We only have two monthly payments left to pay off and we already feel a million times better. I paid cash for a $900 dog emergency and filled my fridge and gas tank the same week with no problems and no stress.😌
Girl, you inspired me to pay off my credit card debt of $20,000. The last $500 will be paid in a week. 🙌🏽 your videos helped so much. Thank you, Aja. ❤️
1. Sacrifice is empowering 2. Still have to be intentional with your $$ 3. Accountability is important 4. Makes your relationships easier 5. Anxiety still exists 6. Easier to say "No" to things Taking notes 📝
I got outta credit card debt and a toxic relationship and started a new job. Got a raise last month, but I hate my job. LOLOL but at least I'm debt free.
My husband and I became debt free this month 💪🏻 we’ve also noticed how much easier it is to say no, even to things we used to want like new cars. Working so hard to pay off debt gives you a different perspective on the power of your money and the value of your time!
Congrats on that, Ann! I just got married and we’re navigating how to put our “wants” aside and refocus on our goals - it SO hard to not live in the “now”. Commend you on your accomplishments! And you Aja - you’re glowing and inspiring ❣️🙏🏽
YES - I became debt free in October and have been THRIVING!! You've been such a catalyst for me to get my student loans paid off so thank you for your positivity AND transparency because staying consistent with payments is HARD.
I finished paying off my $35,000 in credit card and personal loan debt a few weeks ago and it feels so strange. Being in debt felt like a huge part of my identity and it is a bizarre feeling to no longer be that person, and to have overhauled my spending habits so completely. No longer having that number in my head that I had left to pay off or the countdown to when I was paid next/would be done has been very strange as well. I feel like once I get paid again and actually have money it may finally sink in!
I’ve been debt free for two months now. The first thing I did after becoming debt free was dump a fat chunk of money into investing again! Something I learned so far while being debt free is that my BIG financial goals are actually achievable and are less scary to try to tackle!!
I think it’s normal to still have anxiety about finances even when you’re debt-free because there’s always a worry of “what if something happens?” Maybe it’s just me but I’ve been debt free for almost two years and I felt so much anxiety this year about finances even though I didn’t lose my job and still got an annual raise. If I had a house I would still feel anxious because I would worry about major expenses cropping up. I don’t mean for this to be discouraging in any way! But I think it’s realistic to expect that financial worries may always be there but the important thing is how we respond and cope with those anxieties.
Amen to paying off debt being one of the most difficult things. I’m on track to pay off all my debt in 2022 and I’m so excited to finally feel that feeling.
I cannot get over how GORGEOUS Aja’s hair has been lately! (It’s always looked great but lately it looks amazing!!) Makes me want to book a salon appointment right now and tell the stylist to please try and give me this look.
"Phantom Debt"... Wow! That was such an accurate way of explaining what/how you feel. Even with 10's of thousands of dollars in the bank, I still feel that "phantom debt" feeling after 1.5 years. That was so perfect, Aja! 💯☝🏾🙌🏾
I’ve been debt free since August and I swear this video is hitting the nail on the head already😂 especially the anxiety part! Relaxation? I don’t know her😅
I’ve been student debt free for 2 years and can’t wait for others to get their loans paid off too! I don’t mind if the student debt cancellation passes in the govt ☺️ It’s one less stress, one less bill 😎
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve been debt free for over a week now and I’m a little anxious about what to expect. And slightly paranoid I may go back in it!
I will be debt free by Christmas and I will own my home. I am busting with excitement, by being strict and saving I have saved 18 years of home loan. So proud. 💜 thank u for yr inspiration xx
Very minimal living, growing own food, and not spending unnecessary, every tax check strait on the loan ect. Looking forward to our first pay when half doesn't go to the home loan 😁 again thankyou for yr inspiration it really helped keep me motivated 🙏💖
Just have 15k to go on student loans now. And saved up for a house deposit, a furniture fund and an emergency fund on the side. Almost there! You are such an inspiration Aja :D
I became debt free few months ago and I have to say it feels great! I feel less stressed out and I 100% know that I will not make the same mistakes again. Now I value money much more, or I value my time much more (you know time I spent working). I don't stress out over what to eat etc and I put my food and health as a priority, but anything else comes second. Things make more sense now and life is much simpler when you say No to things that are actually don't add value in your life.
The minute you said, you’re a fucking winner, I just imagined you on The View. I can totally see you killing it, not just because you are so articulate about this stuff but also because you are so empathetic. It warms my heart to listen to you even though I’m lucky enough to not have debt.
Tackling your health and weight goals in comparison to the debt you’ve tackled is nothing and you’ll get where you want to be. Just like we will be debt free, we need to work at it
I HEAR YOU on the lingering anxiety part!! And also not wanting the things I used to because it’s so hard to become debt free. The shiny things don’t shine as bright anymore!!!
I’m down to my last $1000 and I will be debt free in a week. 🎉 it’s so surreal but I can’t wait to scream “I’m debt free!” When the clock strikes 12 this New Year. One thing is true though, “phantom debt” is real.
Yess congrats on being debt free for a year!! Ive been following your debt free journey since day one and I'm living this debt free life vicariously thru you!! 🎉
Congrats for being debt free Aja! I've been debt free since 2010 and still have anxiety with money. I still constantly make sure I don't over spend or buy things that are not needed, however I do make some time (very rare) to get something I like, and always checking my savings. Can you please do a video on maybe investments or what can we do to increase and grow our savings after being debt free?
I will also be celebrate my 1year being debt free in few days After being debt free I was operating in fear of going back to debt and that was causing me alot of anxiety I had to see a therapist and I have never felt so much in control of my life and finances and actually enjoying the journey of being debt free and being able to tell my money where to go and the freedom that comes with it Congratulations Aja lots of love from South Africa
Congratulations Aja !!!!! and Brian !!!! I first saw you and crossed paths with you when you were on TDRS (The Dave Ramsey Show) doing your debt free scream !!!!! I was like, Dang !!! who is this ???? I was inspired and impressed with your interview with Dave. I too am debt free and yes everything what you said is very true. For me, It's so easy to buy, buy, spend, rationalize, everybody and their grandma wants your money and is willing to do whatever it takes to get into your pockets..... that's why every week I go to mom's and we have our own Dave Ramsey FPU class together, we watch a FPU (Financial Peace University) class lesson and then we watch an episode of TDRS and we try to answer the callers questions and discuss certain DR points and recommendations.... Mom is on Step 6 right now and I"m on Step 3 !!!! For me, all throughout my life I've been broke and just barely breathing so, I have decided to make my Step 3 (Fully-Funded Emergency-Fund) to be 1 years of INCOME to be my fully-funded E-Fund (Step 3) .... and I don't have to do Step 5 (kids college fund): So, my plan is to take care of Step 3, do Step 4 and 6 at the same time, I'm going to save and buy my home with the 100% down method which will take a 4-5 years and then I'll be on Step 7 !!!! and mom will be on Step 7 with an ETA of Nov of 2021..... Thank You Aja for doing your videos and putting yourself "out there" !!! You are helping people change their lives and to help them make wise decisions..... or not !!! I tell my mom this all the time, "sometimes you just have to learn the hard way in order for you to learn" and also, "Everybody's Financial Journey, Learning Lessons and Situation is different".... much love Aja !!!!! keep up the Phenomenal Job !!!! Merry Christmas !!! and Happy New Year !!! Oscar Z
A *quarter way through* the video and I just noticed your *dog peacefully sleeping* 🐶😍😍 EDIT: 11 minutes in, I *JUST* noticed your other dog sleeping to the right of you (sorry I'm too dog obsessed rn).😍😍😍😍😍😂 Accountability for me has been *EVERYTHING* + videos like yours so I have no excuse.🔥🔥💃
I have started my debt free journey. Your humility is so endearing to hear! Thank you for sharing . I am binge watching your videos with all the ads playing FULL-ON!!
Happy first debt-freeversary!!! I'm 9 months into my 4 year debt payoff journey (hoping to make it 3 years). I rewatch your videos all of the time for motivation when I'm feeling down. Love this video
My debt free anniversary was Nov 14 and I forgot about it 🤣 seeing this served as a great reminder to reflect on how far we’ve come and celebrate our wins no matter how small or big they are.
You reminded me that it’s also my anniversary of paying off nearly six figures in student loan debt last November! I have some credit card debt bc of not working as much during this year (contract ended and had a baby), but I’m making a plan to get debt free again next year and feel 100% confident I can do it!
It feels like freedom! Like I can run away to any place on earth at any time. Anxiety definitely still exists though, even when debt free. I'm constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. It takes just one big event to plunge someone back into debt, even with an emergency fund and there's a fear of buying a home to wind up in debt and tethered to a physical place with maintenance costs.
So glad you did this video. Pretty sure I found you toward the end of paying off your debt. Congrats, Aja! These 6 lessons were interesting. I have a unique experience. Born in Australia, raised in Australia and the USA. It's so sad that Americans fall into debt. This country's model almost makes it a requirement to live in debt. Growing up in Australia, it's uncommon to have a credit card or even have one and spend money you don't have. Because of this upbringing, college is significantly cheaper in Australia and I paid that off, I have no debt. I intend to keep it that way. I'm no expert on budgeting. So I'm certainly learning a lot from Aja and her tips. I never knew I needed an emergency fund separate to my savings account or retirement fund.
I've already paid off home repairs, my only credit card and my car this year. I only have student loans and will have those paid off next year! This is good information. I've always wondered what life is really like after being debt free. And I would choose Paris over a wedding in Mexico anyday. A couple of years ago, I turned down going to a wedding in Florida and went to Costa Rica instead! It was even cheaper than what I was expecting to pay at the wedding!
I love all these lessons, and I agree that there's really no advice about the "after". Also, your background has all the christmas vibes, with the tree and sleepy dog, all we need is Christmas music! 🎄
I'm debt-free because my parents paid for my college and I got good grades and I went to the National University as a scholar which was partially subsidised by the government (not fully subsidised because of our household income bracket). And I'm a minimalist and sure I can spend money, but not often, and only on things that really matter to me and will last a long time. Also, I have not been hospitalised and I don't own a car. In short I am very fortunate. I don't earn much. But I also don't need or spend much. I can't imagine the stress of having a mountain of debt that I'd need to work years and years just to pay off.
I’m super curious if you ever have plans to talk about about “family planning” - birth control, fertility, freezing eggs, not wanting kids, adoption, etc. it’s a very personal topic of course but so relevant for women and finances at some point!
Love this video!!! Everyone honestly deserves to feel how happy and that sense of I DID IT in their life. It's been a hot minute for me but I loved that feeling. I learned how to cook, my relationship with my parents got alot better (I'm asian so I moved out, learned to be on my own, and my relationship with my parents got so much better because of that respect aspect), friendships honestly blossomed alot more becuase my friends respected the fact that I couldn't make it out because i had to say no for girly drinks or just outtings. Man the list goes on and on. Debt free is the way to be.
Aja!!! I loved this video. As of today, we are debt free! Your video came at the best time. Thank you for all the awesome advice. We’re so excited to start this new adventure!
I am 1 year out of school and I have about 90k in student loan debt. I’ve paid off 7,000 so far and I’m hoping to prioritize and pay it off as fast as possible.
I started paying off my loans this year with so much motivation!!!! Then the pandemic hit and I lost momentum due to uncertainties. I paid off 6 loans (18k) in Jan/Feb. Now I’m saving my snowball money in case I need it. I already have 6 month emergency fund tho, but I’m scared to lose my job. Once I feel okay I’ll put a lump sum down. Good thing 1/3 of my loans are deferred by the govt at 0%. I’m paying minimums on the others. Uh!!! Maybe I’ll feel “safe” soon to put more down... this pandemic is hard to gauge 🥴
I should be debt free by next yr and during this yr I've been more aggressive in saving, budgeting, and paying attention to my finances. I got a side gig which helps w/ my motivation to reach my goal. And I noticed that I get a bit nervous spending a bit more than I want. Def more mindful of whether or not something is worth the price. I am rewarding myself a bit this holiday, but been more careful in choosing what to buy. Thanks Aja!
Thanks for making this video! I am only a few months away to paying off my private loans (about $70k total over 3 years!) and I feel like I am in this phase of what is it going to be like when i am not making these thousand dollar payments. Agree and loved what you said about how paying off debt can put strains on your relationships--- that's what I am looking forward to. Not that you become careless with money but that you don't become so rigid. Committing to paying off debt meant that I had to change my "yes" mindset to "no". It'll be nice to say yes to a few things like a girls night out again :) Thanks Aja!
I became debt free about a month ago(51k in 3yrs) and the feeling was indescribable..it was amazing! With that being said, about a week later I found myself struggling to budget..it was like I lost my mojo or something and I had a "blah" feeling. I haven't gone on a spending spree or anything but I dont have the same fire🤔.
I made weekly payments onto my credit card for 32 straight weeks to pay off $5,000 in 2016 and then 3 years later got back into debt because I never actually learned to meal plan or budget - I just made enough salary to cover my lifestyle before. So you are right about staying out of debt. It's a struggle and credit cards just do NOT work with my brain.
It’s ok! You did it once, you can do it again. Forgive your misstep and put your energy towards the new debt and make a plan for how you will stay out of it this time around! I have faith in you cuz I’ve been there/done that 👍🏻😎
Totally agree with the phantom debt but I hit freedom twice and back in debt again for the third time having kids is hard and a house still has things that break and cars that break down and even with all our emergency funds and budgeting we still fall down but just dust off and try again work at it and I feel like we are in control of our finances now where our sore points are and where we can improve.. So it's always going to be a work in progress.. 🤞
Can’t believe it’s been a year since you paid off your over $100k debt !!! Would you ever think in your life you would be able to tackle this debt ?? It only took your dog being sick 😷 for you to start to pay 💰 off your debt !! If you could do it all over again what would you tell your younger except other than no take off the debt tell yourself and what advice would you give to people in your exact same situation as you ?? I’ve watched your journey from the beginning and seen your tears and you are the most AMAZING RU-vid out there talking about this not just doing hauls/monthly favourites and all the other garbage videos that people film !!! I’m honestly sooo frigging happy for you 👍 you totally deserve it and all the hard work paid off !! I’m sure you would never in a million years to say to yourself that your are DEBT FREE !!!
You are probably the reason I worked so hard last year paying off my student loan, which made it easy to wrap it up in 2020 before my 30th bday, despite a layoff and other chaos!! I dont even look back and feel like I missed out on anything in 2019, so maybe in the moment saying No to cool things does feel frustrating but as long as you still make time for stuff that does bring you joy, it really won't feel like you didnt get to live. Just be a bit more selective for awhile and it wont feel like such a sacrifice when you look back.
having been through this journey being debt free for almost a year now, every word you say resonates with me so deeply. thank you SO MUCH. I think I'll duet one of your tiktoks lol.
Cleared the last of my debt today! Hit it so hard this year paying big amounts and living frugal. Paid my car loan off 2 and a half years early on the agreement. Now the hardest part is making sure I don't get back into that situation again!
You hit it on the head at the end. I had a newfound respect for money that I didn't have before. Now I'm probably going too much into the other direction where I don't want to spent money on anything unless I need it because I'm saving for a house. But I'm also finding that I'm having anxiety at the prospect of buying a house and getting back into debt. I'm already thinking of how I want to pay off the house (which I don't even have yet...lol). I look at material things now that am not tempted the way I used to be. Sometimes I still am but 95% of the time, I find it easy to say no to things.
Definitely agree with some of these points. Ive been debt-free for two years and you get a taste of what people mean when they say “its a journey not a destination” with financial independence. You get rid of one big mountain but with investing, saving, etc. for other big expenses, its a new big goal. It doesnt really end haha
I am not in debt however I don't have solid savings nor emergency fund. I am sacrificing many things to be financially safe. I have a more minimalistic approach to life now and I feel more at peace. Thank you Aja for your budgeting videos they have educated me a lot. Congratulations again!
I feel you on this one ! Looking to purchase my first home during these crazy times, and in order to do that I paid off all of my debt earlier this year before taking on even bigger debt 😫. It’s definitely such a rewarding feeling, and you learn so much during your journey.
HANG ON A SECOND, WHAT?!!! How how HOW has it been a year?!????? I watched your whole journey, I watched you get upset over it (and I cried along with you!), I watched you make that phone call.... But it feels like yesterday. :O I'm so shocked.
How would you feel if student debt is "cancelled" or substantially reduced for each person even by 10k?? I just graduated so I have student loans. I have heard arguments by people who already paid off thier debt that it is unfair. People assume that beingin debt is because you are not budgeting enough, etc. In reality, many people are simply not making enough to pay off enough in for it to make a difference. Im curious to see your take on this.
I fully support student loan forgiveness. people still work their asses off and do what they can and *want* to pay off their loans but with rent/healthcare/debt/living it's sometimes impossible to get ahead. but I don't think it will really happen, which is why I always push y'all to pay what you have without relying on the hope of forgiveness. So many other things need to happen as well to fix the student loan crisis.
When I was in a relationship where we have lived together we set up a joint bank account for the home. We both paid in the equivalent of the rent each (ie if rent was £1000 a month, we both paid £1000 each) into the account every month. We used the money to cover all the bills, rent & home essentials. We also paid for our weekly groceries out of the account. This made it so much easier & fair. Every now and then we would have some spare cash in the account and we would use it for a date night, or save up to buy some furniture. Only problem was dividing the joint furniture when we split 🙃 It worked well for us based on our spending & habits at the time.
