I’m Not There Yet, But I Can See It

August 20, 2026

I’m getting close to the halfway point of Project Money, and when I think about where I was when I started compared to where I am now, I think the biggest change is honestly just how I feel – I feel lighter!

I don’t feel that weight when I think about my finances anymore. I don’t feel like I’m avoiding something or wondering how I’m ever going to get ahead. For probably the first time in my life, I feel like I’m actually in control of my money instead of my money controlling me. And that feels really, really good.

I’ve made a lot of positive changes since starting Project Money:

I’m contributing to my 401(k), which is something I knew I should be doing but paused when I went through some big life changes.
I moved my debt to an interest-free credit card with Summit, which gives me a chance to actually make progress on what I owe without interest constantly working against me.
I opened a savings account for my son and set up an automatic transfer into it. It isn’t something I have to remember or think about every month. It just happens and knowing that I’m consistently putting something aside for him feels really good.
I also opened a holiday savings account. Holidays are something I know are coming every single year, but somehow their financial weight always seems to sneak up on me. Now I’m putting money aside ahead of time, and I already know that is going to make the end of the year feel different.
Probably the thing I’m most excited about, though, is that I can actually see a path to paying off all my credit card debt by the end of the year. That still feels a little crazy to say! Of course, things can happen and plans can change, so I know it isn’t a guarantee. But based on the plan we’ve put together, it feels possible. Really possible.

We’ve also talked about how I can start paying more toward my car so I can get that paid off sooner, while also starting to build up my savings and create an emergency plan for those expenses that inevitably pop up.

I think that’s what has changed the most for me through all of this – I have a plan now. Before, I think I spent a lot of time reacting to my finances. A bill would come up, something unexpected would happen or the holidays would arrive, and I would figure out how to deal with it in the moment.

Now I’m thinking ahead. I’m putting money in places intentionally. I know what I’m working toward. I know what comes next. I still have work to do, and I’m only about halfway through this experience. But the light at the end of the tunnel feels so much closer than it did when I started.

And instead of feeling overwhelmed when I think about money, I feel excited about what my finances could look like a year from now. I feel lighter. I feel more confident. And I feel more in control of my finances than I ever have before. That alone feels like a pretty big win!