Debt Stories

Aloha, Debt. And, aloha, Debt!

Chelsea and her husband were newly wed and $215,000 in debt. Find out how they teamed up to fix their finances ...

January 11, 2019

From Hopeless to Zero Credit Card Debt

I was ashamed, sad, and I felt like an idiot. YNAB helped me carefully assign my money to the right categories and set me free.

Shannon Marie

August 17, 2018

From a Net Worth of -$40k to Homeownership

Jennifer, a 20-something IT analyst, used to buy every gadget that crossed her path. Now, her cousin calls her “The Queen of Cheap.”

Shannon Marie

August 10, 2018

Sydney’s Family Paid off $15k of Debt in Six Months

When Sydney and her husband faced a year and a half without income, they did what they had to do to support their family -- and succeeded!

Shannon Marie

August 3, 2018

They Paid off $30,000 in 3 Years on a $60k Salary

It's not about finding 1 place to save $100. You try to find a 100 places to save $1. If you cut back, you can move yourself ahead in life…”

Shannon Marie

July 20, 2018

Dealing with $263k in Debt, Job Loss & the Unknown

Brittany and Keith live in Marietta, Georgia, and they’d racked up $263,000 of debt—a number that used to keep Brittany awake at night.

Shannon Marie

July 27, 2018

How One Couple Paid off $30k in Just 15 Months

Andy is a pastor. His wife, Melissa, is a stay-at-home mom. When their debt reached $30,000, again, they knew they needed a new plan.

Shannon Marie

July 13, 2018

From $500 in the Bank to Retiring Early

Find out how Tom, an IT business analyst from Kenton, Michigan, realized that it was cheaper to quit his job than to continue working.

Shannon Marie

July 6, 2018

Listen to Angela’s Debt Story

In our first episode of Debt Stories, you'll meet Angela. Her story begins with a new house, new car and lots of coffee.

Shannon Marie

June 14, 2018

This Couple Paid off $70,478 in Student Loans in 18 Months

Katie and Mark, of Salt Lake City, were married after their sophomore year in college. Back then, they were both sure that, one day, they’d be lawyers (and well-paid ones, at that). But just a semester into law school, Katie realized that it wasn’t the right fit.

Shannon Marie

June 23, 2018

How One Couple Crushed $33k in Debt in 14 Months

A year after they were engaged, Brendan and Alisha faced a very disappointing possibility: postponing their wedding. Something had to change.

Shannon Marie

January 19, 2018

Debt-Free at Twenty-Three

Emma Vonder Haar is 23 and debt-free: “I sound like a walking commercial for YNAB but, really, this program has straight-up changed my life.”

Shannon Marie

July 8, 2017

Tackling Big Debts on a Small Salary

Editor's Note: We recently posted a success story about a young guy who paid off more than $100k of student debt in less than five years. We thought it was a great story, but we got some pushback, because not everyone felt they could relate to the specifics of his story.

Lindsey Burgess

January 14, 2016