👩🏽

Priya Nair, 29

UX Designer · Austin, TX (Mueller) · $82k salary · Turning 30 in 11 months

$5,260Monthly Take-Home
$14,000CC Debt
$11,400Student Loan
$1,514Surplus Before Debt
$0Emergency Fund
⚠️
Employer 4% 401k match is unclaimed. That's ~$3,280/year in free money left on the table. Plan: contribute 6% once CC debt is cleared.
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$14,000
Credit card debt (3 cards)
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$11,400
Student loan · $210/mo minimum
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$1,514
Surplus before CC minimums ($1,164 after)
💳 Credit Card Debt Progress
🛟 Emergency Fund
$0
Current balance
$1,000
Phase 1 goal (3 months)
$5,000
Phase 2 goal (full)
💡 Recommended Monthly Allocation
+ Salary take-home$4,560
+ Freelance income$700
Fixed expenses−$2,269
Subscriptions (after audit)−$97
Variable spending (trimmed)−$920
CC minimums−$350
Extra → Chase Sapphire−$380
Emergency fund−$334
Nashville fund (3 mo)−$267
Remaining flex$643 / mo
📊 Current Variable Spending Breakdown
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Debt Tracker

$14,000 CC debt across 3 cards · Avalanche method · Plus $11,400 student loan

$350CC Minimums/mo
22.9%Highest APR
$210Student Loan/mo
💳 Credit Cards — Avalanche Order
🎓 Student Loan
$11,400
Balance
$210/mo
Minimum payment
~5.5%
Interest rate
💡 Strategy: pay minimum only during CC payoff phase. The 5.5% rate is far lower than the credit cards. Once CC debt is cleared, revisit accelerating this loan.
📉 Projected Payoff — Minimums Only (baseline)
↑ This shows what happens paying minimums only — balances barely move. Extra payments are critical.
🏔️ Avalanche Strategy
1
Pay minimums on all 3 cards ($350/mo total) Keeps all accounts current while freeing extra cash
2
Throw extra ~$380 at Chase Sapphire first 22.9% APR is the most expensive — target Chase until it's gone
3
Roll freed payment to Capital One Once Chase is done, redirect that full payment + extra to Capital One at 19.4%
4
Final sprint on Apple Card By this point, momentum and freed cash flow make this go fast
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Monthly Budget

Edit the Adjusted column to see how changes affect her monthly surplus in real time

Total Income
$5,260
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Total Budgeted
—
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Monthly Surplus
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Category Current/mo Adjusted/mo Change
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Travel Fund Tracker

3 trips on the horizon — plan now so none of them go on a credit card

$800Nashville (3 mo)
$700Christmas NJ (7 mo)
$3,500Portugal (someday)
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Nashville is 3 months out and $0 is saved. That's $267/month starting now. Tight budget month, but doable if she trims dining and redirects the sub savings immediately.
💡 Travel Rules During Debt Payoff
1
Every trip must be pre-funded — no exceptions Putting a trip on a card during debt payoff undermines everything. If it's not saved for, the trip gets cheaper or postponed.
2
Nashville fund: $267/mo for 3 months starting now Comes directly from sub savings ($76) + dining trim ($100) + misc ($91)
3
Christmas: $100/mo for 7 months Flights already booked at $420. Save $100/mo for gifts and spending.
4
Portugal is the reward for going debt-free Set it as the finish-line prize. $3,500 over 12 months post-debt = $292/mo.
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Milestone Tracker

From $0 saved and $25,400 in debt to debt-free and investing — every step mapped

1 / 14Milestones Hit
Dec 2026Turning 30
Nov 2027CC Debt-Free Target
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Month 1 complete — the hardest step is already done.

Most people never look at the full picture. Priya did. That's the real first milestone.

🗺️ Full Journey
📌 Next Up
📵
Subscription Audit
Cut gym, cancel Hulu, pause Headspace — $76/month freed immediately
This month · Takes 15 minutes · $912/year impact
💭 Why This Matters to Priya
Turning 30 in control
She won't be debt-free by 30 — but she'll have a plan, progress, savings, and a clear finish line. That's control.
The paycheck-to-paycheck feeling ends
Even $1,000 in an emergency fund changes how you feel about money. The anxiety drops before the debt does.
Free money left on the table
4% employer match on $82k = $3,280/year. Every year without contributing is $3,280 + compounding growth gone forever.
Portugal is the reward
Not a someday. A specific post-debt goal. Give it a date: Summer 2028.