Personal Finance

After the holidays, balances are clearer, statements are longer, and suddenly every, "I'll deal with this later," decision shows up at once. If paying down debt is one of your goals this year, you're not alone. But here's the good news: real progress doesn't require extreme budgets, perfect discipline, or cutting out everything that brings you joy.

January has a way of making money goals feel bigger than they need to be. New year. Clean slate. Big promises to your future self. And then life happens.