Dear Chuck,

My husband and I are both 29 with no children yet. We have about every form of debt you can imagine—student loans, car loans, credit cards, etc. We have tried a few programs unsuccessfully. Can you tell me what will really work to get us out of the deep hole that we have dug for ourselves? 

No Light at the End of the Debt Tunnel 

Dear No Light at the End of the Debt Tunnel, 

Yes. I can tell you what really works to get out and stay out of debt. It will be up to you and your spouse to put it into action.

Set A Goal with a Timeline

Every four years, we watch Olympic athletes perform at the highest level in the world. What we don’t always see is the behind-the-scenes plans and sacrifices they make to get there. They give years of early mornings to workouts, endless repetition, missed opportunities, and financial sacrifice—all this to master their sport with the hope of making the team and winning a medal. 

Very few Olympic athletes are wealthy. Many have to work second jobs, rely on sponsorships, or train with limited resources. Why do they do it? They believe the goal is worth the cost.

That principle applies to your situation. How badly do you really want to get out of debt? Are you willing to make a plan, set a realistic deadline, and pay the price to get there? Write it down, and get started. This is step one. Don’t skip it. Read this again. 

Get Focused

Most people don’t drift into financial health. They drift into financial hardship when money is spent on convenience, impulse, entertainment, and the pressure to keep up. Unlike Olympic training, those costs usually don’t lead to any meaningful reward.

One of my grandsons wants to make the high school golf team. So he is working with a trainer and sacrificing his social time to improve. He has a specific goal in mind, and his parents are encouraging his effort. Another grandson is saving to buy a car. He is only six years old now, so he puts away birthday money and other sources of income to be ready in ten years to buy his first car. Training always requires saying no to something—even something good—in order to say yes to something better.

My Short List of Best Practices to Reduce Financial Stress

• Create a budget so that you always spend less than you earn.
• Give first; save second—always. 
• Save $1,000 for emergencies. Replace it every time you have to use it. 
• Reduce your lifestyle to increase what is left over at the end of the month.
• Drive used cars. Try to never have an auto loan. 
• Pay off high-interest credit cards, and never carry a balance from month to month. 
• Invest early and consistently. 
• Educate yourself on Biblical stewardship.
• Ask God for self-control. 
• Ask a friend/spouse/mentor to be a source of accountability or encouragement.
• Keep your goals posted where you see them every day. 
• Don’t quit or give up just because progress is slow. 

Solution: Train with a Goal in Mind

Just like athletes count calories, track workouts, and stick to a plan, wise stewards count the cost of debt, unmanaged spending, and financial stress. They build margin. They prepare for emergencies. They practice generosity. It isn’t always easy, but it fulfills goals and gives meaning and purpose to life.

A general principle to guide you is this: “What is rewarded is repeated.” It is a management philosophy to help you stay motivated. Set up small celebrations for achieving some of your short-term goals. For instance, when you get $1,000 in an Emergency Savings Account, go to a fun place for coffee or breakfast (cheaper than lunch or dinner) to celebrate this small victory. Plan celebrations for the bigger achievements that you actually look forward to, like an affordable weekend away that you can pay for in cash once big goals are achieved! Build these into your plan. 

If you prefer negative motivators, build in a penalty for failure to meet your goal. For instance, if you fall short of your stated goal, take away something you had planned for the month or do something painful, like eating a can of sardines for dinner—unless you really like them. You get the point! 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?

So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.

They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

But I discipline my body and keep it under control, 

lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 ESV

Did you catch that? Self-discipline is not punishment; it is preparation. Discipline is always forward-looking. Punishment is always backward-looking. View discipline like an athlete: “No pain, no gain.” 

Get Honest With Yourself 

If your current financial habits have not taken you where you want to go, do an honest assessment of what is not working. 

Here are a few questions worth asking:

• What am I training for financially?
• What habits am I practicing every day? Are they good or bad? 
• What is my current situation costing me long-term?
• What steps can I take to eliminate overspending and impulse shopping, which increase my reliance on debt? 

The light at the end of this debt tunnel is very bright. His name is Jesus. He will guide you and keep you every step of the journey. Keep your eyes on Him, and don’t look back. 

For help with credit card debt, consider reaching out to Christian Credit Counselors. They are a trusted partner of Crown and are able to help consolidate debt and get one on the road to financial freedom.

This article was originally published on The Christian Post on March 13, 2026.