Cover story
Issue 26
What to do when two people share one debt and different instincts
A magazine from Balance Buster
The Ledger
Stories about money, told honestly.
Established 2024
Volume 01 · August 2026
Free online
Cover story · Money Tips
What to do when two people share one debt and different instincts
Paying off debt as a couple is harder than the math suggests. One of you wants to attack it fast. The other needs to feel safe first. Both are right, sort of.
Read the essayMoney Tips.
Read one at a time, on a quiet evening. No popups, no countdowns, no “tap to unlock the free PDF.”
Money Tips
No. 01
The interest charge you never actually look at
The interest charge you never actually look at
Every statement shows a minimum payment due. Almost none of us look at the line above it — the one that shows how much of last month's balan...
Money Tips
No. 02
What Is a Good Debt-to-Income Ratio?
What Is a Good Debt-to-Income Ratio?
Understanding your DTI ratio and why lenders care about this number more than your credit score.
Money Tips
No. 03
7 Debt Payoff Mistakes That Keep You Stuck
7 Debt Payoff Mistakes That Keep You Stuck
Avoid these common pitfalls that derail even the most determined debt-free journeys.
From the editor
A small note, before you read on.
We don't run ads we wouldn't read ourselves, and we don't sell “debt freedom courses” on the back page. What you'll find here is the kind of writing we wanted to read when we were paying ours down — patient, specific, and willing to admit when the math and the heart are pulling in opposite directions.
If something here helps, send it to a friend. If it doesn't, write to us. The letters page is the best part of this magazine.
With care,
The Balance Buster Editors The Ledger
The Balance Buster Editors The Ledger