Hey friend,
Can we talk about something real for a minute?
When my family decided to tackle our $120,000+ in debt, I thought I knew what I was getting into. I'd read the books, listened to the podcasts, made the spreadsheets.
I thought: "Okay, we'll make a budget, cut some expenses, throw every extra dollar at debt, and boom—we'll be free."
But here's the thing nobody tells you: Getting out of debt is WAY harder—and WAY different—than anyone admits.
Today I want to share the truth. Not the Instagram highlight reel. The REAL stuff that nobody warned me about.
What They Don't Tell You
1. You Need to Plan for Incidentals
Life doesn't stop happening just because you're paying off debt. The car breaks down. The washing machine dies. Your kid needs new shoes.
If you don't plan for these things, you end up right back on the credit card, feeling like a failure.
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2. Sinking Funds Are Non-Negotiable
Car repairs. Christmas. Annual insurance. Back-to-school shopping. These things are GOING to happen.
Sinking funds need to be IN the budget. Not "I'll save if there's money left over."
I know it feels like you're moving slower on debt payoff when you're also funding sinking funds. It IS slower. But you know what's even slower? Paying off a credit card, then putting $1,500 back ON it when the AC breaks in July.
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3. Small Purchases Add Up (And I Mean REALLY Add Up)
It's not just big purchases that derail you. It's the little ones.
The $4 coffee. The $12 lunch. The $8 impulse buy at Target. The $15 app subscription you forgot you had.
We were bleeding hundreds of dollars a month on tiny purchases we didn't even remember making.
Death by a thousand paper cuts.
Once we started tracking every single dollar, everything changed.
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The Surprise Nobody Mentions
Here's something amazing I didn't expect:
I didn't expect to physically feel lighter once we started making real progress on our debt.
I'm not exaggerating. It was like someone lifted a weight off my chest. I could breathe better. Everything seemed a little lighter. I laughed more. I slept better.
And here's the crazy part: This happened BEFORE we were debt-free.
Just making progress. Just seeing the numbers go down. Just knowing we had a plan and we were sticking to it.
Freedom doesn't wait until you're completely debt-free. It starts the moment you take control.
The Hardest Truth: It's Slow
Sometimes paying off debt feels SLOW. You throw $500 at a $30,000 debt and it barely makes a dent.
There were months I wanted to quit. Months I thought, "What's the point? This is taking forever."
But here's what I learned: You just have to keep your mindset on the future and your goals.
Every payment matters. Every dollar counts. Every month you stick with it is a month closer to freedom.
The people who get out of debt aren't the ones who pay it off the fastest. They're the ones who keep showing up, even when it's hard. Even when it's boring. Even when it feels like it's taking forever.
Your Turn
I want to hear from you. Where are you in your debt payoff journey?
Just starting? In the middle of the grind? Almost there? Feeling stuck?
Hit reply and tell me your debt story. What's hard about it? What's working? What are you struggling with?
I read every single email, and I promise—there's no judgment here. Just support and real talk from someone who's been there.
Because here's the truth: You CAN do this.
It won't be easy. It won't be fast. But it IS possible.
And you don't have to do it alone.
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Cheering for you always,
Jenny 💙
P.S. Seriously, hit reply and tell me where you are with debt. I want to hear your story. And if you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, let's figure out your next step together. You've got this! 💪
See you next week!
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