It’s Christmas Day… and if you’re lying awake at 2 a.m. staring at the ceiling thinking, “What am I going to do about my debt?” — this episode is for you.

Steve Rhode and Damon Day talk straight about the quiet moment nobody posts on social media: the holiday pressure, the shame spiral, the fear that you’re the only one struggling, and that awful feeling like everyone else is cheerful while you’re drowning in credit card payments.

No tough homework today. No “perfect budget” fantasy. Just permission to take the day off, breathe, and remember: debt is a problem with solutions — not a life sentence.

And when you’re ready (hello, January), we’ll help you shift from surviving to solving with a real strategy for getting out of debt.

More help and resources: https://getoutofdebt.org

Talk with Damon: https://damonday.com

Christmas is days away, and if your credit cards are already screaming… this episode is your permission slip to stop the shame-spiral, enjoy your people, and not make things worse. We talk holiday spending strategies that actually work—setting real limits, using cash, and choosing experiences over stuff—because the best “gift” is not waking up in January with a financial hangover.

We also get into the psychology behind why we overspend (yep, hyperbolic discounting), how to say no without feeling like the Grinch, and what to do when the invite is pricey, the gift exchange is ridiculous, or the “just put it on the card” crowd shows up.

Then we pivot to the comeback plan: what you can do in January to recover fast and set up next year so you’re not repeating the same cycle.

More help and resources:

• https://getoutofdebt.org

• Damon can be reached at https://damonday.com

It’s December… and if you’re staring down holiday spending while your credit card debt is already heavy, you’re not alone. In this episode, Steve Rhode and Damon Day talk about why so many people avoid looking at their balances during the holidays, what that avoidance really costs you, and how to enjoy the season without turning January into a financial disaster.

We dig into the pressure to “keep up,” the dopamine hit of giving, lifestyle inflation, and why high-income households can still be in a quiet financial crisis. You’ll walk away with practical ways to set boundaries, build a realistic holiday budget, and choose smarter spending that protects your future — without guilt, shame, or deprivation.

More help and resources: https://getoutofdebt.org

Reach Damon Day: https://damonday.com