u/KingRyanXIV

Hi all,

Due to working in education for most of my early career, I am struggling with a high debt-to-income ratio, and while my finances have been manageable, the mental nag of it has been annoying. I am 31, and my situation is this:

Income & Job

• $51,000 annually in NC state employment
• $2100 part time professional development
• $1500 honorarium
• $1750 in one-time state bonus

Debt & Savings

• Personal Loan: $40,000, monthly payment $821 and 9.25% interest rate; estimated payoff early 2031
• Credit: $4204, no monthly minimum, and 11.25% interest rate
• Student Loan: $92,000, monthly payment on IBR is $129, estimated payoff mid-2029 with PSLF
• 403b savings: $10,500, monthly payment $100
• Wealthfront HYSA: $100

For me, the $821 personal loan payment is the hardest mentally, but I am thankful to be supplemented by my wonderful partner. Much of this was debt consolidation after surprise car or vet bills, and I am not proud of it, but I am trying to be better about my savings. Any tips or creative recommendations?

Hi all,

Due to working in education for most of my early career, I am struggling with a high debt-to-income ratio, and while my finances have been manageable, the mental nag of it has been annoying. I am 31, and my situation is this:

Income & Job

• $51,000 annually in NC state employment
• $2100 part time professional development
• $1500 honorarium
• $1750 in one-time state bonus

Debt & Savings

• Personal Loan: $40,000, monthly payment $821 and 9.25% interest rate; estimated payoff early 2031
• Credit: $4204, no monthly minimum, and 11.25% interest rate
• Student Loan: $92,000, monthly payment on IBR is $129, estimated payoff mid-2029 with PSLF
• 403b savings: $10,500, monthly payment $100
• Wealthfront HYSA: $100

For me, the $821 personal loan payment is the hardest mentally, but I am thankful to be supplemented by my wonderful partner. Much of this was debt consolidation after surprise car or vet bills, and I am not proud of it, but I am trying to be better about my savings. Any tips or creative recommendations?

I've been a part-time (by necessity) Pagan minister for a small congregation of around 20 people for the last 8 years. I have some training through one of the few Pagan seminaries in the US. I've been considering going into the helping professions such as counseling, social work, and now chaplaincy.

When discussing with people the process of going through CPE and eventually a MDiv (which would be my second Master's), most tell me how hard and intense it would be, which I don't doubt at all. I am concerned about the career pivot given that the jobs are less plentiful than counseling or social work, but more aligned with my desire to work in spiritual/religious work. If I were a Christian, the pathway would be a lot clearer for me. Looking at CPE and an MDiv, though, the content excites me.

The more folks tell me how hard, intense, and scary it would be the more I feel a pull towards doing it anyway. Should I follow this pull or play it safe?

Hi all,

For those who are primarily in a pagan group (coven, kindred, etc.), how have you navigated your interactions or participation with Unitarian Universalists? I know that for many Pagans, they are also part of CUUPS groups, but I mostly have experienced Heathenry in a small group. I'm interested in attending in part because as a minister, it would be nice to offload responsibility in the ritual and just be in it.

My massage therapist mentioned today that Americans don't have a great culture of relaxation and mentioned practices like the siesta and saunas/bathing in other cultures. Are there any good books about cultural or historical approaches to relaxation?

Hey y'all, Germanic pagan here. I'm the minister for a small group, and we've been building up our public outreach a little bit. I wanted to get input from other pagans on how to make pagan ritual garb feel approachable yet serious.

I hear from my non-Pagan partner that sometimes the ritual garb can look a bit LARP-y, and I want to be mindful of that if ever I am in a public ritual or acting as clergy in institutional settings. I know John Beckett has written some articles about this, but I'd like to know what other folks think. Northern European gear is definitely not the best for southern summers!