Blogging Away Debt Our Journeys to a Debt-Free Life

by Hope

Hello Everyone from Hill Country, Texas…my birthplace and old stomping grounds.

I wrote a whole post of blow by blows of our travel and then re-read it and yawned.  So I’ll just give you the financial highlights for now…

Travel Day 1: 32 hours of travel before crashing in our hotel

Costs: Gas (budgeted for,) Movie ($33) when we arrived at our destination too early

Travel Day 2: Several hours showing the kids around where I grew up (middle/high school years,) few hours visiting friends at their homes, 4 hour drive to my parents

Costs: Gas (budgeted for,) Two meals out ($40 authentic Tex-Mex meal, $20 Whataburger) My excuse for the meals was that I wanted to give the kids a taste of uniquely Texas places that they had never seen before.  Even I am no longer convinced by the excuse and it was definitely a financial fail.

We’ve now been at my parents for 4 days and have experienced some really cool and unique places.  Thanks to my parent’s generosity, the only monies I’ve spent are $10 for 2 magnets.  (I collect magnets of every place we’ve been, and have been doing this for years.  It’s a cheap way to remind of daily of all the cool things we’ve seen and done and they never set me back more than $5 each.  Not to mention, they are super easy to store and move!)

We’ll be here for another week and I don’t anticipate any significant monies being spent.

Some side notes:

1. Tomorrow I will eat lunch with one of my long term clients.  That makes a good portion of this trip a tax write off. Woo,woo!

2. I called around trying to find a gym for Little Gymnast to work out since he is missing over 2 1/2 weeks of practices (over 25 hours) and the local gym will let him come work out with their team for no charge.  Score!  I’m letting him decide if he wants to do this since I know he was looking forward to a break, but I’ve facilitated a practice session or two if he desires and that’s my job. (He insisted on bringing him gym bag to work out so I imagine he will break down and want to go at some point.)

3. My only brother who doesn’t live here has been here for our visit thus far with his son.  His son is my children’s only cousin on my side of the family so I’m really glad they got to spend some time with him.  They will leave today.  I know it cost my parents a bit more when we are all here, but the memories are priceless especially since it only really happens once a year.

Thanks for understanding my desire for a hiatus.  I’m glad it worked out for me to pop in and give an update.

Hope

Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.

Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.

Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.