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Getting Out of Debt

Erica and Brad were frustrated. They were still paying off their student loans, and their budget was just too tight to save for a home. Making extra payments on their loans didn’t seem possible – and they felt stuck.

Well Brad and Erica asked for some advice – and here’s what I told them.

Start by tracking your spending for 30 to 60 days and look for the small things – stuff you didn’t realize was having an impact on your budget. So they cancelled their cable TV, switched to flip phones instead of smartphones, and only ate out only once a week

They were able to free up an extra $150 a month – allowing them to pay off their student loans early and start saving for a house.

Small things really can have a big impact!

If you need to make a plan to get out of any kind of debt, use the free Debt Snowball Calculator at crown.org/money.