Editor’s Note: When I heard that my friends Gina and Josh Masters had recently paid off $66,000 in debt and had made a list of the 33 lifestyle changes they had incorporated to accomplish it, I asked if I could use it as a guest post to teach others how to get out of debt. They humbly agreed. And this is the result:
“Live like no one else now… so that you can live like no one else later!” – Dave Ramsey
Three years ago, my husband and I found ourselves drowning in debt – $80,000.00 to be exact (and that’s not even counting the mortgage). Around that time, coincidentally, our church began offering a financial program called Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. We spent the last $100 from that pay period to sign up. And the rest, they say, is history (or at least, most of our debt is now history).
As I write this, over the past three years, we have paid off $66,000.00 in personal debt. No magic, no quick fixes, no debt consolidation, or bankruptcy filing. Just persistent sacrifice. We have saved ourselves from financial destitution by making a number of simple, small changes in our lives that led to us getting out of debt.
Recently, my husband and I sat down to make a list of every change we had made hoping that it would encourage others. When we finished, we reviewed the list and were surprised at how simple it looked. Yet, all of these ideas—put into practice over a period of time—have nearly completely got us out of debt.
They are tried and true. And best of all, simple enough for anyone.
33 Proven Ideas to Getting Out of Debt:
- Re-shop auto, home, and life insurance to see if you can bring down your payments.
- Downgrade your cable package, or get rid of it entirely.
- Disconnect your home phone if you have adequate cell service at your home. Or downgrade to a cheaper package.
- Buy and sell clothes at your local consignment or shop at Goodwill.
- Have a massive garage sale. (If you’d rather be out of debt than have an item, choose to sell it to help you get you there.)
- Advertise higher quality items on Craigslist, Facebook, or your local newspaper to get better prices.
- Focus on buying mostly sale items at grocery store or generic brands to reduce your cost.
- Use a grocery store awards program to earn money off gas.
- Cancel unnecessary expenses like magazine subscriptions, newspapers, manicures, pedicures etc. Anything that could be considered a “want” instead of a “need” should go until you are out of debt or greatly decrease your debt.
- Go to the matinee movies instead of paying full price (and skip the concessions).
- Or better yet, use the Red Box for at-home movie entertainment.
- Get temporary work or seasonal part time work to boost your income.
- Read books from the library.
- Buy your most expensive groceries in bulk at Costco: meats, breads, cheese, produce, paper products. Establish a monthly grocery budget for the additional needs at regular grocery stores.
- When eating out, skip the soft drinks and stick with water. Skip the extras too (dessert, etc.).
- When eating out, share a large entrée or have small appetizers instead of the costly meal.
- Plan your errands more efficiently to conserve gas.
- Find friends that you can trade services with…hair-cutting, handyman, photography, babysitting, pet-sitting.
- Give home-made gifts, baked goods, or service IOU’s rather than expensive presents.
- Boxed cereals are expensive; switch to oatmeal, eggs or fruit for more nutritional and financial bang.
- Call the utility companies and get on a budget plan to give you more consistency with expenses each month.
- Set a spending limit with family at Christmas and/or draw names.
- Use exercise videos, walking or hiking instead of paying for the gym.
- If your haircut is too expensive, find a less expensive stylist or see if your hairdresser will cut you a break on price temporarily—ours did.
- Say “no” to hosting and/or attending in-home parties where you feel pressure to purchase.
- Does your family live nearby? Once a week dinners with mom or dad saved us a meal out of our shopping budget. Additionally, it usually led to leftovers and our parents looked forward to our visit each week.
- Make your coffee at home instead of buying it each day.
- Pack your lunch—not once a week, but regularly.
- Make extra dinner servings on purpose to have leftovers for lunch.
- Our dentist advised us we could skip the fluoride treatments if we were using a daily dental rinse—which we did… and bought on sale.
- Program your thermostat for savings on heating/cooling when you’re not at home.
- Tempted by certain retail stores? While digging out of debt, avoid window shopping these places where you’ve failed to control your impulses before.
- Give**.
Many may say, “What? I need my manicure!” or “My kids will only eat box cereals!” But trust me. If you are serious about getting out of debt and changing your life, the only thing you need is a roof over your head, clothes on your back and gas to get to work to bust your way out of this.
Plus, take comfort in knowing that you don’t need to eliminate these things forever. Personally, I look forward to hiring back our housekeeper and treating myself to a few pedicures next summer. But until we are debt-free and have a fully-funded emergency fund, we’ll be focusing on using the dollars we bring into our home to set us up for a lifetime of success.
**Many wonder about Number 33 (Give) because it seems counter-intuitive to most of us. One thing we never stopped doing – even in the worst of times—was giving. We always gave money to our church, our favorite charities, and foundations that we believe in. It’s easy to say “I can’t give. It’s not in my budget.”
But if we’re looking for a lifetime of success and influence—not just the latest gadget or status symbol—how can we afford not to give? Giving reminds us that we can live for a purpose greater than this world and all the temporary treasures it offers.
It helps keep everything else in perspective. So pick and choose from our list above – do one or two or everything on the list to get yourself out of debt – but don’t leave out number 33. We can attest from firsthand experience, it will radically transform your life!
Image: The Cleveland Kid
About Joshua Becker
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Living abundantly in Scripture was never about money or living in luxury.
Thank you. What kind of God would care about money?
Money is the second topic after love that is talked about in the Bible. GOD knows about money and wants us to be wise in our spending and giving so that is why He spent so much time talking about it.
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The personal story of a stay-at-home mom and the methods she implements for paying off debt, including over $100,000 in medical bills. Also provides budgeting and lifestyle tips.
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I have to disagree on the one that suggests eating with parents. If they invite you that is one thing but to make a habit of going once a week without contributing something and as a means to save dollars on a meal that is totally inappropriate. As a parent I wouldn’t mind being the one invited to a meal ocassionally .
Most of the ideas are common sense, but #26… Really??? You should be making your parents dinner and sending them home with leftovers. Or maybe they’d like to get out of the house once in a while, if they are older and don’t drive anymore. How about making an extra trip in the car to bring them to your house for dinner? Don’t be such cheapskates with your parents!
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Great advice, and I’ve been listening to Dave Ramsey’s sage advice. Going thru hell financially and in despair I hit rock bottom when I reluctantly went to my church’s food pantry for a Thanksgiving turkey. I wanted to wear a disguise but humbly went anyway, when it was my turn to get a free turkey they had just ran out with the person in front of me and there was a line behind me. I broke down suddenly and cried like a baby, for this was “my church” for over thirty years. I was grateful for the hug and the canned food and left. Thankfully we were invited to a relatives house for Thanksgiving that year. I’ve had to cancel doctor appointments for lack of gas to get there, thank God gas is cheap now. Point is I have learned so much and keep on learning, I think I have a touch of OCD, because now I evaluate just about everything and I now have complete understanding of our grandparents who went thru the Great Depression that I used to make fun of, I now have compassion and empathy for all of us. What I’ve learned along with reading books, websites etc., is a lot of “cuts” are really easy once you put your ego aside. I keep on thinking of this wonderful teacher in high school who taught us in a class called “Persuation and Propaganda”. It was about advertising and the manipulation it does to make or attempt to make us feel “less” than unless we purchase there items. For example car commercials that push “if you love your family and want to survive, buy this car!” They will stop at nothing. Disney did the same thing with an ad campaign. So don’t let the guilt get you, it got me and I have a degree in advertising to boot! I should have known better. Now I buy good used cars for cash from old people who drove them carefully and maintained them well. The Jones’ next door may scoff at me or you, but now I don’t care what other people think, they’re not paying my bills and I now have different goals. Anyway, I have some more tips: some extreme.
1. We have Internet connection only with our cable provider, when I disconnected the tv cable box and turned it in, Upon coming home I decided for the “heck of it” to put the coaxial directly into the tv to see what would happen, if anything, I went into the menu and did a “cable channel scan”, It worked for all the networks and public channels! No fancy channels, but at least the main ones. We now have tv. I thought my children would be devasted, they got over it. Plus there’s tons of free content on the Internet. Savings $140 a month. It’s not just these monthly fixed bills that need tweaking, it’s all of them. I used to go to BJs for milk and come out with a kayak, I allowed all those tempting deals go on my credit cards…no more. Before going into a store, I review my list, sit quietly for a minute and take a limited amount of cash out of my wallet. I shop and pick up impulse items and good deals, what man doesn’t want ten pounds of pistachios for $10 bucks?, I then go on the line and review my list and my cart, I then take the impulse items out of the cart and laugh at my childish self. I feel deprived sometimes but I get over it and keep the big goal in my mind. I learned it’s hard we are in a “consumption society”, More, more, more, more. Now I learned less is more and with pride. My grandma would be proud.
Great points… in addition to these, i also look for coupons that i could use to purchase stuff i want at a discount. I also made it a point to convert my 3 credit cards to petro-cards, which basically lets me tank up for free every once in a while (considering fuel is my big expenditure). I buy groceries only from Cost to Cost stores and decreased my internet and cable tv plan to the most basic one available. I am slowly coming out of debt, and this article motivates me further! :)
It’s amazing to me how quickly debt “happens”, and how long it takes to kiss it goodbye. I’m working through debt acquired in my divorce (ok, no – honesty- it was acquired during the marriage and I took it on in exchange for full rights to my 401k. All cards in my name anyway, so I saved myself the headache of seeing my financial future trashed beyond repair or control.) I’ve been through a layoff in the past year and although I thought I knew about frugality, so much of those skills felt “optional”. We get used to hearing others talk about “play money”, etc, as if every dollar isn’t a precious resource. Or, we fail to see everything (and I do mean everything) we purchase as an investment: investment into quality of life and overall wellbeing, or physical health, or connection with others. I get it now, at 36.
> My kids and I have taken on weeks (or whole pay periods) as “Pantry Challenge”, where we swear off going to the store for anything and simply cook and prepare meals (including school lunches) from what’s already in the pantry/freezer/fridge. It’s creative and fun and (thanks to my kids’ love for EvanTube), they’re totally down for the “challenge”!
> Their dad takes them to dinner once per week and has them weekends, so they get their restaurant fix without my investing there.
> I don’t buy much of anything full price, especially clothes (and thanks to advice from becoming minimalist.com, those urges (and piles) are definitely minimal!!
> Target. I’ve started limiting my list to what’s discounted, add coupons as possible, and get their 5% discount with debit card.
> Internet deal allows me to have it for a fairly low price, although it’s higher than I paid for a couple of years (I was one of those pesky customers who kept calling them to say I’d go elsewhere … That saved a ton, but they called my bluff eventually.)
> Kids wear uniforms to school (Yay!) I get the quality brands on eBay or at Goodwill, and they last through hundreds of washes.
> Things I’ve learned:
– Buying a lot of cheap things is expensive, and does nothing for your psychological outlook, including makeup and face cream. Buy it when you get a good deal or freebies to give away (roll over investment in connection) , but ending up with a rash on sensitive skin and a doc visit really blows!
– Don’t date or marry someone with different financial goals and values. If they “have” to have a house in the suburbs, or certain cars, or don’t mind throwing money at hobbies and dining out, or try to fix problems with expensive gifts (that oddly don’t feel like an investment in connection), bounce right out. Eventually, you’ll pay for their ignorance and also feel every bit of the nag hangover they deserve.
– Read the books and watch the movies you have already. You got them another time, another you. Who was that?
– Journal. Just do it. I had to figure out spending triggers just like other people figure out what ticks them off.
– Finally, and this sounds churchy even though I’m not: Refuse to live in lack. Never think like a “have not”, even when you’re holding your breath til payday. I have so many things other people don’t! My debt isn’t because of how much I make, but how much I spen(t). I’m looking at paying down several accounts this year and can’t wait to be a saver again, and help others who are on their way.
Perfect advice, just what I was looking for. Thanks!
Count every change and put the money in a jar. Don’t spend the money different: keep the focus.
I applied some from your and I know how much money we have a part because of this:
1. no car, just public transport + bike. Economies: around 5 per month paying an annual ticket instead a monthly one.
2. no more cable: 25 monthly less spend. Plus less for electricity :)
4. the budget for cloths is annual one, I buy only at soldes, I keep it minimalist; for child I am sewing a lot (she is distroing a lot)
5. I collected this summer around 500 (but already spent some money from the jar, ssst!)
7. buy from local producers. No brand, buying season products, sometimes they gave us nice gifts: a 2kg box of strawberries, an apple for my child etc. I estimate 10-20 less spent than in supermarket.
10. we are going to see movies only during the winter , so 3-4 movies per year.
12. 3 times per year, my husband goes for around 50 , plus a reduction of shopping there.
14. buy from producer: a leg of a pig, etc. Cut, split, and prepare in advance, just to cook when I need. best advantage is I am not going often to shopping, no more chances to buy extra un wanted items :). I estimate 10-15 less money spent.
15. eating out twice per month in not a expensive place. No paying too much attention for this.
19. the budget is at a half, now: I estimate 20-30 monthly saved because I sew and because I buy in advance. Yes, my child is a very social child and last month she was invited at 5 parties.
20. did it – 3-5 spent less monthly.
21. did it. Around 10 spent less monthly.
27. no coffee for me :) – just tea with plants collected by me.
28. always. I prepare in the evening 3 dishes in plus, for all to take next day. Estimate: around 50 monthly spent less.
31. did it. Cannot estimate
Total per month: around 200 (more a little bit).
Plus: I have a small garden in containers on my balcony: free condiments and some salads, onions, cucumbers, a few tomatoes etc.
I rent a smaller apartment: 167 less monthly.
Final: around 500 monthly spent less, money collected in plus in the last year and help us to apply for a mortgage.
When I first read this article, nearly 5 years ago, it was shortly before purchasing our first home. My husband and I were already practising many of the suggestions found on the list, as we saved for a 20% down payment. It became a great habit. Now, we look forward to paying off our mortgage on the new year! I am expecting baby #1, and my husband will be 30 next month. We are so grateful for the freedom to enjoy these milestones debt free. By living within our means (I’m sure our 130 000 mortgage is modest by most standards), we’ve been able to travel, host memorable evenings among friends, and enjoy live music and theatre. Some people have felt we’ve been living a compromise, since we don’t have a car and we live in a two-bedroom, etc. But we love our space, and are very much looking forward to owning it outright!
*in
It is unethical to ask your hairstylist for a discount. He/she has bills of her own, which she needs income to pay. That income comes from you, paying for your haircut. Not one other thing on your list involved asking for a discount. You don’t ask the utility company or Costco for a discount, and those are big money wealthy corporations. Your stylist is a middle class laborer. When asked, she felt guilty saying no. You literally caused her to help pay YOUR debt, when she should be paying off her own. Shame on you.
I agree! I’m a hairdresser that has given discounts to people job hunting. The minute they get the job, they don’t come back. I would not discount my services again.
I completely agree that this is unethical and rude.
I think it’s totally legit to ask for a discount, not just at the hair dresser’s but anywhere you want. It’s not like the stylist is forced to give the discount. I have my own business too and get asked for discounts as well, don’t really see the problem here. But of course, I guess it also depends on how you’re asking.
If you’re really serious about debt, quit eating out altogether, skip the RedBox and watch what’s on commercial TV or swap DVDs with friends, and what are you doing with an e-reader to begin with? Library membership is free and if you can’t get the latest best-seller and have to wait a few months, so what? Re-read the classics or something you’ve never tried before. If you HAVE to read off the Best Seller list, you need to sort out your priorities. If your kids are bored, learn a new skill, have a family game night, find projects you can do together and when all else fails – go for a WALK; cheap and healthy.
Just to add to the above comment about the public library. They also have DVDs you can check out for free, plus if you really want to read the new bestseller ask them to order it if they don’t have it already. 99% of the time the library will order any book for you. Also, many libraries now have e-readers you can check out. Also if you have local colleges or universities around you usually the public can also use their libraries for free and they always have a great selection. Also check out the local colleges/universities for free events. My husband and I have gone to concerts, movies and plays for free at the local universities.
P.S. If they have an e-reader it may be they purchased it before trying to reduce debt. Or they may have received it as a gift from someone or even purchased it at a greatly reduced rate for free. Let’s not be so quick to judge one another.
Also if you don’t have an e-reader, you can always read Kindle books online through Amazon, so no need to purchase one!
… AND you can usually check out books from the library on your e-reader as well!