I did similar back in the 90s, to a maximum of around $34K in credit card debt. I knew better but at the time I just didn’t care. It ended up taking about 4 years to pay it off, during which time I was putting up to 75% of my take-home pay toward the debt.
Now I have one credit card which I pay off every month. For some things like hotel reservations, you practically have to have a credit card.
We also have well under $100K left on the mortgage, but it’s a low rate and I can do better with the money by not paying it off.
We still have three credit cards, but we pay them ALL off every month. Usually, we just use one... for Holiday Inn points. We use an RCL one occasionally, when we go on a cruise, and we use a Delta one when we want airline miles. Credit cards are necessary now just to do anything.
I am retired, and we have NO debt. It’s a GREAT feeling!
We have $600+k equity in our house, if I needed it. Thankfully, we don’t... yet.
Almost every day, I purchase a 32 oz Diet Coke in a great styrofoam cup from Circle K for 85 cents, using my Chase Holiday Inn credit card. I’m STILL trying to figure out WHO makes money on these transactions.
I think, it might be... ONLY me! :-)