How We are Paying off 11k in Debt

Debt can feel like a lot, especially when you finally add it all up and have no idea where to begin. For us, seeing $11,000 was honestly pretty intimidating. But we decided to stop ignoring it and just start somewhere, even if we didn’t have everything figured out.

Here’s how we’re doing it.

Step 1: Getting Honest About the Numbers

Before we did anything else, we sat down and wrote out everything we owed.

We listed out:

Every debt balance
Interest rates
Minimum monthly payments

Honestly, seeing it all in one place was uncomfortable, but it helped us stop feeling stuck and actually start doing something about it.

Step 2: Choosing a Payoff Strategy

There are two common methods:

Snowball Method: Pay off the smallest debts first for quick wins
Avalanche Method: Pay off the highest interest debts first to save money

We just picked the one that felt doable for us. It wasn’t about finding the perfect method, just something we could actually keep up with.

Step 3: Creating a Realistic Budget

We didn’t try to make a perfect budget. We just made one that felt realistic for us.

We looked at:

Fixed expenses (rent, utilities, car, etc.)
Variable spending (groceries, eating out, shopping)
Income after taxes

Then we looked for places we could actually cut back each month, even if it was just a little.

Even small changes made a difference:

Cooking at home more often
Cutting back on impulse spending
Being intentional with subscriptions

Every bit we saved went straight toward the debt.

Step 4: Increasing Our Income (Even Slightly)

Cutting back helped, but honestly, finding ways to bring in a little extra made the biggest difference for us.

We tried to find simple ways to make a little extra money that wouldn’t totally burn us out:

Selling items we no longer use
Small side income streams

We weren’t aiming for perfection. Even an extra $100 or $300 a month really helped.

Step 5: Automating and Staying Consistent

What actually made a difference was just being consistent, even when it felt slow.

We:

Set automatic payments above the minimum.
Choose specific days to review our finances.
Tracked progress monthly

Watching the balance go down, even if it was just a little each month, kept us going.

Step 6: Staying Motivated Along the Way

Paying off debt isn’t just about the numbers. It’s honestly pretty emotional too.

There were definitely times we felt discouraged or just plain impatient. Here’s what helped us stick with it:

Celebrating small milestones
Reminding ourselves why we started
Keeping our long-term goals visible

We tried to focus on progress, not perfection.

What We’ve Learned So Far

Here’s what we’ve learned so far:

You don’t need a perfect plan to start.
Small changes create real momentum.
Consistency matters more than intensity.

But the biggest thing is that debt doesn’t define us. What matters is how we deal with it.

Paying off $11,000 hasn’t been easy, but it’s definitely possible if you just keep showing up and stick with it.

If you’re just starting out, take it one small step at a time. Be honest about where you’re at, make a plan that actually works for you, and just take that first step. You don’t have to do it all at once. Just start.