31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: 7 Words You Shouldn't Say (2024)

Tips like thesehelped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story inSlaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.

Here’s my little Happy New Year gift to you. Each day in January, I’ll bring you a simple, concrete and easy to put in place tip to fuel your efforts to Save Money, Pay Off Debt, and Be Awesome this year. Looking for a quick plan? Well this might not to be the right place for you. Most things down well take time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t begin to implement systems in your life that will help you achieve your goals. I’ve said it many, many times before.Paying off debt isn’t complex. It’s just not easy. You have to punch the clock daily and do the hard work. Here’s another way to make that happen.

I so love receiving e-mails from Money Saving Lords and Ladies, looking for ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth & Save Money. Call me a Money Hacker if you will, I want to find a way to save on nearly anything. I consider it a high calling and a divine challenge to see if we can reduce your spending to help you whack away at debt.

There is one key phrase that makes me prickle in an e-mail requesting help though. It’s these seven simple words.“We’re already doing everything that wecan.”Whether they are spoken or written, I automatically push back anytime someone chooses to use these words with me. Before you think me to be heartless or you say “No, but really, wearealready doing everything let we can,” let me explain why.

If you truly are doing everything you already can, can you please tell me why you are e-mailing me? Because obviously, you do not really want or need my help. You’ve got it all figured out. From time to time, we all need someone to share our journey and commiserate. I get that. I have felt that pang of “me, too.” before. However, if you begin from a place of being unteachable or unmovable, if you have already made up your mind that nothing else can be done, no manner of advice or encouragement I dole out will be enough. I also always ponder e-mails like these (especially when I see they’ve been sent from a smart phone at the bottom), if this is really a true statement. Because unless you’re e-mailing me from the library or someone else’s phone, I doubt you’ve done everything that you can do.

Here’s my truth, straight from the family who did all sorts of crazy things like giving up restaurants completely, making our own household cleaners, and not even eating meat during the last 4 months of our debt slaying journey. We didn’t and don’t do everything we can do. We might not have cable, but we still have Netflix ($7.99/month). It could easily be cut to make way for financial goals. We don’t drink Starbucks daily but we do drink coffee. That $3.99 bag of Fair Trade from ALDI could stay on the shelf and we could drink water instead. We don’t keep our thermostat set at 72, but it’s still pretty toasty in here. We could certainly dial that badboy down 3 or 4 more degrees. I still make impulse buys at the grocery store. Fruits or veggies occasional go bad before we use them. Sometimes, we goout for lunch without a coupon (gasp!). There arealwaysareas where we could improve. There arealwaysways to reduce spending. Unless you are reading this post from a van with no electricity (which might be pretty tricky), I’m guessing you have something, even if it is minor and doesn’t effect immediate change in this instance, that you couldstop.

Certainly there are plenty of you living as simply as possible. There are plenty of you reducing your lifestyle. However, those Lords and Ladies who I know who have been successful at paying off debt are those who are always looking for another way to save, another sacrifice to make, another temporary blessing to give up for a long term goal. Yes, it will take creativity. And of course there will be many times when those sacrifices feel overwhelming, unfair, and downright awful. It’s ok to acknowledge all of the above. However, just don’t reel out the“We’re already doing everything that wecan.”without contemplating what you’re really saying. Because as soon as those words trip out of your lips, you’re more likely to give up on paying off debt all together. It will seem too insurmountable, impossible, and difficult. Change your thinking to“What else can we do?”instead. The simple mindset switch will help you successfully Kick Debt in the Teeth.

Miss the first 26 days of Kicking Debt in the teeth? Have no fear! Read:

• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in The Teeth: Believe
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in The Teeth: Stop It
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Sell, Baby, Sell
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Use Cash
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Plan Meals
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Mind OverBudget
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Read a Book
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Quit Eating at Restaurants
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Dream On
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Set Limits
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Communicate with Your Spouse
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Move It
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Work It
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Get Your Coupon On
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Visualize Victory
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Hang with the Right Crowd
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Clean Your Room!
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: It’s an Emergency!
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: You Can’t Buy From Every Fundraiser
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Stop Freaking Out
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Knock Off the Pity Party
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: No More Excuses
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Shop at ALDI
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Don’t Quit
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Pray
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Keep Excellent Records

Want to be sure you don’t miss a single one of the 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth? Be sure to subscribe to my daily newsletter! Look for the bar that looks like this in the upper righthand corner.

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I’m so looking forward to sharing this month of challenge and inspiration with you. Together, we can show debt who’s boss and give it a swift kick in the teeth this January and throughout the year in 2014. Away we go!

My book is now available:Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.You can also check outInspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Freeon Kindle.

This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!