Spent
Left to spend
On pace for
Debt
Debt (the debt repayment number) = HELOC balance + credit card balance − cash in FreeStyle checking. It's what we would still owe if we swept checking into the debt today, so moving money between those accounts doesn't fool it. Only spending less, earning more, or the monthly M1 transfer moves it. Goal: $0 around May 2030 (target Feb 2031, hard deadline Aug 8, 2031).
Where it's going
Ways to save · last 3 months
Spent
Charges
Month by month
By category
By store
Charges
Ask Stewardship
Anything about our money
Where we stand
The plan
Spend under $15,900 a month and the HELOC is paid off around May 2030, 15 months before the Aug 2031 deadline. Then we build a $36,000 emergency fund by about December 2030.
Debt: plan vs. actual
Milestones
Our strategy
- One number: total spending under $15,900 a month, furniture included. Judge it on a 3-month average; August and September run high with school costs.
- M1 transfer: 0.66% of the M1 reserve each month, based on the last statement value, goes to the HELOC only, never to everyday spending. After payoff it keeps going for college, cars and big planned family needs.
- Each $1,000 over the plan pushes payoff back about a week; each $1,000 saved pulls it in about a week.
- Home: $300 a month for small projects is inside the number. Furniture runs $500 a month once the budget is working (about March); pause small projects that month. Anything over about $2,000 waits for a bonus month.
- Cash: keep $1,000 in checking until payoff. Surprise bills go on the card; unused HELOC credit is the backup. Right after payoff, build a 3-month reserve (about $36,000) before the line closes in Aug 2031.
- Help at home stays: cleaning and lawn, because we both work full-time. Sitter Tuesdays and Thursdays (about 3 hours, $18–20/hr); after-care Mon/Wed/Fri; keep summer camp.
- Deep backstop: the M1 business reserve, only for a real family emergency. Sell shares instead of borrowing on margin. The margin loan is business.
- If we're over: look first at dining out, clothing, groceries, kids' activities, beauty and supplements, shopping and fun, and small projects. If one runs over, take it from another that month.
Monthly check-in
- Did total spending land under $15,900? Check the 3-month average under Spending.
- Is debt repayment on the payoff path above?
- Did the M1 transfer go to the HELOC?
- Any receipts or orders waiting to be applied?
- Any Monarch connection warnings at the top?
Snap a receipt and Stewardship splits it into categories in Monarch.