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1. Write Down All Your Debts
You can’t fight a monster you can’t see.
When you list every single debt, suddenly the monster has a face.
The credit card balance, the student loan, the car payment. They all stop being this blurry stress cloud in your head.
You realize, “Oh, it’s not endless. It’s a list. And lists can be tackled.”
You also get to stare your spending habits in the eye and ask yourself… was that Amazon spree worth it?
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Grab a notebook or a free app like Google Keep and write down every debt with the balance, due date, and minimum payment.
📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌
2. Write Down All The Money You Spend
Ever feel like your paycheck evaporates faster than a mojito in the Miami sun?
Tracking your spending shows you exactly where the leaks are.
It’s not fun seeing that $300 a month on takeout, but hey, denial won’t pay your bills.
When you see the numbers in front of you, the truth stares back at you, no sugarcoating.
That truth becomes your roadmap.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use a simple tool like Rocket Money or even your bank’s mobile app to track every expense daily.
3. Stop Buying Things You Don’t Need
Shocker, right? However, the number one reason people stay buried in debt is buying random items that bring them five minutes of joy but five months of payments.
Do you really need another set of wireless earbuds because the box said “limited edition”?
You don’t.
Cutting wants to keep your focus sharp on the bigger prize. Freedom.
And guess what? The stuff you don’t buy can’t end up in that pile of clutter you’re already stressed about.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Before hitting “Buy Now,” wait 24 hours; if you forget about it, you didn’t need it.
Bonus: Get Organized With A Debt Plan
Stopping those impulse buys feels great, but you’ll get even further if you actually have a system to organize your debt.
When everything’s scattered, you feel overwhelmed.
But when you’ve got a clear plan that shows exactly what to pay first and how long it’ll take, it feels doable.
That clarity turns stress into confidence.
And FYI, thousands of people use Undebt.it, a free online tool, to finally get organized and stay motivated. Because it literally shows you your finish line.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Create a free account on Undebt.it, plug in your balances, and let it map out a payoff plan so you always know your next move.
4. Save A Little Cushion For Emergencies
Without an emergency cushion, the first flat tire or surprise bill sends you running back to your credit card.
That’s how the cycle keeps spinning.
Even a small $500 cushion is enough to stop you from panicking when life throws you a curveball.
It’s not about building a fat emergency fund yet. It’s just buying yourself a little breathing room.
Because nothing feels worse than making progress, then sliding back into debt for something dumb like a plumber visit.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open a separate savings account on Betterment and set up an automatic $20 weekly transfer until you hit $500.
5. Pay Off Your Smallest Debt First
Think of your smallest debt like the warm-up set at the gym.
It might not feel like much, but once it’s gone, you get that instant hit of motivation.
You see progress fast, and that energy pushes you to take on the bigger ones.
This is the debt snowball method, and it works because your brain loves quick wins.
Small victories keep you from quitting when the mountain looks huge.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: List debts from smallest to largest and throw every extra dollar at the smallest one while paying minimums on the rest.
6. Put Payments On Autopilot
If you’ve ever forgotten a due date, you know the pain of late fees.
Those things add up faster than Miami traffic tickets.
Autopay saves you from human error and keeps your payments rolling without you stressing about dates.
It’s like cruise control for your debt payoff journey.
Less hassle, less worry, fewer “oops” moments.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Log into your bank or credit card account and set up autopay for at least the minimum payment.
7. Always Pay More Than The Minimum
Paying just the minimum is like paying rent to your credit card company forever.
You never really own your life back.
Adding even $20 extra a month chops down the balance faster than you think.
Every extra dollar is basically punching interest in the face.
Why let interest drag you down when you can speed up the finish line?
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Round up your payments. If the bill is $187, make it $200 to sneak in extra cash.
📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌
8. Use Cash Instead Of Cards
Cards make spending feel fake.
Cash feels real.
When you hand over a $20 bill, you actually feel the pain.
That pain is a good thing because it slows you down.
Suddenly, you’re not buying three overpriced lattes just because you can tap your card in two seconds.
Cash creates a built-in awareness that plastic never gives you.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Take out cash for weekly expenses like groceries or gas and leave the cards at home.
9. Switch To A Cheaper Car
Cars are one of the sneakiest debt traps out there.
That shiny ride might look good, but those monthly payments are draining your wallet dry.
Downsizing to a cheaper, reliable car frees up serious cash every month.
Imagine throwing that extra $300–$400 into your debt instead of a depreciating toy.
Who cares what you’re driving if it buys you freedom years earlier?
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Sell your high-payment car and replace it with a used, reliable model under $10K from sites like Autotrader.
10. Avoid Impulse Spending At Stores
Impulse spending is like eating chips. You swear you’ll stop after one, but suddenly the bag’s empty.
Stores are designed to make you fall for those little extras.
That “only $5” item multiplies into $200 by the time you hit the register.
The trick? A shopping list is your shield.
If it’s not on the list, it doesn’t go in the cart. Period.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Write a list on your phone before shopping and stick to it like glue. No extras allowed.
11. Put Away The Credit Cards
Leaving your cards in your wallet is like leaving candy in front of a kid and saying, “Don’t touch.”
Spoiler alert: you’ll touch.
If your cards are out of sight, they’re out of mind.
The less you reach for them, the less debt you add.
Think of it as hiding temptation from yourself. Because you know yourself too well.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Store your credit cards in a drawer at home and carry only a debit card or cash.
12. Start A Small Side Job For Extra Cash
Debt shrinks faster when you throw more money at it.
That’s where a side hustle saves the day.
You don’t need to launch the next billion-dollar app. Just something simple that puts extra cash in your pocket.
Deliver food, freelance online, babysit, or flip stuff on eBay.
Small streams of income add up, and they all flow straight into crushing your debt.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Sign up for flexible gigs on Fiverr or DoorDash and dedicate all earnings to debt payments.
13. Sell Old Stuff You Don’t Need Anymore
You’ve got clutter hiding cash in plain sight.
That dusty treadmill, the stack of video games, the clothes you “might wear again”. They’re just money sitting there.
Selling your old stuff gives you two wins at once: extra space and extra cash.
It’s like decluttering your home and your debt at the same time.
One person’s “junk” is literally another person’s Saturday night impulse buy.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Post unused items on Facebook Marketplace or Poshmark this weekend and put the money straight toward a bill.
14. Cancel Subscriptions You Rarely Use
That $12 subscription doesn’t sound like much until you realize you’ve got ten of them.
Streaming, fitness apps, meal kits, that random “free trial” you forgot about. They’re all sneaky little money vampires.
Cancel the ones you barely touch, and suddenly you’ve got an extra $50–$100 each month.
That’s real money, not pocket change.
And FYI, you won’t miss them as much as you think.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use Rocket Money or Truebill to track and cancel unused subscriptions automatically.
📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌
15. Put Raises Or Overtime Toward Debt
When your paycheck goes up, your lifestyle doesn’t have to.
Most people celebrate a raise by upgrading their car, clothes, or nights out.
That’s lifestyle creep. And it keeps you broke.
Instead, freeze your lifestyle where it is and aim all that new money at your debt.
It’s like giving yourself a secret superpower to pay things off twice as fast.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: When you get a raise, set up an automatic transfer for that exact amount straight to your debt account.
16. Change To A Cheaper Phone Or Internet Plan
Your phone bill doesn’t have to be a second rent payment.
Carriers love locking you into expensive plans filled with stuff you don’t even use.
But cheaper plans exist, and they work just as well.
You won’t notice the difference. Except in your wallet.
That freed-up cash each month goes straight into smashing your debt.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Compare providers like Rocket Money Mobile or Visible and switch to a plan that cuts your bill by at least $20 a month.
17. Cook At Home To Save Money
Eating out feels easy, but the cost sneaks up on you like Miami humidity.
Restaurants charge you three times more than it costs to cook the same meal at home.
Cooking at home isn’t just cheaper. It also gives you leftovers that save you the next day.
Plus, you can flex your inner chef and impress people without blowing your budget.
Every meal at home is basically money back in your pocket.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Plan three simple dinners for the week, shop for ingredients once, and skip Uber Eats completely.
18. Lower Your Monthly Bills
Your bills aren’t set in stone.
You can negotiate with providers, switch companies, or simply cut what you don’t use.
Cable, insurance, gym memberships. They all add up.
Every dollar you shave off your monthly bills is another soldier fighting in your debt army.
Companies expect you not to call… so prove them wrong.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Call your internet or insurance provider today, ask for a cheaper rate, and lock in the savings.
19. Put Tax Refunds Or Bonuses Toward Debt
That bonus or refund feels like free money.
Most people blow it on gadgets or vacations.
But if you throw it at your debt, you’ll make a huge dent in one shot.
It’s like fast-forwarding your payoff timeline by months.
Sure, you could splurge. But wouldn’t freedom taste even sweeter?
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: When that refund hits your account, transfer it the same day toward your debt.
20. Track Wins And Reward Yourself Cheaply
Paying off debt can feel like running a marathon with no finish line in sight.
That’s why celebrating small wins matters.
Each milestone is proof that your effort is working.
But here’s the catch. You don’t celebrate by going into more debt.
Cheap rewards keep you motivated without undoing your progress.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Every time you pay off a debt, treat yourself with a budget-friendly reward like a movie night at home or a beach day.
21. Keep Your Lifestyle Simple Until Debt Is Gone
You don’t need a luxury lifestyle to be happy right now.
Simplicity gives you the space and money to breathe.
The fancy extras can wait until you’re debt-free.
Keeping things simple isn’t boring. It’s strategic.
It shortens the time between where you are and the life you want.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Stick to basic living expenses, cut out “status” purchases, and remind yourself that this is temporary.
📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌
22. Share Your Goals With A Friend For Support
Going through debt alone is tough.
Telling someone your goal makes it real.
That friend becomes your accountability buddy.
When you feel like quitting, they remind you why you started.
And nothing feels better than having someone cheer when you knock out another debt.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Text a close friend today, tell them your exact debt goal, and ask them to check in monthly.
23. Skip Vacations Until Debt Is Paid
Vacations are fun, but debt is like an anchor strapped to your ankle.
If you keep booking trips, you’ll drag that anchor for years.
Skipping vacations now speeds up your payoff so you can travel later with real freedom.
Think about it. How relaxing is a beach trip when you know you’ll be paying it off for the next year?
Better to wait and enjoy it debt-free.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Instead of booking a trip with debt, create a “vacation fund” jar and drop in the same amount you would’ve spent until you’re debt-free.
24. Learn How To Budget The Easy Way
Budgeting doesn’t need to be complicated.
You don’t need spreadsheets that look like NASA launch codes.
A simple system shows you where your money goes and how to control it.
The easier your budget, the more likely you’ll actually stick with it.
And sticking with it is the only thing that matters.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use the 50/30/20 rule (50% needs, 30% wants, 20% debt/savings) and track it on a free app like Rocket Money.
25. Don’t Add New Debt While Paying Off
Paying debt while piling on more is like trying to bail water out of a sinking boat while drilling new holes.
You’ll never get anywhere.
The only way forward is to stop adding new debt completely.
It might mean saying no to upgrades, cards, or “special financing” traps.
But every “no” today means a bigger “yes” to freedom tomorrow.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Freeze your credit cards, avoid store financing offers, and only buy what you can pay in full with cash.
26. Circle The Date You’ll Be Debt-Free
Deadlines create focus.
When you circle a date on the calendar, it transforms your goal from a vague dream into a real mission.
That date keeps you fired up on days when motivation dips.
It becomes the finish line you’re sprinting toward.
And when the day comes, you’ll know exactly why you sacrificed along the way.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use a debt payoff calculator, get your estimated payoff date, and mark it in bold red on your wall calendar.
27. Think About The Freedom You’ll Gain
Every payment you make isn’t just about the number. It’s about buying back your life.
No more interest chains holding you down.
No more late-night stress over bills.
Debt-free means choices: where to live, what to do, and how to spend your time.
That vision of freedom keeps you pushing even when the grind feels endless.
Because in the end, it’s not about money. It’s about taking your time back.
👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Picture your life without debt every morning and use that vision to fuel your daily money choices.
Hi! I’m the founder of Money Vice and a passionate personal finance enthusiast. I started this site to help people across America save more with the least difficulty, get rid of debt, and to start putting their money to work (in the easiest way possible).
