State of the Union: January 2026
Why I’m Sharing This
Each month, I will be posting my real numbers — income, expenses, debts, and cash flow — for two primary reasons:
1. Transparency:
I want this blog to show real numbers and the actual journey from financial ruin → to being debt-free → to financial freedom.2. Accountability:
Writing these posts keeps me honest, focused, and faith-driven.If these posts help even one person feel less alone in their financial journey, it’s worth it.
Income Breakdown
(All numbers post-tax unless noted.)
W2 Income: $14,992
Side Hustles: $2,145
Other: $0➡️ Total Monthly Income: $17,137
Well this is a bit better than last month! I ended up getting extra pay from my nursing job since I worked New Years and I also took some overtime, working five 12-hour shifts per week a few times. I also got my last spare bedroom (other than my own) rented on my side of the duplex, which helped with the side hustle category. And I was able to sell a few more items like some industrial cleaners I had unopened for quite some time.
Expense Breakdown
Major Categories
Mortgage: $4,529
Rent: $597
Utilities: $477
Groceries: $574
Insurance: $0
Telephone: $38
Tithing: $0
Loans: $2,693
Personal Debts: $1,000
Daily Living
Restaurants: $205
Entertainment: $254
Personal Care: $33
General Merchandise: $385
Online Services: $0
Cable/Satellite: $50
Other Expenses
Automotive: $1,158
Travel: $0
Electronics: $0
Postage/Shipping: $12
Office Supplies: $0
Healthcare/Medical: $32
Service Charges/Fees: $1,045
Education: $502
Other Bills: $150
➡️ Total Monthly Expenses: $13,734
Hey, look at that! That expenses total is much less than the previous months. I still have a few odd outliers that will eventually disappear or decrease — general merchandise included me buying some snow/winter gear to keep in my car in case of emergency. Seriously, it’s been freaking cold here. Also, on the automotive line, about $900 of that was to pay for my car title/registration for the new car I bought last month. Beyond that, it is still my plan to pay off all my debts, so the service charges and loans will disappear, hopefully by this time next year!
Cash Flow Summary
Income: $17,137
Expenses: $13,734➡️ Pure Cash Flow: $3,403
➡️ Savings Rate: 20%Heck yeah! I finally have a 20% savings rate. And I truly think I’ll be able to hold that for the foreseeable future. In fact, I have plans to increase it, but I have to get debts paid off first.
In that vein, I have two bits of good news: 1) As of January 30th, I have the other side of my duplex rented on AirBnB, which should bring in about $4,000 per month until May, which will help tremendously; and 2) I think I have my duplex sold! The inspection is over, I fixed my electric panel using a licensed electrician, and all seems to be smooth sailing. Close is set for the end of this month (February 2026) and I’m so excited for this next chapter in my life. Once it sells, I should be able to save about another $5,000 per month — I’ll really be putting it towards debts, but I like to call it saving anyways.
Debt Snapshot
Here’s where everything stands this month, straight from my Google Sheet:
There’s not really been much change except for my update to the Auto Loan. Last month, I somehow miscalculated the total for the new car — it’s really $28,475 to pay it off. Hopefully, if my house sells in February, I can get my Capital One card, Chase card, and Earnest student loan paid off!
Things I’ll Sustain from This Month
Reduced restaurant spend (although the restaurant spend does include my hospital cafeteria spend, so cut me some slack)
Worked extra shifts to make that money!
Got my house completely rented
Things I’ll Improve Next Month
Bring restaurant spend to under $200 (I’m going to try to make it more achievable)
Sell my house (please, Lord)
Reduce general merchandise spend
Closing Thoughts
Things are finally starting to look up. I can’t say that my house will sell or that I’ll have a perfect experience hosting an AirBnB guest. I can’t say I’ll be able to keep taking extra shifts indefinitely. But I’m going to try my best and keep moving forward.