A Little Bit Of Me | Lifestyle Blog by Charnita Fance

I've been checking my student loan account almost as often as I check on my pets, and frankly, it's just as stressful as trying to get all five of them to behave. If you're like me, you've been watching the news with a knot in your stomach, wondering if your monthly payment is about to skyrocket or if the government is finally going to figure this mess out. We've been sitting in forbearance for months, watching the court battles play out while our balances just sit there, or worse, grow. Now that we're in 2026, the picture's finally getting clearer, even if it's not exactly the news we wanted. The legal fights that started back in 2024 have reached a breaking point. For those of us trying to avoid default and keep a roof over our heads, we have to make some moves soon . I've spent hours digging through the latest updates so I can figure out what's best for my own family, and I want to share exactly what's happening so you can protect yourse...

I honestly can't believe we're already in 2026. It feels like just yesterday I was celebrating my birthday in February and wondering what the year would bring. Looking back, 2025 was a year where I really focused on making my life easier and more comfortable. I live in a duplex here in southeast Alabama, and while I'm still renting and hoping to buy a home soon, I've spent a lot of time this past year turning our current place into a sanctuary. Being 44 years old, I've realized that I just don't have the patience for things that don't work well. I want products that solve problems. Whether it was managing my health issues like anxiety and PCOS, organizing the chaos caused by my five pets, or just feeding my inner geek with some new tech, I found some real winners this year. I'm excited to share the things that actually made a difference in my day-to-day life. These aren't just things I bought; they're things I use constantly. ⚡ Key Takea...

I don't know about you, but by the time I finally close my work laptop, I'm ready to mentally check out. Since I work from home, my "commute" is just moving from my desk to the couch. I tackle the chaotic feeding time for my five pets (and Noro plus the other community cats outside) first thing in the morning with my coffee. So, by the time the evening rolls around, the chores are done, my husband is usually on his computer, and I’m free to just curl up with Adah or Micah and play something. 2026 is shaping up to be a weirdly specific year for gaming. We're right on the edge of new consoles coming out, but there's still so much life left in what we already have. I'm personally still rocking my Nintendo Switch OLED and my iPad, and honestly, that's enough for me most days. But whether you're into high-stress shooters (couldn't be me) or chill management sims (absolutely me), there's a massive list of titles coming our way. I've dug throu...

Here we are. It's finally January 2026. I feel like I've been waiting for this fresh start for months. Last year was a whirlwind of stress, and not the good kind. If you'd asked me five years ago where I'd be financially at age 44, I wouldn't have guessed I'd be staring at this much debt. But life happens. I've always tried to be responsible, but things slipped away from me recently. I lost a part-time gig that was bringing in steady money, and suddenly, I didn't have enough to cover my usual bills. Instead of cutting back immediately, I let things slide and mismanaged my money. That's how the credit card debt piled up. Then, the summer of 2025 hit. I had a major health scare that required multiple doctor visits and tests. On top of that, my husband needed a medical procedure, and his insurance barely covered any of it. So now, we're looking at a mountain of credit card debt plus a separate pile of medical bills. It's overwhelming, but I...

I sat down at my desk last night after a long day. My husband and I had just finished dinner, and I had spent twenty minutes outside trying to convince Noro, the neighbor's cat, to eat his food before the other cats got it. I was tired. I just wanted to escape into a virtual world for a bit. But when I loaded up The Sims 4, my excitement turned into frustration within ten minutes. My Sims stood there staring at walls for hours while the clock ticked by. They wouldn't eat. They wouldn't interact with other sims. The game was practically unplayable. Again . It isn't just a one-time thing. I have been playing this franchise for over fifteen years. I remember the magic of The Sims 2 and the incredible freedom of The Sims 3. But lately, trying to enjoy The Sims 4 feels like a chore. Between the lag, the broken packs, and the sheer cost of keeping up, I realized something important last night. It's okay to stop. It's okay to admit that this game isn't fun anymor...

I've never been a huge fan of TikTok. I’m 44, and I haven't been into social media like that for almost 10 years now. I’m just over it . But TikTok is in a league of its own. It’s tailored to young people, not people my age. I just don’t get it. People dancing and lip-syncing in front of the camera. People posting LIVE selfies where they're just flaunting or making weird faces for a few seconds. Why would anyone want to see this!??? Especially from people I don’t even know!? It’s just absurd to me. Plus, I’ve dealt with TikTok groupies all up in my husband’s DMs, and that was the last straw. I absolutely hated TikTok after that. And it’s not just my husband; it’s your husband / boyfriend / significant other. Heck, it’s everyone's husband / boyfriend / significant other! It’s sad. And what’s worse is that it’s mostly YOUNG girls from OTHER countries doing this (outside of the USA). There are gold diggers all over TikTok (especially on TikTok Live begging for gifts/co...