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.