I wouldn't call it a setback but I'm not leaping forward either:
I will be charging soon.
Not a lot, not really. But I'm joining a friend on a road trip in a couple weeks and I had to put our room on my card. Likewise in October, when I go out of town for a wedding. Granted, the road trip's expenses -- gas, hotel, and such -- will be split in half, and the hotel accommodations for the wedding will be discounted, the fact of the matter is that I will be charging, no matter how much or how little.
The good thing is that the Big Beast is now officially below $17,000. Not by a lot, but it's still a good thing and worthy of mention.
I'm going to do my best not to charge anything on the road trip. I've already made plans to transfer a little money from savings into my checking account so that I'll have money for gas and any shopping that I do (though I'm hoping not to shop, not a lot) so that I won't feel like I have to use my credit card. And to make sure I don't spend the money from savings beforehand, I've delayed the transfer until just before the trip.
I plan to follow the same process for the wedding weekend trip come October. (Though that weekend may be harder. My problem is retail therapy, and a wedding may drive me to a few sessions on the couch, if you know what I mean.) The good thing about the weekend in October, though, is that I'll have more time to save extra spending money.
Anyway, despite these minor setbacks, things are still coming along. I'm encouraged.
