Published: February 2026

🧑‍🔧 Welcome back, everyone.

This is the first month without holidays, without chaos (besides Luna Shorts, our new puppy), and without the emotional noise that usually distorts the numbers. January is where the system stands on its own — clean, predictable, and fully exposed.

Let’s see how much Christmas truly cost us, because January bill paying doesn’t lie.

This is also the month where the Tuition Savings rebuild officially begins, and the Holiday Savings for 2026 officially launches.

Let’s get into it.

PART 1 — Where the Money Went (January 2026)

🎯 1. January at a Glance

Total Income: As expected
Total Saved: $1,042
Total Debt Payments: Heavy (January always is, but all paid on time)
Total Credit Card Charges: Over $2,000 (UNEXPECTED: Vet bills for our older dog, Duke)
Total Credit Card Payments: $2,150.00
Net Credit Movement: +$28.39
New Revolving Debt: $0

January was busy — but it was controlled.

💰 2. Income Breakdown

January brought in exactly what we expected:

• My bi‑weekly paychecks (two checks)
• My wife’s school pay (monthly)
• One ATM deposit (Christmas money)
• No surprises, no one‑offs, no chaos

This is the kind of income month Plan B is built for.

🏦 3. Savings — The System Stayed Alive

Even in a heavy month, we still saved:

January is usually a “just survive” month.
This year, it was a savings month.

💳 4. Credit Card Activity — The Full Picture

BCU Visa (Tuition Card)

• Paraclete: $963.63
• Vet: $225.87
• Home Depot: $100.03
• Interest: $73.68
• Payment: –$1,000
• Net: +$363.21

This card did exactly what it’s designed to do:
Tuition + controlled household + occasional pet care.

Had to fix water leaking from the pergola over the slider door. It rained a lot in January, and it reminded us that our house needs some TLC — now. We also found a leak in the garage, but it turned out to be a broken roof tile. Easy fix.

Wife’s Capital One

• Charges: $640.84
• Payments: –$800
• Net: –$159.16

This card went down in January — a clean win.

More vet bills and adoption fees for our new puppy, Luna Shorts.

Chase Amazon Visa

• Charges: $174.34
• Payments: –$350
• Net: –$175.66

Another card that moved in the right direction.

Mostly Christmas activity — not bad for us.

Frontier Card

• No activity.

Combined Net Movement Across All Cards

+ $28.39

That’s essentially flat — which is exactly what you want in January, a month that usually blows up most families’ credit card balances.

🛒 5. Spending by Category (Debit + Credit)

Here’s where the money actually went:

Groceries

WinCo, Walmart, Stater Bros, Food4Less
Groceries were steady and predictable.

Gas

Costco Gas (multiple trips)
Fuel stayed controlled.

Household / Home Depot / Amazon

Home Depot, Amazon
Normal January maintenance.

I’m working on my Honey Do List. Home Depot, here I come.

Pets

• Sears Veterinary Hospital (debit): $543.49
• Sears Veterinary Hospital (credit): $225.87
  Total: $769.36
  Duke and Luna both had needs this month — and the system absorbed it.

Kids / School / Activities

• Ballet: $312
• Paraclete Spirit Store: $45
• GoFan: $4
• Paraclete tuition (credit): $963.63
  Total: $1,324.63
  January is always a school‑heavy month. All of these charges were expected or required.

Healthcare

• Dental (debit): $185
• Dental (credit): $151.20
  Total: $336.20

Dining Out

• McDonald’s: $64.20

Subscriptions

• Disney+: Paid in full (annual)
• Crunchyroll: Monthly
• Netflix: Monthly
• Race Communications: Monthly
• Playstation: Paid in full (annual)
• Ghost Hosting: Monthly

Total paid for January: $267.46

DMV / Utilities

• DMV: $302 (car registration)
• Gas Co: Paid in full
• SCE: Paid in full

Misc

• Zelle: $50 (wife’s hair appointment deposit)
• Playstation Network: $59.99 (kids’ gaming)

🧾 6. January Summary

January was heavy — but it was controlled.

• No category bleed
• No missed bills
• No new debt
• Savings continued
• Tuition Savings restarted
• Avalanche continued
• Credit cards stayed flat
• Checking ended strong

This is the cleanest January we’ve ever had.

PART 2 — Tuition Savings + Avalanche Progress

🎓 1. Tuition Savings — Day One

This is the headline of January.

Starting Balance (Jan 1): $396.34

Deposits: $576

Withdrawals: $181.45

Ending Balance (Jan 31): $790.89

This is the official starting point for the Tuition Savings rebuild.

December did exactly what it was designed to do — absorb Christmas.
January is where the rebuild begins.

The goal is clear:

🎯 Tuition Goal: $3,000 by July 2026

We’re starting at $790.89.
We have six months.
And the system is already moving.

💥 2. Avalanche Debt Reduction — January Execution

January is always a heavy debt month, and this year was no different:

• Mortgage: Paid
• Yamaha: $1,200
• Capital One: $300 + $500
• Chase: $350
• Home Depot: $50
• Aidvantage: $100
• Student Loan: $242.67
• DMV: $302

Even with all of that, the avalanche continued.

We didn’t pause it.
We didn’t break it.
We didn’t fall behind.

The system handled January — one of the hardest months of the year — without collapsing.

🧑‍🔧 3. Wrapping Up

January wasn’t light.
January wasn’t easy.
January wasn’t quiet.

But it was controlled.

• Savings continued
• Holiday Savings launched
• Tuition Savings restarted
• Avalanche stayed alive
• Credit cards stayed flat
• No new debt
• No chaos
• No panic

This is the first January where we didn’t start the year in a hole.

Plan B worked.
It handled real life — not fantasy life.
And now we move into February with clarity, confidence, and momentum.

Overall, I’m very pleased with how Plan B and AI assistance are working. I’ve been surprised a few times now by seeing money — even if only $100 — roll over. We do have a few house projects that will require a contractor, so let’s see if we can continue this momentum.

🧑‍🔧 Thanks for stopping by. Goodbye.