How They Ditched Debt
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How Two Teachers Wiped Out More Than $53,000

From $20K to $0 in Five Years and 8 Steps

Crushing a Goal Leads to Helping Others


Pandemic After Payoff Tests Couple’s Resilience
Just months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, Anthony and Jhanilka Hartzog paid off the last of their $114,000 in debt. They'd developed a budget that worked for them, created additional income streams and exploited a lower cost of living after a move from New York to Dallas. We checked in with them nearly two years later — were the Hartzogs able to stay debt-free in the face of a global pandemic that strained the finances of many families? And what tips do they have for others hoping to ditch debt of their own? Read more

Downsizing the Home, Growing the Business
When job loss reduced household income for Karen and Sylvester Akpan, the couple made the bold choice to sell their Los Angeles-area home and buy an RV. They focused on growing their travel blog and an associated Instagram account, and were able to pay off their debt in a year. Their path is unusual, but points to a universal truth: Lowering expenses and increasing income leaves more money to tackle debt. Read more

Getting On Board With a Budget for Baby
Former zookeeper Steffa Mantilla promises she didn't use any animal training techniques to get her husband on board with a debt reduction plan.
However she might have persuaded him, the Houston couple paid off more than $70,000 in debt in five years. Planning for a baby served as a catalyst for their money makeover. Read more
Trimming Small Expenses Achieved a Big Goal

Rebounding From Bankruptcy

Rashad and Nirvanna Muhammad carried student debt and financial struggles as they married and built a family. After experiencing a bankruptcy, they narrowed their focus and made the sacrifices necessary to pay off $179,000 in just under four years. Read more
Keeping a ‘Passion for Fashion’ on the Road to Repayment

A Spender, a Saver and Dreams of a Family

‘Happiness Journey’ Fueled Payoff

(Photo by Abby Bengs)
After taking on over $200,000 in debt from student loans for law school, Okeoma Moronu decided to take a purposeful approach to her life and finances and wiped out her debt in six and a half years. Read more
From ‘Extravagantly Broke’ to Comfortably Frugal

Little Splurges on the Path to Freedom

Small Wins Help Achieve a Big Dream

Whipping Up a Payoff 'Tornado'

'I Just Pretended I Didn't Have Money'

'It Made Our Marriage So Strong'

(Photo by Amelia Campbell Photography)
Ray and Bailey Robertson paid off over $33,000 in 18 months thanks to an aggressive strategy, lean lifestyle, tight partnership and plenty of planning. Read more
Redefining 'Best Life,' Scaling Back

Kicking Frugality Into High Gear

Side Jobs, Meal Planning and Faith

(Photo by Brok and Amanda Hansmeyer)
As teachers, Jamie and Jenna Griffin were overwhelmed with student loans. They used budgeting and hard work to pay off more than $100,000 in five and a half years. Read more
Making the Most of a Gig Economy

(Photo by Shane Henderson)
Kara Perez doubled down on part-time jobs to pay off student loans worth $25,302 in three and a half years. Read more
Holiday Bills Break a Couple’s Budget

Christmas gifts piled on top of existing debt persuaded Anthony Hartzog and his wife to act and pay off $114,151 in 23 months. Read more
Thrifty Living and Side Gigs

Through careful budgeting, working full-time and supplementing her income, Tanya Nwamkpa paid off $57,000 in five years. Read more
'We Have Choices Again'

Their finances started to skid with a job loss in 2009. Despite mistakes along the way, Adam and Sally Cleary climbed out of more than $11,000 in high-interest debt. Read more
Conquering College Credit Card Balances

Changing Habits, Budgeting for a Baby

After they discovered a baby was on the way, the Baggerlys overhauled their carefree spending and started budgeting, and two kids later, paid off $111,108. Read more
Smart Solutions for ‘Stupidest Decision’

Cameron Merriman paid off $95,000 in student loan debt in five years while living in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Read more
‘It Became Like a Game to Us’

Josh and Jessie Boyce paid off $147,000 in debt in a little more than three years, after realizing debt was holding them back from financial freedom. Read more
An Olympian’s Medal-Worthy Juggling Act

Tenacious Focus on the Goal

Becoming a Budget Obsessive

Engineer Goes Old-School With Pen and Paper

Despite receiving scholarships, Brianna Harrington graduated college with $40,000 in student loan debt. Determined to eliminate it, she created a strict budget to pay it off in 26 months. Read more
Setting Pride Aside and Asking for Help

A Wish List Kept Her Going

(Photo by Jim Gion, 2015)
Melanie Lockert resolved to wipe out $57,426 in debt and motivated herself by making wish lists of things she’d be able to do once debt-free. Read more
‘Born Spender’ Goes on a Spending Fast

Anna Newell Jones entered married life nearly $24,000 in debt. She forced herself to go on a spending fast and paid it all off in 15 months. Read more
New Parents Quit Credit Cards

Lydia Senn and her husband pretended they weren't deep in debt until they were expecting their first child. Living frugally, working side jobs and budgeting helped them pay off $36,000 in just over two years. Read more
Grad Gives Gift to Her Future Self

Financial Goals Are Family Goals

No Sleep for New Parents Until Payoff

Homemade Tracker Kept Her Cooking

Newly Single, ‘I Knew I Had to Help Myself’

Getting an Education in Student Loans

Extra Payments Became Her Obsession

Making Sense of Cents

Money Under 30

Lauren Greutman

Money Peach

Debt Discipline

Cait Flanders

In her early 20s, Flanders racked up debt totaling nearly $30,000 by saying "yes" to everything. By monitoring expenses and cutting down on unnecessary purchases, she paid it off in two years. Read more
Active Budgeting Pays Off

My Shiny Nickels

Smart Spending, Dedication

Zina Kumok graduated college with $24,000 in student loan debt. But since she was making $28,000 a year, she knew she had to get serious about her debt. She paid it off in three years. Read more
The Family CEO

'Monster Payments'

Penny Pinchin' Mom

Queen of Free

The Budgetnista

(Photo by Tinnetta Bell.)
Tiffany Aliche was saddled with $55,000 in graduate student loans, $40,000 in credit card debt and $200,000 from a defaulted mortgage. She moved back home and switched to an all-cash lifestyle to pay it off. Read more
Well Kept Wallet

Deacon Hayes and his wife Kim used debt as a way to fund their lifestyle. When they were $52,000 in debt and living paycheck to paycheck, they knew they had to take action. The Hayes paid it off in 18 months. Read more
His and Her Money

As newlyweds, Talaat and Tai McNeely had opposite money habits and around $30,000 of debt. They lived on one income and used the other to pay off their debts within a year. Read more
Debt Free Guys


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