Real Stories Ep 53: The Savvy Sagittarius Speaks: Elyse’s Road to Financial Freedom

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At age 22, Elyse was standing at a crossroads with $34,000 in debt with credit card payments, student loans, and a car loan all due at once. Her chosen path: a radical approach to pay off all debt by the time she turned 24. Within months, she went even further, buying her own house using a VA loan.

This is not to say that her road to financial wellness has been linear. Now a single parent in her late 20s, Elyse still faces financial challenges that she documents on her personal finance blog, the Savvy Sagittarius. Today, she is being proactive in her debt approach and establishing an emergency fund.

Throughout her financial wellness journey, she has leaned on a supportive online community and served as an inspiration to many, creating money management tools she shares on her site.

Key Moments

2:38 Elyse discusses how her upbringing shaped her work ethic and money approach.

4:03 At 22, faced with simultaneous debts, she decides to do something radical.

7:06 She embraces the snowball method—tackling each debt from smallest to largest.

8:03 Elyse figures out how to balance her goal of becoming debt free while still enjoying her 20s.

11:51 She describes the support she’s received from her parents and especially from her online community.

13:15 She recalls the euphoria she felt when she became debt free at 24.

14:02 Elyse buys a home using a VA loan and considers what she learned through this process.

16:44 She shares her financial goals: paying off some newer debt and establishing an emergency fund.

19:05 She offers tips when it comes to side hustles.

22:40 Elyse tells the story of how the Savvy Sagittarius started.

24:02 She defines the concept of a “No Spend Month.”

29:23 She suggests buying annual memberships to museums and parks to save money and offer flexibility.

31:18 She talks about the value of tracking your expenses to increase awareness.

36:44 Elyse discusses the money management tools she offers on her website.

41:13 Our co-hosts reflect on the themes that emerged in Elyse’s story.