To the numbers:

January 2020 – Student Loan Balance(s): -$127,688.14

February 2020 – Student Loan Balance(s): -$127,263.60

Difference: $424.54

Interest still sucks and the difference the January balance and the February balance is probably the second smallest it has ever been. That was not wholly unexpected because:

1) I get paid on the first of each month and only paid the minimums this month so that I could payoff December balances from holiday uncontrolled unbudgeted spending.

2) I still haven’t gotten a side hustle to step up debt repayment. I know I have been full of excuses but January was brutal…yesterday was my first day off in two weeks and the weekend I worked was a 6:00AM-11:00PM deal. While I didn’t get paid for it, I am hoping that labor is reflected in my bonus…

For the record, I WILL get a second job this month, even if it isn’t at the pay rate I would like, think I deserve, think I am worth. I really just need to be bringing in a lot more.

3) I had been reporting the wrong totals on two loans. The totals that I had previously been reporting for Private Student Loan 3 and 4 were the principal balances (with years of capitalization of course) but did not including the currently outstanding interest. While searching for my tax documents I found the page with the interest included and those are the totals I am now reporting which is why you saw an increase from last month’s balance to this month despite a $350+ payment.

4) With my loan to my friend paid off (YAY!), it decreases the amount of my payment each month that directly decreases the principal (shucks).

Interest still sucks.