I’m 41 and plan to retire at 65. My first step was paying off over $55,000 in credit card debt — here’s how I did it.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Michelle Gudiño Prestamo, a 41-year-old human resources manager at a major footwear company in Mississippi. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I’m the distribution center human resources manager at a major footwear company. I started at the company in 2019. Before this job, I worked at a staffing and recruiting firm where I supported footwear and retail brands.

I don’t want to work until I’m 80 years old. I’d like to retire around 65 and open a coffee shop because I have such a passion for it. Here’s my plan to make that happen.

I was born in Venezuela

I came to the United…