A bill lands in the mailbox. Again. My hands start to shake and get sweaty. In my head two words flash like neon lights: "money worries, loan." With a queasy feeling in my stomach I pick up the envelope and open it. All at once I feel lighter. It's just last month's phone bill. It has already been paid by direct debit, which means one less bill I have to deal with. Still, I should finally make an effort to earn some extra money and/or finally save a little. Because my money worries loan is still there and should finally be paid off without a bad feeling.
I sit down at my laptop and make a list.

Ways to save to get rid of the money worries loan:

  • shop for cheaper groceries
  • eat more frugally
  • no trips to the movies
  • no nights out at the bar
  • no new phone!!!
  • switch to a cheaper internet plan
  • no new shoes

I read through the list that is supposed to help me free myself from my money worries loan and think about which other savings measures I could take. Do I really need internet? At that moment my phone makes a sound. The guy I met at the bar yesterday has messaged me on Facebook Messenger.
Yes, I need the internet. How else would I communicate with the world? My social life would come to a complete standstill, especially if I cut back on bar visits from now on. Eating more frugally is the same as shopping for cheaper groceries. I don't see a big problem in carrying that out. But no new shoes. That item is going to be very hard. After all, fall is coming soon and the new collections will be out shortly. Maybe I should cross that item off the list after all?
In the back of my mind the two words light up again: money worries, loan. I'd better not cross anything off.

Money worries loan

The garage sale solution for a money worries loan

Since I'm treating myself to my internet connection, I use it and search Google for solutions to my dilemma. I type "money worries loan" into the search engine and click through the suggestions. "Live more frugally!" An idea I would never have come up with. "Solve your money problems with our loan!" Take out a loan to pay off my money worries loan and end up with a new money worries loan around my neck? Sounds like a vicious circle. "Hold a garage sale." Now that suggestion sounds better, and I immediately start looking around my apartment for useful things I can do without. The dining table, for example. I'm always alone and mostly eat on the couch in front of the TV. Without a dining table I don't need the chairs either. I can surely get rid of quite a bit more, and my problem would be solved. I pick up my list and cross off the item about the shoes.