One month down, and it was a wild one.
This first full month of the series ended up being the biggest debt paydown I’ve made so far, not just in this new journey, but in my entire life.
Was I a little overzealous? Probably.
Was it worth it? Time will tell.
But one thing is clear: I’m not treating debt freedom like a casual goal anymore. This is the work. This is the sacrifice. This is the first real step toward breaking the chains.
Breaking Chains is the pillar of the Joseph Plan focused on eliminating anything that keeps you financially, spiritually, or mentally bound.
For this series, it mainly means attacking debt with urgency and discipline. Debt is not just a number on a spreadsheet. It limits options, delays calling, increases pressure, and keeps future income tied to past decisions.
Breaking chains is about choosing temporary sacrifice so future freedom becomes possible. It means paying down debt, rejecting lifestyle creep, controlling impulses, and building a life where money serves the mission instead of controlling it.
What That Looks Like
Here’s what that looked like in real numbers this month:
After one full month of tightening up, making extra payments, and choosing progress over comfort, the debt balance finally started moving in the right direction. The table below breaks down where I started, what I paid, and where things stand now.
Current Position
| Metric | Amount | Δ vs prev month |
|---|---|---|
| Debt Outstanding | $738,575 | -$26,748 |
| Min. Payment Obligation | $4,886 | -$304 |
| Budgeted Payments | $10,000 | – |
| Actual Payments | $28,370 | +$18,369* |
The Plan
This month was not the normal pace. It was the launch.
Paying $28,370 toward debt is not something I expect to repeat every month, and I do not want to pretend like it is. This was an aggressive first move. A statement. A way to prove to myself that this is not just another financial goal sitting in the background.
The minimum payments were covered, but the bigger point was momentum. I wanted to start this journey by putting real weight behind the words and showing that breaking chains is going to require more than casual effort.
Going forward, the plan is to settle into a more sustainable rhythm. Every month may not be dramatic, but every month needs to be intentional. The goal is not to recreate this exact number. The goal is to keep applying pressure until the debt no longer has the same control.
Like pushing a heavy object, the first move takes the most force. This month was that first shove.
“The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.”
Proverbs 12:24
How This Payment Was Possible
A $28,370 debt payment naturally raises a fair question:
How was that even possible?
I want to be clear that this was not a normal monthly pace. This was not simply extra cash sitting around with nowhere to go. This month was a combination of regular W2 income, a few unusual factors, and an aggressive decision to prioritize debt over comfort.
The two biggest one-time contributors were pulling $5,000 from savings and receiving a $1,300 work bonus. Those helped supplement the payments I was already making from income and allowed me to make a much larger dent than I normally would in a single month.
There is risk in that approach. Savings exist for a reason. They provide margin, protect against emergencies, and keep life from turning every surprise expense into a crisis. That matters even more because this month also came with several unbudgeted expenses, including maintenance costs tied to the rental property I own in Birmingham, Alabama. I will break those down in a separate post.
So this was not a perfect month. It was not clean. It was not fully repeatable. But it was intentional.
The goal is not to drain savings recklessly just to make the numbers look good. The goal is to break the chains and move toward debt freedom as quickly as I can responsibly manage. This month was the first major push. Future months may be smaller, but the mission stays the same.
Below is the full table view of my current outstanding debt, including each liability, interest rate, starting balance, and current balance.
| Liability | Interest Rate | Starting Balance | Current Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Mortgage | 4.990% | $434,337 | $424,772 |
| Rental Mortgage | 2.750% | $228,000 | $202,371 |
| Auto Loan #2 | 7.540% | $56,530 | $37,625 |
| Auto Loan #3 | 6.540% | $38,952 | $30,939 |
| Student Loan #1 | 7.940% | $20,500 | $15,428 |
| Student Loan #4 | 4.250% | $30,801 | $27,440 |
| $933,428 | $738,575 |
This phase requires consistency more than intensity. (Although, albeit, I was pretty intense this particular month.)
But ulitmately, the outcome will be determined by what is repeated over time.
To see my entire journey click here: