91: Debt is NOT a Death Sentence with Melanie Lockert of Dear Debt

Melanie Lockert joins us today to share her story of student loan debt and her subsequent inability to find a job when she graduated into one of the worst job markets America had ever seen, and her spiral into depression and shame over her debt. Melanie is not alone - as of 2018, more than 44.2 MILLION borrowers owe more than $1.5 TRILLION! (link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_debt) September is National Suicide Prevention month - and Melanie hosts a Suicide Prevention Blog Tour every year due to the sheer number of people who find her blog when they search "I want to kill myself because of debt". Melanie advocates sitting down and figuring out exactly how much your debt is costing you per day, which was both a big source of shame as well as a HUGE motivator for her to pay it off. She also shares her journey out of debt - and out of depression through therapy. Melanie also shares resources for people feeling overwhelmed. Find counseling options at www.openpathcollective.org, talk to someone through text by texting HOME to 741741, which is the Crisis Text line or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. In This Episode We Cover:Melanie's journey with moneyExperiencing mental health issues because of debtStart blogging and wrote break-up letters to debtHow she paid off her debtHer main side hustleHow much it costs her to pay her student loan debtsThe reason why debt is depressingThe biggest mistake people are makingHer advice to anyone who has the same path with herFive stages of grief that are similar to paying off debtOn living in denialSteps to prepare your mindset and addressing the underlying issues Therapy hackWhat keep her motivatedTalking about the first person who reach out to herHow she personally managed to pay off her student loansOn making more moneyWhat her life look like after she paid off her student loan debtAnd SO much more!Links from the ShowCraigslistTaskRabbitFinConMintOpen Path CollectiveCrisis Text Line - Text HOME to 741741Suicidal Hotline - 1-800-273-8255Suicide PreventionNational Foundation for Credit CounselingAnnual Credit ReportSide Hustle NationBiggerPockets Money Podcast 90: From Unplanned Pregnancy to Financially Free with Melissa from Traveling WalletBiggerPockets Money Podcast 28: How Anyone Can Easily Make Extra Money Using Side Hustles with Nick LoperBiggerPockets Money Podcast 50: Rebuilding Your Financial Life After Bankruptcy with Patrice WashingtonBiggerPockets Money Podcast 35: Hacking Your Life to Live for (Almost) Free with Craig Curelop