My 10K Challenge

Note: I realize at this date that my financial life is NOT the most important thing to be blogging about.  I’m just putting this out there “for the record” as I document my journey out of debt.  Please go pay attention to what you can do to address the multi-layered crises we are in: pandemic, protests, and (finally!  maybe!) a serious conversation about the role of police in society.  

We are approaching halfway through what seems like the most tumultuous year in… I’m not sure, but it’s definitely the most extreme calendar year of my life so far.  2020.  Barf.  

Pandemic.  And a shamefully inadequate response in my country.  A revelation for many of us, of the state of our supply chains, particularly medical and food.  Further revelation of the polarization and disintegration of our common institutions, and our inability to hold conversation in pursuit of the truth and of best practices.  It’s ugly and stupid out here.  

And then, the repeated - though finally becoming publicized - brutality of the police towards black Americans reached yet another absurd peak this spring: the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.  (Yes I know Ahmaud was not killed *by* police, but the truth of his story was actively hidden by police and the courts in Georgia.)  

This abuse of power is rightly protested, and protest is necessary throughout our country.  Police forces have been documented right in the midst of these protests abusing their power.  Seriously, wtaf?!  

Agitators with a variety of other motives have sickeningly taken advantage of the cover of peaceful crowds, tilting the protests into riots.  We cannot deny human psychology, and what large groups under duress can become.  And too many Americans, for far too long, have been under duress.  (And too many, *not* under duress, have been radicalized and convinced that they are.)  

I don’t have answers, but I see some steps to take.  Listening to and standing with black Americans *before* jumping to other familiar explanations of events (where did the familiar explanation come from, and who first told it, anyway?).  

Learning the history of policing as an institution, to find leverage points for helpful changes.  Rep Justin Amash from Michigan has proposed legislation to end qualified immunity for police, which I see as an excellent idea.  Police have too much leeway in their choice to use force, and so little accountability after the fact.  

Also I don’t want to be painted as anti-cop.  This is not part of the public conversation (yet), but I wish it would be: the current institution of policing harms police too.  Cop culture has gone toxic, into a mentality of us/them, of occupation instead of presence.  

But the “us” of police culture is rooted in deep experiences that the rest of us fail to appreciate: Police are asked to enter terribly dangerous and traumatizing situations; most people cops encounter are having the worst day of their lives.  Police witness the depths of human despair and depravity, and no shortage of individuals who are ruining themselves and others and do not care.  Their work morally injures them.  

And so while we have a very necessary discussion about limits on police, let’s not forget to reflect and ask ourselves, why do so many of them “snap” after years of faithful service?  And as the “old dogs” of departments, demoralized and disillusioned, mentor the incoming young officers, why are we surprised that the young ones “snap” more easily?  A thankless job with ever-diminishing positive reinforcement (adequate pay, training, connection to non-law-enforcement community) will have a race-to-the-bottom recruitment problem.  As.  We.  See.  

Well then.  

It’s difficult to focus on my actual purpose here.  My head swirls with all the information and misinformation I see - and swirls once again as I realize, I don’t always have the tools to tell which is which.  

Not to be abrupt, but I’ll just explain what my 10K Challenge is, and sign off.  

When the CARES Act was passed, and my designated crumbs fell from the corporate-government feasting table, I had two new things to work with: twelve hundred bucks, and zero interest on my worst student loans.  I’ll take it! 

I should also acknowledge that my job, at an independent grocery store, eked out a piece of the PPP, so my wages have a temporary but *very* appreciated hazard bump.  A little trail of crumbs, if you will, that I can collect as long as I’m employed.  Which I enjoy being and plan to continue.  

(And can we (sometime) talk about how perverse it is, that I could make more money and make better progress on my loan payments, if I went the unemployment benefits route right now??)  

So in this strange time, while I wish we were not going through all of this, I’m doing better, financially, actually.  My pay is a little up, and there’s no interest on student loans through September.  I’ve chosen to use the $1200 to supplement my rent, easing that pressure, so that I can make maximum progress on my loans at this time.  

I got out pencil, paper, and calculator a few weeks ago, and sketched out… what could I manage to pay while there’s no interest?  And if hazard pay continues, what could I accomplish?  What if it cut off in, say, June or July, what then?  

The paper got messy but at the conclusion of this feverish session, I saw an amazing and reasonable goal: I could pay off $10,000 of principle, while there is no interest!  (even if hazard pay came to an end, soon) 

It will take discipline - absolutely no purchases outside my budget.  Which I’m getting pretty good at, but summer is full of temptations like cases of sparkling water.  And pork rinds.  *Slaps the back of her own hand* Cara!  Focus!  You can have some in October!  

Zero interest began in April, and I didn’t realize this opportunity until mid-May.  So while I scrounged and pushed as hard as I could on the May loan payment, I’ve still got $7012 to go, if I’m going to pay 10K by the end of September.  But it is possible!  I even got a surprise side gig doing some gardening, and I’ll get to dog-sit for a friend in July.  (Maybe August, too!)  

You’re welcome to come along on a debt-payment challenge of your own design.  If you’re also in this boat, and some (or all) of your loans have no interest, and you do have an income, what could you accomplish?  

Other than that, be well.