have a CC Buffer Fund that we put $4000 into as a base/buffer and then each week on payday I add varing amounts that equals $3000/month, which is our average monthly cc bill. If I use alternate credit cards, let's say Discover offers 5% back on gasoline, so we use our Discover card to buy gas, I pay that from the CC Buffer Fund too since that would have gone on our regular card for everyday expenses if not for the other card promo.

If I buy flights or pay cruise fare, etc, then I pay that card from my Vacation Fund. Everything I charge has a savings account to cover the amount. It wasn't always that way but I've become very organized with money.

similar here. we have an account that is named 'household expenses' that's for everything budgeted each month for everything except the utilities/streaming which has it's own account. I used to use one card exclusivly for grocery shopping but my amex now offers 6% on groceries with the exception of Walmart so that drives which card i'm using at a given time. I move the money from the household and utility/streaming accounts to checking to pay whatever the balance is each month on the cards.