How to Budget Extra Money for Getting Out of Debt
Getting out of debt is one of the top resolutions on people’s lists every New Year’s. That’s not a bad thing at all. What is bad, however, is that it shows up on the resolutions list every year with no progress being made for most.
One thing I have found in common with many people and their goals is that they try to do too much too fast. For instance, some people decide they want to start running. Instead of starting with a walk, a job, and then finally a run after they have built up some stamina, they try to run five miles the first day.
Usually, by day two, they are done. Almost always, that same goal ends up on the resolution list, and the goal maker thinks, “If I can just have more will power and be stronger, I can do this.” They try again and fail again.
Well, we’re not going to do that with debt any more. We are not going to jump straight into a marathon- we are going to start with a walk. Instead of trying to overhaul your entire life to pay off debt, let’s start with just a few changes. You can add on as you go. Before we jump into that, though, we are going to start with baby steps: Get focused, assess the situation, and make your plan.
How to Make Extra Money to Get Out of Debt
Finding money is an overwhelming task for most. Sitting down in front of your budget and deciding where you can squeeze out $100 or more can be tough. Most often, though, if you can step back a little and look at your budget more objectively, it can be easy to do.
In this section, we are going to go over several ideas on how to find extra money for getting out of debt. You will need to look at each idea with an open mind, and be aware of two things:
You, your family, and your life are not the same as everyone else. Just because your Aunt Jenny can cut something completely out of her budget does not mean you can.
And even if you can cut it, that does not mean that you have to. Your priorities are what should determine what gets cut down or out- not someone’s opinion. The best way to pay off debt is to do so in a way that makes sense for your family.
You do not have to cut all you need out of one section. If, for example, you need to find $200 for debt, you do not have to find a way to cut that full $200 out of your grocery budget.
The best way- in my opinion- for finding extra money for getting out of debt or any other financial goal is to take bite-sized chunks out of several areas. This helps you reach your goal without changing your life too much.
Underneath each of the following tips is the lowest average amount you can save by implementing them. It should not take long to see how easily you can slice out the amount you need. Let’s get to work.
Get Focused and Aggressive
Here’s the thing: If you put in mediocre effort you will get mediocre results. Therefore, you cannot simply put in mediocre effort.
Budgeting extra money for getting out of debt requires commitment and persistence. Otherwise, you will most likely find yourself in the same trouble with debt a year from now.
Let’s stop that possibility in its tracks. It’s time to get focused and get aggressive. Find some motivation- something to look forward to at the end of the line, of course, but don’t stop there.
Have several rewards planned for different milestones, like for every month you stay on track or for every $500 you pay on your debt. The more often you feel rewarded- even if it’s just a bowl of your favorite ice cream- the more likely you are to stay on track.
You should also find something to help you stay motivated on bad days. Maybe your big reward is to go to Paris when you get out of debt. Keep a picture of Paris close by at all times so it can give you a little pick me up on days you want to throw in the towel.
Assess
My children and people I coach probably get tired of hearing me say it, but it is nearly impossible to plan an effective journey if you have no idea where you are starting from. This is true with every journey- whether you are taking the family to Disneyland or you are working to improve your financial situation.
You cannot figure out what debt management solutions and strategies you need until you understand your debt. You need to be aware of every debt you owe, the balance attached to it, and any interest you pay on it. This information has to be used to prioritize debt payments.
Your assessment needs to go beyond your debt, though. How can you find extra money for getting out of debt if you don’t know where your money goes now?
Tracking your spending is the best possible way to do so. The longer you can do this, the better of a reference you have, but you can start your assessment with even base knowledge.
Start by writing down every bill you pay from your rent or mortgage to your Xbox Live subscription. Then, add in every dime you spend. It should not be too difficult to track your bills or purchases if you are like most people that do everything with a card. You can just pull out your bank statements.
If you use cash and do not have receipts, you can probably remember at least most of your weekly purchases if you take some quiet time to think back. From this point on, though, you should aim to keep track of all purchases. You never know when you will need to reference it.
Know Your Debt. Fight Your Debt. Reach Financial Freedom.
Plan
You now need to make your get out of debt plan. This does not have to be an overly detailed plan. You just need to prioritize which debts to work on first. You also need to know how much you wish to pay toward debt each month so you know how much you need to find in your budget. Once you have this plan in place, it’s time to start finding your debt payment money.
Extra Services
Do you pay for any services for things you could possibly do on your own? These would include things like lawn care, house cleaning, car washing, dog walking, and so on. If you do, this is a good area for finding extra money for getting out of debt.
Before we dive into that, though, I want you to take a really good look at the services you do pay for and determine what really is necessary and put a star by those. I don’t necessarily mean just services for things you absolutely cannot do on your own. I also mean to put a star by anything that you pay for that makes other things possible. Here’s what I mean:
If you pay someone to clean your house or do your lawn so that you are free on the weekends to visit your sick grandmother or to help your children with school projects, it’s important.
Maybe you pay someone to come to wash your cars and handle your lawn so you have time to start your new business.
Basically, if paying for the service has a purpose and that purpose is important to you, put a star by it. You don’t have to stop paying for them. Try instead to see if you can cut down how often you pay.
For instance, if you pay someone to clean your home weekly, cut down one or two sessions each month. While rates vary, I have known people to pay as little as $40 for each cleaning to close to $200. Even if you just knock one time off each month, that saves you a decent amount to put toward debt.
For services that are not necessary, cut them down or cut them out. Even if you only do so for a few months while you get out of debt.
Minimum average amount saved per month: $40
Trade the Gym
I know from personal experience how useful gym memberships can be to push some people to actually work out when they might not otherwise. I also know that most Americans pay for a membership that they never use.
If you have a gym membership, start by being truthful with yourself: Do you use it? If not, just go ahead and cut ties now. If you are not going at least a couple of times each week, you are wasting your money.
Whether you use your membership regularly or not, there are much cheaper ways to get healthy. First, there are many sites like Craigslist that have workout equipment for sale.
For about the price of what we would pay for two months at a gym, my husband and I built our own home gym. It’s packed with weight lifting items, a punching bag, an exercise bike and climber, an ab machine, and accessories. This not only saves us a lot of money but also a lot of time since it’s all available all day long.
Many cities have biking and running groups that you can join if that’s your jam. Or you can get a friend to walk and run with you. Yoga is an excellent solitary workout that you can do with nothing but a cheap yoga mat and a YouTube video if you need guidance.
Beachbody as a option
One of my favorite paid ways to get in shape, though, is still much cheaper than the gym. Beachbody has monthly packages to stream all of its online workouts. The last time I checked, it was about $15 a month.
What’s so great about this, you might ask. If you are not aware, Beachbody has workouts to suit pretty much any style. Whether you are looking for some cardio and like to dance or you are trying to beef up for an Iron Man competition, there is something for you.
And since you have access to it all, you can swap it up every day and enjoy all types of exercises. The whole family, down to your kiddos, can use your subscription. Switching to this is a great way for finding extra money for getting out of debt without sacrificing your health goals.
Minimum average amount saved per month: $35
Food
There are so many ways you can cut down on your food budget, but we are just going to discuss a few:
Pack Your Lunch
Do you buy lunch out every day that you work? If so, even if you are eating from a dollar menu, you probably spend a minimum of $3 to $5 a day. That’s $15 to $25 per week. And I have known people to spend at least $10 a day on lunch every single day- and that’s not including vending machine trips and coffee runs.
Try taking your lunch to work instead, even if it’s just once each week. Depending on the amount you normally spend and how often you are willing to brown bag it, you could save anywhere from $12 to $200 each month.
Minimum average amount saved each month: $12
Dinner
How often do you eat out each month for dinner? And how much do you spend each time? These answers will vary widely, of course, depending on what you order and how many you buy for, but American households are reported to spend thousands of dollars eating out every year.
Now, I know how easy and tempting it is to just hit the drive-thru after a long hard day, but that’s a lot of money- especially when you are getting no real nutritional value out of it. Do your pockets and your bodies a favor by cutting down on how much you eat out. Try just cutting down once a week. If you spend $10 each time you go through the drive-thru, cutting down just once puts an extra $40 toward your debt.
If time is the biggest reason you go through the drive-thru so often, get yourself a Crockpot and put it to work. You can put dinner on in the morning and it will be ready when you get home that evening.
If you can find the time to really dig in and cook, you can save a lot of money switching even just a couple of processed meals to meals made from scratch.
Minimum average amount saved each month: $40
Groceries
A report showed that Americans spend more than $5,000 each year on impulse purchases- ouch! You can cut this out- or at least down a lot- by doing three things when grocery shopping.
First of all, make a meal plan. If you are shopping for one week’s worth of food, you need a plan for what you will eat for those seven days- food, snacks, drinks, everything.
Second, that food plan needs to be turned into a shopping list that needs to be in your hand and strictly followed at the grocery store.
Third, leave your cards at home. Take the amount of cash you need for your groceries plus taxes. I usually add like $10 in for sale items, but that’s it. Only take your set amount of cash. Everything you put into your cart has to fit into that amount, so you learn to stick to your plan.
Doing these three things could save you thousands a year, but we’ll keep it at a low amount for the sake of our examples here.
Minimum average amount saved each month: $20
Negotiate Rates
You have a lot more power over most of your bills than you might think. By calling your cable or internet provider, your cell phone company, and even your credit card company, you can negotiate rates and get your bills dropped. Doing so can save you anywhere from a couple of bucks to hundreds per month on each bill.
Minimum average amount saved each month: $20+
Pay on Time
Being late on your bills almost certainly guarantees a late fee, most of which run about $10. Make it a point to pay on time every month to save at least $120 per year.
Minimum average amount saved each month: $10
If you make only the small changes mentioned here, you can save a minimum of $177 a month. That’s a pretty nice chunk of change to put toward debt- it’s definitely better than paying nothing on it.
Lower Your Debt
Lowering the amount of debt you owe is also helpful. The more you can lower it, the less money you need to find and the further your payments go. The following are a few ways to do so:
Many creditors are willing to settle your debt for a smaller amount. You only need to speak with them or keep an eye out on your mail. Many creditors send out settlement offers several times a year.
One of the biggest causes of credit card debt is that people typically pay only the minimum payment. This is a really bad idea because anything that is leftover gets charged new interest the next month, and the next, and the next.
Before you know it, you are buried in interest and cannot breathe. Even low-interest rates can lead to thousands a year in interest payments alone. Pay anything over the minimum you can, even if it’s just $5. Try to pay it all, of course, but if you cannot, just do the best you can.
If you are under a lot of debt, you might benefit from consolidating them into one debt. You can get a loan to pay all of your creditors, and then just repay the one loan. If your loan has a lower interest rate than the other debts, you save a good bit over time.
Understand, though, that this is not the best choice for everyone. If your credit is in bad shape, you might not get a low-interest rate, which defeats the purpose of consolidating. It is supposed to help you get out of debt- not get you in deeper.
This is another choice for getting out of debt, but only for certain financial situations. The idea is to transfer your credit card debt onto a new card. It usually charges a fee that is a percentage of your debt and gives you a set period of time to pay off the balance with no interest.
For this to work for you, a couple of things needs to be true. First, the transfer fee needs to be cheaper than the interest you currently owe. And two, you need to be able to pay off or tremendously pay down the credit card debt you owe within the interest-free period.
If you owe a mortgage, you can look into refinancing. This is another one of those iffy situations. Refinancing does help some people out- especially if they have better credit than when they first got the mortgage.
For them, refinancing can mean much lower monthly payments and interest paid over the life of the loan. If your credit is worse, however, you could put yourself in more debt.
The bottom line with these three options is that they should only be used after very careful consideration and if they will lower your debt. Otherwise, back away.
Additional Tips
Here are a few extra ideas you can put to work:
Pause your investments- Sorry, but a retirement fund is no good if you have to use it all to pay off debt.
Move- If it’s a possibility, try finding a cheaper place to live.
Clean out your house- I am so not kidding here. Clutter costs you money and is useless to you. Clear it out and sell what you can. This can jump-start your debt payments.
Pick up a side hustle- Even if you only make $50 a month, it will add to everything else you have saved.
Work your way down every item or service you spend money on and find ways to cut back. Remember, many small changes you can continue are better than one massive change that you can't.
Don’t Forget to Save
While digging into your budget, you might decide to lower the amount of money you save each month. That’s okay- it’s actually recommended so you can throw all you have at getting out of debt.
However, saving for big-ticket items is much different than saving for emergencies. Do not stop building your emergency fund while paying off debt. Otherwise, you might find yourself having to stop making debt payments to take care of a flat tire or trip to the emergency room. We can help you pick the best savings account for your needs, you just need to take a look at the table below and choose the one that works best for you:
Conclusion
With just a few changes, you can make a big difference in the amount of your debt payments. Take some time to work through every item on your budget. Challenge yourself to cut everything by 10 percent to give yourself a good starting point.
And remember, every penny you can put toward your debt is helpful. Don’t skip making payments just because you feel like it’s not enough. Something is always better than nothing.