I racked up $40,000 in credit card debt and kept it a secret from everyone. At 40, I had to move in with my parents to pay it down.

Johanna Dickson. Courtesy of Johanna Dickson Johanna Dickson moved back home to New Jersey to tackle $40,000 in credit card debt accumulated in NYC. Johanna's debt began with store credit cards and escalated due to financial mismanagement. She used a debt relief program to reduce her debt and plans to move to Washington state soon. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Johanna Dickson , a 42-year-old who moved back to her parents' house in New Jersey to help her pay off years of debt. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Living in New York City was always a dream of mine. I grew up 90 minutes away in New Jersey, but after graduating from college in 2006, I landed a job in marketing that paid enough to afford my first Manhattan apartment with roommates.