Woman lends credit card to mother, forgets 18-installment purchase, and discovers months later her limit never recovered

A woman who lent her credit card to her mother for an appliance purchase was surprised months later to find her available limit reduced, as the 18-installment transaction still occupied credit space. This caused a necessary repair payment to be declined. The installment amount was small and paid monthly, but the total outstanding balance remained reserved, limiting available credit. The woman had focused on the monthly cost, not the full price, and only realized the discrepancy when an urgent repair was refused. She reviewed the original receipt and remaining installments, then discussed the situation with her mother. They created a shared spreadsheet to track payments and future commitments, and she began reserving credit for emergencies while checking total prices before new purchases.