5 Broke-Person Secrets to Pay Off Debt Fast

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1. Start By Knowing Your Total Debt

You can’t fight what you can’t see, right?

So grab your phone, open your notes, and write down every single thing you owe. Yup, even that $89 credit card you forgot about.

Most people avoid this part because it feels scary, but you’ll feel lighter once you actually know the total number.

It’s like stepping on the scale after the holidays. Painful, but necessary.

When you finally see the full picture, it stops being a monster and starts being a plan.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Use a free site like Undebt.it to list all your debts and interest rates in one place and see what you’re really dealing with.

📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌


2. Focus On One Small Debt First

You know that feeling when you clean one messy drawer and suddenly want to organize the whole house?

That’s exactly how paying off debt works. You start small and build momentum.

Tackling your tiniest debt first gives you a quick win, and your brain loves quick wins.

This is called the Debt Snowball Method, and it’s basically the only kind of snow you’ll ever enjoy if you live in Miami.

Once that first balance hits zero, you’ll be unstoppable.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Pick your smallest debt, throw every extra dollar at it, and use Undebt.it’s snowball calculator to see how fast you can wipe it out.

3. Cut Small Expenses to Free Up Cash

You don’t need to live like a monk. You just need to stop bleeding cash on stuff you don’t even remember buying.

Look at your subscriptions, that daily delivery habit, or those “$5 won’t hurt” moments that add up to $200 a month.

Cancel what you don’t love, downgrade what you barely use, and pocket the difference.

You’ll be shocked at how fast those tiny cuts turn into serious savings.

It’s not about deprivation. It’s about choosing where your money actually matters.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Open Rocket Money or your bank app, review recurring payments, and cancel or downgrade at least one unnecessary subscription today.

Bonus Tip: Track Your Progress In One Place

You know what feels even better than paying off debt?

Seeing your progress add up week after week.

When you track everything in one spot, you stay motivated and stop second-guessing if all this effort is working.

That’s where a free tool like Undebt.it comes in clutch. It shows you exactly how much you’ve paid off, how long you’ve got left, and even gives you that satisfying “look how far I’ve come” feeling.

Thousands of people swear it’s what kept them consistent when motivation started fading. And you’ll get why once you see your numbers moving down instead of up.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Create a free account on Undebt.it, plug in your debts, and use its Debt Snowball Tracker to watch your progress shrink week after week while keeping everything organized in one dashboard.

4. Make Extra Payments When You Can

Every time you get a little bonus, tip, or refund. That’s not “fun money,” that’s debt-busting fuel.

Throwing even $20 extra at your balance can save you hundreds in interest long-term.

Think of it like hitting the gym: one session won’t change your body, but consistent reps will.

You’ll start to see progress faster than you think, and honestly, that feels better than any impulse buy on Amazon.

So next time you have extra cash, don’t let it sit. Make it work.

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Set up autopay with a small extra amount in your credit card or loan account, or manually send an extra payment whenever you get side hustle cash.

5. Use Cash or Debit for Everyday Purchases

Credit cards are sneaky little devils. They make spending feel painless until the bill shows up and ruins your week.

Switching to cash or debit forces you to feel your spending in real time.

When you hand over a $20 bill for snacks, it stings just enough to make you think twice.

That awareness is what helps you stay in control and stop swiping for stuff you don’t need.

Before you know it, you’ll be buying based on priorities. not “points.”

👉 Here's How You'll Do It: Withdraw your weekly spending money in cash, or set a daily limit on your debit card using your bank app so you can’t overspend.

📌 SAVE IT FOR LATER! 📌


And that’s it!

Never forget it… 

🍔 A Bigger Bank Account Is Waiting For You!

😉 Dale!

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Claudio Garcia

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).