How I Turned Credit Cards From a Trap Into a Tool

The Paydown (Where It Went Wrong)

Credit cards were never my strong suit.

My dad, to his credit, did everything right. He tried to teach me the most basic rule—one I still want to pass along:

Credit cards aren’t bad. They’re a tool.

Used correctly, they can build your credit, offer travel perks, and protect you from fraud. But all of those benefits disappear the moment you carry a balance and start paying interest.

I got my first credit card at 17 through a local bank. My dad co-signed and gave me the same advice most kids hear:

“Use it for gas. Log in. Pay it off. Build your credit.”

It had a $500 limit, and at first, I followed the rules. For about six months, I did everything right.

Then one month, I didn’t have enough to pay it off.

I don’t even remember what I bought—but I remember the feeling. I had a $200 bill and just over $100 in my bank account. Then I saw the minimum payment: $25.

That felt manageable.

That felt… easy.

So I paid it.

The Trap

That moment changed everything.

I told myself I’d just use the card less next month and catch up later. But if you’ve ever been there, you know how that goes.

Paying the minimum is a dangerous game.

I’ve never struggled with gambling or addiction—but that feeling? Being able to spend money and only owe a small payment?

For a 17-year-old working part-time and making $350–$400 a paycheck, it was a dopamine hit I wasn’t prepared for.

It escalated quickly.

Card #2… Then #3… Then More

By 18, I had a box store card Menards card after I moved out.

I still remember the deal: spend over $800 and get 12 months interest-free.

So I bought furniture.

I didn’t stop to ask a simple question: When have I ever successfully saved $800 before?

I hadn’t.

But I told myself I had time.

Then came the next moment.

A flat tire.

I went to Firestone, and suddenly it wasn’t just a tire—it was over $1,000 in repairs. Money I didn’t have.

But they had a solution:

A credit card. Instant approval.

So I opened it.

Before I turned 19, I had three cards and over $2,000 in debt—juggling minimum payments and calling it “managing.”

Digging Deeper

It didn’t stop there.

Over the next year and a half, I added two more cards—a Wells Fargo student card and a Chase Slate card.

By the time I left for China in 2014, I was 20 years old with:

• Roughly $6,000 in credit card debt

• A half-finished college degree

• And full confidence I wasn’t doing anything wrong

In fact, I was excited when I got credit limit increases.

To me, that meant more flexibility. More room to breathe.

In reality, it meant I could delay the consequences a little longer.

When Life Got Messy

At the same time, my personal life wasn’t exactly steady.

I was living with my girlfriend at her grandparents’ house. My parents and I weren’t speaking. My grades were slipping—mostly because I wasn’t going to class.

Everything felt unstable.

So instead of fixing anything, I made another big decision:

I left.

The Escape

Somewhere along the way, I was sent a job posting for a teaching position in Beijing.

And without overthinking it, I said yes.

Three months later, I had a one-way ticket to China.

Put on a credit card.

A Different Financial World

China was a culture shock in a lot of ways—but one area people don’t talk about enough is money.

Everything worked differently.

• You get paid monthly

• Rent is paid 3 months upfront, plus deposit

• Utilities and phone plans are prepaid

There are no “surprise bills”—you pay first, then use the service.

Looking back, it naturally forces better budgeting.

But I had a problem.

Higher Income, Same Habits

In the U.S., I was barely getting by.

In China, I felt rich.

Within a few months of settling in (and recovering from those brutal move-in costs), I was making good money—and I went right back to spending it.

But this time, it wasn’t fast food or small purchases.

It was travel.

I went to:

• The Philippines

• Indonesia

• Dubai

• Japan

Incredible experiences. No regrets.

But almost all of it went on credit.

I opened more cards—an international, no-foreign-fee card, even a cruise rewards card.

And just like that, I was back where I started.

Only bigger.

The Reality

I wasn’t just spending money anymore.

I was borrowing from my future to fund my present.

And at the time?

I didn’t see anything wrong with it.

The Aha Moment

The turning point finally came in 2018—when I met Winnie.

At the time, I was earning almost 10x more than she was… and living paycheck to paycheck.

Winnie? She had saved over $5,000 USD.

That hit me hard.

Here I was, making good money, constantly waiting for my next paycheck. Meanwhile, she was disciplined, consistent, and building something real.

She wasn’t impressed by the motorcycle I owned or the fancy hotels I booked.

She thought it was careless.

(She may have thought I was a bit of a loser too… and honestly, she wasn’t entirely wrong.)

Her mindset was simple:

Money spent is money gone.

Would you rather have a million dollars in your bank account—or tied up in things?

That was the shift.

The Strategy (What Actually Worked for Me)

Once that realization clicked, I went into full fix-it mode.

By that point, I had about $18,000 in credit card debt.

And like most people, I ran into the big question:

• Do I use the snowball method (pay smallest balances first)?

• Or the avalanche method (pay highest interest first)?

I did neither.

Instead, I used a strategy built around 0% APR balance transfers.

(Quick warning: this only works if you’re serious about changing your habits. Otherwise, new cards just make the problem worse.)

I opened three balance transfer cards:

• Citi – 18 months 0% APR

• Chase – 12 months

• U.S. Bank – 9 months

Yes, there were transfer fees—but after that, no interest.

I moved my entire $18K balance onto those cards and attacked them based on deadlines:

1. Pay off the 9-month card first

2. Then the 12-month card

3. Then the 18-month card

Every extra dollar went toward the nearest deadline.

Execution Mode

This is where everything changed.

I didn’t just “try” to pay it off.

I got intense about it.

• Picked up side jobs when I could

• Cut back spending

• Tracked every dollar

• Stopped adding new debt completely

And most importantly:

I had deadlines.

That made it real.

Growing up with four siblings, I’m competitive. So this turned into a challenge I refused to lose.

The Result

It took me about 14 months.

I paid off all $18,000.

And after those initial transfer fees?

I never paid another dollar of credit card interest.

I’ve now been credit card debt-free for nearly 6 years.

And I plan to keep it that way.

Life After Debt

Funny enough, I didn’t even use a credit card again for about three years.

Not out of fear—just because of my environment.

Living in China, everything runs on:

• WeChat Pay

• Alipay

Credit cards are rarely used—and often inconvenient.

So I lived fully in a cashless system… without credit.

Round Two (This Time, I Knew the Game)

When Winnie and I moved back to the U.S. in 2023, I got back into credit cards.

But this time, I came prepared.

I had:

• Knowledge from ChooseFI

• Hours of research from YouTube

• A clear system

Now?

I use cards for:

• Travel rewards

• Lounge access (yes, Istanbul was awesome)

• Signup bonuses

• Points and referrals

And I treat them very differently:

I never carry a balance. Ever.

Full Circle

I like to think of it like this:

In my early 20s, the banks were winning every round.

Now?

I know the game.

They offer credit limits and 0% promos.

I smile, say thank you…

…and pay my balance in full.

Final Thought

Credit cards are powerful.

I’ve seen the best and the worst of what they can do.

Used poorly, they trap you.

Used correctly, they work for you.

If you’re digging out right now—keep going. It’s worth it.

And if you’ve already made it?

Congratulations.

You’ve beaten a system that most people never escape—and every day you stay debt-free, you keep more of your money where it belongs:

With you.

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