Current Debt & Credit
Bank Loan
$1,000
3 months childcare coverage
@ $320/mo = bridge to income
$64/mo due on the 15th
Pay off first
Student Loan
$13,000
Private · 0% interest
$100/mo now → $350/mo in Oct
$100/mo until October
Credit Card
$0
Zero balance · paid in full
✓ Clear
Credit Score
622
Fair range · room to grow
Zero CC balance helps
Target: 680+
Freelance Income — Nov 2025 to Mar 2026
Total Earned
$4,350
5 months of work
Avg / Month
$270
hourly invoices only
Contract
$3,000
one-time project
Monthly Invoiced Income (hourly work only)
Survival threshold: $734/mo (all payments + childcare)
Only January approached the survival line
The gap: Your avg hourly income (~$270/mo) falls short of the $734 survival threshold. But you're only 5 months in, and the $3,000 contract proves you can land meaningful project work. More contracts = the real path forward. One contract every 2–3 months closes the gap entirely.
3-Month Runway
1
Month One
Childcare covered by loan ($320)
Apply aggressively. Land at least one paid consulting or freelance project. Treat this as full-time job search time.
2
Month Two
Childcare covered by loan ($320)
Build pipeline. Aim to receive first paycheck from new work. Begin paying down bank loan with any income.
3
Month Three
Childcare covered by loan ($320)
New income should cover childcare by end of month. Loan fully repaid. Student loan minimum payments resume.
Hard Deadline
Student Loan Payment Jump
October 2026
Your student loan payment triples in October. You have ~6 months to build income that absorbs this increase — that's your real deadline.
Income Targets — Two Phases
Now → September
All payments + childcare — the floor
Payments + childcare + savings buffer
October Onward
Childcare $320 + student loan $350 + other expenses
Higher loan + childcare + savings buffer
Accelerated debt payoff + emergency fund building
Monthly Expenses
Student Loan → $350 in Oct
$100
Childcare
$320 (loan-covered now)
Total After October
$984 / mo
⚠ Student loan jumps $250/mo in October — income must be stable before then
What's Coming
Horizon — Decisions Not Yet Made
🎓
MLIS — U of A iSchool
Part-time program, fall start possible. New debt but long-term career investment. Financial aid, assistantships, or employer tuition support could change the math significantly.
💼
Full-Time or Stable Employment
Landing a role before October resets the entire plan — unlocks consistent income, benefits, and potential tuition support for grad school.
🏦
Emergency Fund
Not yet started — target $1,000 as first milestone once income stabilizes. Three months expenses (~$2,952) is the real goal.
The one thing to remember: You have no living expenses right now — that's a rare advantage. Every dollar earned has a job. The goal for the next 90 days isn't perfection, it's momentum: one client, one contract, one step toward consistent income. October is your real deadline — land stable work before your loan payment triples and you'll be in a genuinely strong position.