Pure Chance

My immediate problems were alleviated by pure chance. I received a bequest from my grandmother's estate which get me out of some very hot water. I paid out the consolidation loan that was at 33% and put the rest off credit cards. I was shocked to find that even though I was nearly three years into the loan I had only reduced the principal from $7000 to $5500. I may as well have been burning my money for warmth! I had learnt a valuable lesson and the balances on my credit cards slowly crept down for the next 6 months...