I have a 6-figure job and $25,000 in credit card debt. I fell victim to lifestyle creep, and inflation doesn't help.

"I have $25,000 in credit card debt at age 27. The day I totaled that number, I remember thinking, Is it cheaper to die? My thought was that funerals were a little less than $10,000, and I had racked up more than double that. I was doomed. At my most broke, I'm also making the most money I have across my six-year career. I recently started a marketing position, making well over six figures, three days a week, in person in New York City."

"My former boss gave me a promotion at my old company that put me just over the six-figure mark in 2023, at the ripe age of 25. She sounded giddy when she called, telling me, "When I finally hit that six-figure mark, I remember being so excited. How do you feel?" I remember searching inside for that "I made it!" feeling and finding nothing."

A 27-year-old marketing professional accumulated $25,000 in credit card debt while earning a six-figure salary. A promotion to six figures at 25 preceded increased spending and difficult job responsibilities. A move to living alone with a $2,900 monthly lease and purchases like flights and new furniture drained savings. Emergency savings were used for regular expenses, creating a cash shortfall. The individual recognizes lifestyle creep and the pressure of golden handcuffs as contributors. Current focus is on reducing isolation, building community, and learning financial resourcefulness to address debt and stabilize finances.

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