Thank you so much for watching! Here are a few links mentioned in this video: Video with Rachel Cruze about what others think: kzread.info/dash/bejne/dIOBx8qTZLHNhbg.html How we afford "it all" (story of driving two Prius'- more of our debt free journey): kzread.info/dash/bejne/nqZst7uEhtGYprg.html Video with Dr. John Delony about feeling unsafe in our own homes: kzread.info/dash/bejne/eYZruMSwepunms4.html I love you and hope you have a really good day!!! - Dawn

@silmarawilliams8404

Жыл бұрын

I bought your book and I am loving it, I also printed the forms and they are very useful, your book is really great!!! Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge. I'm Brazilian and my husband is American, so the English language is not my first language, sorry for the spelling mistakes.

@LauraMacMillan-cp9yk

Жыл бұрын

Everything you said in this video is true! I recently realized that I can quite comfortably live on 55-60% of what I used to need each month; and that the reason is : no debt! No mortgage payment; no vehicle payment; no credit card payment. Now most of the money that I used to use to service my debt goes into savings. (I do spend some of it, not gonna lie. But it’s usually to go see my kids and to treat them to a meal or some such.) No one can see the future of course, but for now I feel financially safe in a way that I never have before in my life - and I’m a retired senior. It’s my hope that others will see the sense in your comments and get there long before I did!

I have been debt free for twenty years now. I am not sorry. It is amazing how cheaply a person can live when they do not owe money.

@michelles2299

Жыл бұрын

Difficult if you live in the UK

@whatzupLizzy

Жыл бұрын

I lived in California. One of the most expensive places to live. At 25 I was in debt, and had more bills than income even with 2 jobs. I made really hard choices from food, buying stuff, etc. I have reached financial independence and can help my mother in her old age. Debt=Slavery. I know it feels impossible - it is possible.

@zzsofi1552

Жыл бұрын

@@whatzupLizzy yeah but renting a house/flat is also savery. Damn expensive & you get kicked out if ypu cannot pay.

@lmo4879

Жыл бұрын

I agree. It was challenging to do, but it feels great to have it done. A big stack of worries I don't need to deal with any more.

I am in my 60’s and have been struggling with money my whole adult life. Last year I began to whittle away at my debt and declutter. I had so many credit cards! I have only 3 left and my home is calm and clutter free(mostly). I have a goal of paying off the next card within a year. I am SO proud of myself! Now I feel confident enough to work on my food issues. I finally understand what enough is and the peace it brings is wonderful. By the way, love your shirt!

@debnelson3979

Жыл бұрын

Lynne Vincent - this is wonderful!! Old habits are hard to change but you're doing it!

@shannonmcmullen3916

Жыл бұрын

Hey Lynne!! You are amazing and so inspiring!!!!! Well done for persevering on this journey!!!

@cathy2142

Жыл бұрын

Great job! We used the app lose it and lost 86 pounds together. My husband and I of 20 years. We eat all foods. We just need to eat less. We are so blessed to have abundance and needed education on calories

Yes! We snowballed (no pun intended) from debt free living, to a minimalist journey, to weight loss all within 2 years of each other. It's amazing how they're all linked to bring such vitality to our life.

@loriolsen5785

Жыл бұрын

I am on the same path! Almost debt-free (just the mortgage left), minimizing my home (and quit shopping therapy), and now exercising to lose weight!

@martinascopes5274

Жыл бұрын

Well done Joanna and Lori! Same here ❤️ All that's left is a good book club 😉

I have literally driven the “crappy minivan” after selling our brand new truck because I realized it wasn’t a good idea to continue paying $550 per month! Long story short - we sold the things, paid off all the things, and have been debt free (including mortgage) since summer 2019! God gets all the praise! I also love Dave Ramsey and followed his steps! From, a fellow minimalist! 🥰

@michellebilodeau3882

Жыл бұрын

Good for you!

Thank you! This video came as reassurance to me, as last night over a glass of wine with my husband, we decided to pay off our 2 loans which were more than a UK average person's annual salary. We realised that we kept money in 3 saving accounts and that would cover up all debt (except our mortgage which still has 25 years to go🙈). Now we are officially poor, but debt free (minus the house one). We saved a lot on interest charges and going further we can start rebuilding our savings with a clean, debt free slate🥳. Love your videos, you are so pleasant to listen to, that I play your stuff anytime I clean my house, declutter, cook etc. You inspired me to reduce over 30% of my belongins in 2 months (and still soo much to go through). Thank you!

@rachelcrossen8136

Жыл бұрын

You were always poor with that much debt. Now you are at least in a more stable place and not wasting money.

@michellebilodeau3882

Жыл бұрын

Good for you!!!👍

My husband & I moved out of state so we could afford to buy a house when we got married. Best decision we ever made, yet that also came with a massive responsibility in the form of our mortgage. Add to that, 3 years in I had our 1st daughter (the plan was 5 years for baby #1... Whoopsie Baby 😁) & so I stopped working. We were young & stupid & kept spending like we still had my income. Then 2 1/2 years later #2 came along & we FINALLY started to pay a little more attention to our finances & realized they were an abysmal mess. Credit card debt with insane interest charges were killing us. So we took out a 2nd mortgage & paid down all of our CC's. I was working part time with a party plan business (Christmas Around the World) & doing very well with it & my nighttime work & flexible hours meant most times hubby watched the kids when I was working so no Babysitter expense. I'm not exactly sure when we drove that train off the track again but all of a sudden we found ourselves with 2 mortgages and another crap load of credit card bills. At this point we also thought our family was complete. We gave everything away... until 6 years after #2 surprise, surprise God had other plans & blessed us with our "Wonder-twins" ( we named the ultrasound picture "oops" and "uh-oh" 😁) That's when we knew we had to take financial control of our lives back. Because you're absolutely right about feeling unsafe. It was ALWAYS on my mind, if the bank foreclosed on our home what would happen to our 4 children? I told my husband no more mortgages, home equity loans, etc. We lived on low cost meals, didn't go anywhere that cost us anything. Literally every spare penny we had went to paying down credit cards first. The happiest day was when we cleared the last one & we were finally able to refinance our home at a really low interest rate which made our 1 monthly mortgage payment $200 lower than we were paying for both mortgages together. My husband and I agreed that we would continue to pay our mortgage at the old amount so that the extra $200 would go towards the principal. With vigilance & hard work, we paid off our house completely. I only use my 2 CC's that offer cash back rewards & I even pay my CC's weekly. I haven't paid an interest charge on any of them in 15 years. It was a rough lesson but 1 I share with anyone who will listen.

Yes! Nobody talks about it! My husband was finally on board to start at the beginning of last year. We had only been married for five years, we’re expecting our second child, and are a one income household for the most part. We have paid off all of our consumer debt, if we stay the course we will have our home on acreage paid off before I turn 30 👌 It is SO FREEING! I no longer dread the end of the month and worrying about making sure payments get paid on time! Not to mention that my husbands union is currently negotiating their contract, I don’t even worry about whether they go on strike or not because our expenses are so minimal now. We can actually live the lifestyle that we want now.

@NdnUrbanCat

Жыл бұрын

That's awesome! Good job.

@luanngates4982

Жыл бұрын

L

?? Dawn, having a cluttered house is especially “dangerous” for senior citizens. If we have too much stuff scattered all over the floor of our bedroom, then we are more likely to trip over something and fall, especially in the middle of the night, when the room is only dimly lit. I speak from personal experience about this, because I am 70 years old, and this has happened to me! 🤪So it’s definitely true that having a clutter-free house will make us safer! 😀👍

Thanks for making me feel better about driving a car that’s almost 11 years old. I paid cash for it three years ago and that was such a wonderful feeling! My house will be paid off in less than 5 years, and that is the only debt I carry. My ex told his lady friend (before they were married) that I didn’t like to shop. The reason I didn’t like to shop is that I didn’t like to charge things. We lived paycheck to paycheck and always carried credit card debt! Best thing that came out of our divorce was my financial freedom. Probably the biggest reason I’ve never gotten remarried is that I could see me having to be the ‘purse’ for the few men I dated. Nope, no way, not ever gonna happen!!

@michellebilodeau3882

Жыл бұрын

My Nissan is a 2006 and still runs like a champ. Why would I buy a new one and make payments? My husband and I are both on Social Security and we live simply but we always have enough because we are debt-free.

@crhp13tblock52

Жыл бұрын

@@michellebilodeau3882 Yep! My 2011 Camry has less than 90,000 miles on it, so I couldn’t pass it up. That way I could give my 2010 Camry to my son whose 1990 truck had finally died!

@marlananorton2357

Жыл бұрын

CRHP13, This should make you feel great about driving an 11 year old car.....my Toyota van is 22 this year, she has 167K miles, works fine, and is still going!!! My 16 year old learned to drive predominantly with the van. We do have a slightly newer car (7 years old) for hubs, and new to us (3 years old) farm truck (we sold 2 inherited trucks from my dad to get the larger cab to fit our family). All are paid for by God's grace!!! My dad was debt free & also left my family what he had worked so very hard for, all paid for. It is definitely easier to live on less when one doesn't have loans! Dawn's minimal living tips are always enjoyed by me & it excites me when I see other people working towards being "freer in their homes, lives & being debt free". My teens are taking a financial class on Sun eve at church currently....their excitement about being a good steward is so wonderful 😊

@c.burwell2618

Жыл бұрын

When I was younger I literally was horrified at the thought of having to buy/being seen in an older, used car. My how time has changed my perspective! My Corolla that I bought new in 2005 is just under 295,000 miles. Especially with the current prices and availability of vehicles I have decided that if I must buy a “new” one, I’d probably get what I call an “old beater”. Then it occurred to me I kind of already have one of those in my ‘05. I know that car - little quirks and such. We’ve been through a lot together. I’ll just stick with her as long as I can. :-)

@sandragrant3537

Жыл бұрын

@@crhp13tblock52 k

One thing I've noticed is clutter makes me physically sick, not just my clutter but others as well, for example when I watch an episode of hoarders it literally makes me sick seeing all that stuff, I can't breathe and feels like I'm suffocating, then I immediately get up and go thru my own house decluttering like a mad woman to feel better.

I got out of credit card debt. Bought my first house. Working on paying this off. This house is my only debt.

We have been debt free except for our house payment for years. We sold our house in one state and moved 1500 miles away and paid cash for our house. Now we are 100% debt free.

I was just out to brunch with my mom who tends to hoard some things and I was just sharing with her about your videos and how much your content has helped me over the past couple of years that she was willing to take a looksie and wants to try some of your tips. Thank you! This is beyond huge. Keep being you. You are appreciated more than you know.

We paid off debt during the shut down. We had less cost and more opportunities to sell things and dump it on the bills. Now we are finally in a position where so am home, pregnant, paying cash for needs and wants, saving up a down payment for a bigger homestead. It took work, and sacrificing for a couple of years but we are there. Van needs brakes, ok! Kids need medication, ok! It’s not scary when the tires have low tread anymore because we can afford to get new tires.

I just became debt free yesterday! Closed on the house i sold. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but i know it was a healthy decision to work to get debt free and reduce my monthly bills by over half. Good on you discussing this topic. Its *that* important.

Dawn, I agree being debt free is so freeing. Love your plants in the back ground, so beautiful.

Thanks Dawn, you darling lady. My husband and I have raised 7 children on the cheap. My husband has worked like a horse all his life, and I have been a stay at home mom, working like a horse in the home. We were really scraping by at about the time our third and fourth children came along. We went on a firm budget that we committed too, recording every cent!!! of spending for two or three years. Through the years we've had promotions at work and a couple of big set backs, but at this point (I'm 75 and my husband is 77, all the kids are on their own, etc.) we don't have to budget at all. We enjoy and value being out of debt so much that we would rather live free of restraints of a budget, and forego trips to Europe, Hawaii, etc. We have lived and worked and served abroad a few years at a time, so we've had those rich experiences without having it suck us dry financially. We are at peace and content with our situation. It is exceedingly lovely to live free of the drive to impress or "win" above the neighbors!!! It's a true principle!

At 40yo in 1999, I woke up one morning thinking about how overwhelmed I was trying to please everyone.I remember saying aloud, "I just want to stop caring what other people think about me!" As the days unfolded, I realized it had happened! I still went into debt because I was doing bucket list items. But I've never again made a designer purchase or purchased a new car.

This episode is so awesome! We started decluttering in January 2019...and today we are retired and traveling the world with 2 backpacks and 2 small bags! We started with a ton of stuff that included a check'in duffle bag that was about 50 pounds, a punk duffle bag that weighed 40 pounds and along the way we have donated and left a lot of things behind bc you are right about the importance of feeling safe....the more stuff we had to carry on and off trains, taxis, and planes the less safe we felt! Now that we are down to 2 backpacks and a 2 bags to carry with "nothing touching the ground" we feel we can travel and see more places freely...the less we have the more freedom we have going places 😀 We are so grateful to you and your message of minimalism and I hope you are blessed daily for sharing your wisdom and insight. Thank you 😊 💓

Great points n tips as always. I saved 6 month emergency fund. I’m self employed, single and just bought a house 2years ago solo. Fell down a flight of steps n tore the labrum n rotator cuff n have surgery this coming Tuesday- I will not b able to work for 6 months…… thank God for that emergency fund!!!! Now to start a new career that is easier on my body. I’ve had my own cleaning business for 15 years and apparently can’t go back to that repetitive movement on my shoulders. Here comes the declutter/organization business:)

Growing up we didn't have a lot so, when I got out on my own I bought everything I wanted which lead to getting into debt quickly. Fast forward to getting married, buying a house, cars & getting into even more debt. At one point, we were in $60,000 debt just in credit cards. We did a combination of Larry Burkett / Clark Howard & Dave Ramsey. We litterally started with paying $5 extra on 1 bill & added as we could. In 2014, we paid off all our credit cards debt & in 2016 we paid off our house. Now, we are on the path of minimalism & it feels great. Thank you for all your videos & encouragement. We love it & have told our family about y'all & now they are on the path as well. Keep up the great work!

My mother in law always says "Out of debt, out of danger", even when she pays back for something really small. I never really thought about what that saying meant before this video!

when businesses started shutting down for C19, it made me very nervous about owing money. at that point, we only had a mortgage, but we could have so easily lost our home if we had been with a company forced to shut down. thankfully, we were able to work through the whole mess, and we did buckle down and paid the mortgage off. so freeing, and yes, safe feeling. It's been a long road to debt freedom, but so worth it! blessings!

@kateyare4708

Жыл бұрын

Were you not aware of the $600 per week federal unemployment benefits paid to those unemployed by the shut-downs? I believe those payment were in addition to state unemployment benefits.

@kimbucha2949

Жыл бұрын

@@kateyare4708 yes, I was aware, just grateful not to have to depend on the government to pay my mortgage. And now that its paid off, the peace of mind is incredible. My husband and I work for the same company, so we would have both been out of work. Our company was in the "essential" category.

I love this topic. My husband and I advocate so strongly for debt free living.

This doesn't really have to do with this video, but more about you as a person throughout your entire KZread Channel. This isn't to gain any pity, because lots of people have pasts that are less than ideal. However, I grew up in a family that used words of affirmation and adoration were given with very shallow insincere tones, or worse to acquire something that they wanted despite how it would make others feel. So I've learned to hear the difference. The first time I watched one of your videos and you told your audience that you love them. I was taken aback by your sincerity. I can hear in your voice that you truly mean what you say. That is truly such a rare attribute. I just wanted you to know that it is noticed, and truly appreciated.

Debt and lack of financial security generates anxiousness. I have seen it. We have been debt-free, mortgage-free since 2016, and I have never felt more free and safe.

Amen Dawn! Most families are in debt! There is no "reward" for saving these days. A society is easier to control when they are under a debt load! We are debt free and it feels good. When people find out we have no debt they can't image how (my husband is a farmer). Thank you Dawn for talking about the hard things! :)

@paavolaprincess

Жыл бұрын

We have a small farm + my husbands job and people that make 2x, 3x or more money then us, cannot believe we have no consumer debt! Our mortgage is next! I do think we will need to take loans out at times do grow our farm but my goal is one loan at a time and paid off as soon as possible.

when we started decluttered my parents resisted alot it's come from scarcity mindset...we don't have alot of money growing up so decluttered feel waste of money..they would buy something new like dishes or just things in general they don't want to throw old items away they wanted to keep for backup and there's space in cabinets...takes alot of convincing we dont need backup or multiple of same things and we're 100% debt free including mortgage if we really need something we can buy it...that really changed their mindset now our house is always clutter free and organized...you can't beat debt free clutter free lifestyle 🙌

@joleneparrish

Жыл бұрын

Simone, you illustrated the scarcity mindset in a way I hadn't thought of....saving things "just in case" you need them someday. Yes, I'm guilty! Or I feel like I should sell whatever I'm de-cluttering, because I have to justify getting rid of stuff. Ugh! I grew up with scarcity, then married someone who consistently overspent. I've realized that I've been trying so hard to NOT let money slip away, but it does anyway. (I know the culprit, but can't seem to conquor the situation.) Our attitudes concerning money can be very complicated.

@simonethach7134

Жыл бұрын

@@joleneparrish pretty common mindset...I hope you able to get on a budget and better your personal finance situation...My dad thought he wasn't able to retired bc we still have a mortgage...I started making alot of changes to our finances..It's wasn't easy but we did it and couldn't be more grateful 🙏. Let me know if I can help in anyway.

Thank you for talking about this! My husband and I have been working on being debt free since 2012. We found Dave in 2017. I think we have had almost a million in debt. We now are down to under 100k in debt minus the house. For anyone who is hesitant know this...it is worth the feeling to have more control over your life.

I love this topic. In past years I became noteworthy (notorious, even) for posting at length about getting out of debt. This was on the Motley Fool maybe 15 years ago now. The single thing I can now say is that this interval is actually OVER. I did get out of gargantuan debt from medical school and I decided to have a good mood about it and be keenly open about the process. Those were some fun years but that was a past season. I have been out of debt now for a decade and a half and I do not intend to go into debt again. There is literally NOTHING worth purchasing now that I would need to owe on that I would be willing to sign for anymore.

Yes. Very passionate about this topic. I grew up with parents who did not have control of their finances and ultimately ended up in divorce. My husband and I are 29/30 years old and are completely debt free. Cars, house, everything! We don’t make tons of money, just make smarter choices with our money and prioritized getting debt free.

YES!!!! My husband and I paid off our mortgage 11 years ago and have been able to buy several rental properties (paid off as of 4 years ago). I saved for 3 years to purchase a new SUV with cash and was able to fully retire at the age of 61 because we have the income from our properties. I cannot imagine being in debt or being part of the work force!! The freedom and PEACE is amazing

This is so true. I began getting rid of stuff years ago. Ahhhh....I feel so peaceful without all that stuff. I'm debt free & feel so free. Own my home Own my vehicle I just received my Medicare card. I'm able to BE THE CHURCH when a need arises. Thank you Dawn so much for your videos. You are so helpful to so many! You are a blessing! 🙌

When we embarked on our debt free journey, we watched Dave Ramsey CONSTANTLY! It was like a AA meeting for people in debt. We hung on every word! And we did it! It feels so good 😊

Thank you Dawn WOW. my hubby and I have practiced being debt free for 40 + years. We have been ridiculed countless times, Like we were old fashioned, but we are the ones that can have a secure retirement with savings, and no debt to juggle. Folk dont realise that if you cant afford to live on your income, you definitely cant afford debt repayments Live your dream. Lizzie from Cheshire uk

@rosywilson3076

Жыл бұрын

😊 I’m lucky that I was brought up by old-fashioned, frugal parents who taught me never to get into debt. I’ve been able to pay off my mortgage, retire early and carry on living frugally because that’s what I’m used to! E.g. The parents: You’re cold indoors in winter? Put another jumper on! Crochet another blanket! No you don’t need chocolate biscuits, or an electric blanket, or this year’s school uniform when last year’s is half the price. Etc etc. I wonder if it’s a generation thing too?

Excellent topic! So many people live above and beyond their means. I remember having a conversation years ago with a friend who said she would not be able to feed her family unless she charged their groceries -- it was so simple to me -- they were obviously living above their means and needed to downsize their style of living. Smaller house, older vehicles, no excess. If you cannot afford the things you "need", make some changes. If you can't afford the things you "want", don't buy them. The best advice I have for young people is to NEVER get a 30-year mortgage! Always do a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage. The payments are not that much more, and you would be amazed at the interest you will save over the life of the loan. If you cannot afford the payment for a 15-year mortgage, the home you are buying is too expensive. We were mortgage free by the time our kids were in high school -- we were then able to help with college tuition costs, etc, saving our kids from having to go into student loan debt. The smart financial decisions people make early in life will be long-lasting! I was also able to take ten years off work to stay home with my kids when they were young -- a luxury many do not have. Smart decisions early in our marriage gave us options down the road. It's never too late to make smart financial decisions!

Love that he mentioned Kansas! I live in Kansas and love the low cost of living here 😆

Oh I so understand how controversial this is!! We're closing in on having our house paid off, but honestly people think we're weird. I actually only feel comfortable sharing it with a small group of like minded people. Others think we're lucky-- no, we've gone without and made lots of extra payments by working extra side jobs to get here. Minimalism also helps because we choose to not buy things and then chunk that $ as extra payments on the mortgage. Thanks for your encouragement thru your videos, Dawn.😘

@KS-zc4jn

Жыл бұрын

We are selling our house and moving into one that is a fixer upper. We will have no debt when that happens. People think it is crazy that we would sell a house that is nice for a house that needs work, but we hate debt. We will not have a mortgage, car note, credit card debt, medical bills or any other debt. So we will be able to afford fixing things up in our new home the way we like it, and pay cash for it. Somehow that is considered crazy. When my husband told someone we were not going to have a mortgage, the person said we were lucky. As you said, it wasn't luck. There was a lot of hard work involved in making that happen!

@mirandahein5344

Жыл бұрын

I appreciate all the effort you’ve put in to paying off your home, and the conflicting messages you’ve received. About 10 years ago, my dad realized his health was failing, he took early retirement, and paid off the house so my mom wouldn’t have to be afraid of losing it after he passed. (P.S. No one at the time told him he could qualify for disability instead of early retirement. 😔) But now that my mom needs financial assistance, she doesn’t qualify for most programs because she owns her house outright… It’s more normal to owe than to own in today’s society. 😞

@emilydegroot9688

Жыл бұрын

Congratulations!! It's so odd how people think you're either "weird" or "lucky" for being completely debt-free. There's no luck involved, just hard work and drive! Great job on reaching your goals!

It’s funny, when I see a big house or a fancy car or designer things….I equate that with debt, not success. My parents went through a bankruptcy when I was a 14…it had a HUGE impact on my relationship with money. No debt is how I feel good…I didn’t realize it was about safety!! Love this video🥰

Being debt free has my husband and me LIBERTY. We can give more, we can buy quality not crap, and when he lost his job, we did not panic. It’s a game changer. We came late to this party (in our 40s) but twenty years later our lives are better than ever.

Thank you for this valuable message. You are correct, our culture doesn’t stress or encourage debt free lifestyle.

Decluttering saved me a ton of money!!!!! And makes me a lot more happy, clear minded, confident and peaceful than shopping therapy. 😍

Thank-you Dawn ! We downsized, and our mortgage will be paid off in one year. I paid cash for my current car after driving my minivan for 18 years and 275k miles. The peace is priceless. Our three kids have no student debt. What a headstart for them. And we substantially reduced our possessions over the years. Thanks so much Dawn !

in the early 90s when I was in college I heard someone on TV say, "if you have credit card debt, you're living a lie" and that really resonated with me. People were lying about the neighborhood they could afford, the house they could afford, the type of car they could afford, how often they could afford to go out to dinner, if they could afford to buy coffee out everyday... I looked around as a college student I didn't think I was 'wasting' my money, but when I looked, I had probably six different tubes of lipsticks, all different brands, but basically the same color, I was buying fashion magazines every month, eating pizza and fast food on study breaks, I was taking spring break trips that I put on credit cards and never paid off, this is when internet was dial up and you paid by the minute and there were some astronomical bills some months... I stopped buying duplicate products. I started hanging out at Barnes and Noble and reading magazines and Dave Ramsey books for free (sorry Dave), I only did internet on campus, I stopped eating out, I stopped buying meat and pop, anything to cut my bills and put everything towards my credit cards. It took a long time to 'stop living a lie' but eventually I got debt free, and I was SO relieved when my student loans were finally paid off, best thing I ever did, and the feeling of having money in the bank is AMAZING, and of going to work knowing that I could quit because I had a savings account built up made all the difference and made the day to day grind easier to deal with because I didn't feel so trapped. Freedom, 100%

I love that we didn't buy the idea so many of our contemporaries adopted that you never need to pay off your home, cars, etc. We started our marriage with nothing, raised four children did not keep up with our friends, always tried to save even a little, lived beneath our means and paid off college debt. We were successful. We are now retired, have no debt and are able to enjoy our family, travel and help others, sadly some of our contemporaries can't say the same.

That is comparable to what you called inventory. The more inventory you have in your house the more cluttered it becomes. That is like that. The more debt you have the more cluttered your mind becomes, worrying about payments etc. More and more people are learning to keep it simple. And that's the way to roll.

Nothing in my life has felt as terrible as money problems. Not even illness or tragic loss because those aren't tinged with the shame that accompanies money problems. Ever since my fella and I got out of debt and own completely the home we live in, nothing scares me. Thanks for daring to talk about this. I think it would be great if people discussed money openly with their children. That's where a s#*t tonne of the shame originates.Thanks for being your brilliant dear and kind self.

Thank you for doing this video 🥰. I’m a single mum to 3 young children in the UK. I’m very nearly debt free maybe for the first time in nearly 12 years . I’ve decluttered so much for 3 years and now I’m working hard to stopping the spending . It doesn’t bring me as much joy and I want the security of some savings . X

Dawn, when I started following you on KZread, you told your story of being on the Dave Ramsey plan with Tom and it got me and my husband get out of consumer debt! Thank you for doing these videos 💕💕💕💕💕

Preach it!!i read Daves book ...Total Money Makeover and i wanted to be out of debt so bad i could taste it!!!but my husband had taken care of finaces ...he was the one making the money...he thought he was doing the best we could and he couldnt see how we could get out of debt....so i sat down and carefully went over all our expenses and relized he was giving 20 percent instead of 10 ...what to do as i want to keep giving...so we had some serious talks ....lets do no more spending on anything extra ...nothing but absolute nessecities!!!we were able to keep giving and get out of debt in like 2 yearS ....yes we had things to replace that we made do with ...but we got on the same page!!!!thats the beautiful thing...dont avoid those hard emotionally draining conversations....have them and stay calm ....and just say lets do this ...how????

Started the debt free journey in 2006, completely debt free by 2008. In 2009, my mom was diagnosed terminal, so I quit my job and moved in with her to be her caretaker. For a full year, I had zero income, but managed to only dip into the emergency fund by about $600. When I went back to work, we got gazelle intent on building the emergency fund. Now, we're facing retirement age and going into what looks like a depression, with our retirement fund down by at least 1/3 and dropping daily. But you know, I'm not stressed, because we've already learned and practiced how to live frugally. ❤️

I had to take over finances from my husband who greatly mis-managed our household money years ago. But since then, we are out of debt, have a two year emergency fund and gone are money arguments. I just don't get emotional about our money. Best idea I had years ago. The person in your household who can best handle money should handle money. It's simple. Just try.

I giggle watching you....I get the impression you feel so passionate about your message(s), you're afraid of scaring the audience off. Coincidentally... I very recently had the Maslow's hiarchy convo with a couple of my adult children. Not quite the 'deer in the headlights' reaction...but for sure the 'here we go!' one. I think I will share this with them. I hope they we catch a little of your enthusiasm...or at least know I didn't make it up. 🤭 I would so love for them to unwind themselves from debt...so they can experience that kind of security. I've been on your channel a long time and you're point if view has been so validating....and timely. Thanks so much for what you do.🤗🤗🤗

You are Blessing us again Today.

It’s so crazy the dopamine and shopping thing. It’s like, even by the time I get the items home, they already feel like a burden. Sometimes I forget things I bought in the trunk of the car, that’s how little they matter to me.

I watched your interview with Dr John Delony and now I have been listening to his show. I got the book on audible and I’m seeking out a counselor to try to work on stuff because I have been in survival mode for years. My husband is getting deployed and while he is gone we are planning to take as much money as possible to get out debt. If everything goes as plan we should get down to two loans left. I am trying to figure out a way to bring money into the home but it’s hard as a full time mom of six young kids. I appreciate your channel because I don’t have a lot of friends right now but your videos are very encouraging.

@demesrvl6761

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@C Hays We have nothing in common except debt, but your story resonated with me. Hugs to you; you can do this!!

@kathygoodwin

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Good on you! It will be life changing and you will teach your kids the better life as well.

@erinandersonmadeley1610

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I can relate. My husband works offshore. I am alone 6 months out of the year with our two kids under 4 years old. I can't imagine 6! Dawn has been my only friend at times (besides Jesus). If only she knew. Praying for you mama!

@Awifeofanerd

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@@kathygoodwin that’s my hope since I don’t want them to remember me as a stressed, burn out, and no fun mommy.

@Awifeofanerd

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@@erinandersonmadeley1610 thanks - I actually launched my own channel using a different name during this time in our life. Hoping to make connections and give me a creative outlet while I am doing life solo.

The advice to unfollow people who make you buy stuff and follow people who are on the same path as you for motivation is a BIG DEAL. I can tell a huge difference in my mom and sister based on who they follow on social media alone. The impact is crazy!

I totally agree! When people talk about how they bought a house, they forget to say the bank bought the house and we are paying them for it. We used to talk about debt and being frugal with others, and it caused a lot of issues. Because of that, we stopped talking about debt and just focused on being intentional with what we buy. We don't always explain it to people, but we feel content with who we are at this moment.

As a children's trauma counselor, love along with safety and security is all kids need who have been through hard things and multiple homes. It always comes down to that.

We never bought anything we couldn’t pay for in cash. We lived on 1/2 our income for 30 years and retired very very comfortably at age 55. It’s very do able.

You, your family, and your channel have been so life changing for me! Thank you, Dawn, for all that you do!

That urge to impulse buy isn't much of a problem for me since I learned to put the item in my cart when it happens in a store. This action allows me to soothe the need to rebel against a feeling of restriction and feel abundant. I have found that after I have finished loading up my cart, I can most often put the item back. It's odd, but I feel I owned it long enough and don't need it now.

@amberstephens30

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I'm going to try this!

How often do we think- if I only knew then what I know now? Life would be so much simpler... our pride is such a huge ordeal in the getting out of debt situation as well. I think you are right about it being such a complicated situation to even talk about but I give you credit for approaching the elephant in the room! It is something we should all take a good look at!

Thankful for you and your videos like this. I’ve watched every single one.

What a GREAT description!! Thank you so much for covering this!! Many of us are going through this and don't realize why we are SO stressed & how it's hard to even concentrate on a solution!

I Love how you tied these two things together!! They really do go hand in hand though. Loved this video, thank you for taking the time to talk about this ❤️

Thank you so much for this video. That was the right push for me to get back on track. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 have a great day

Thank you so much for talking about this! I’ve always wanted to know more about your story regarding this, but was too afraid to ask.

Thank you for all your videos! You have helped me a lot. Much love ❤️ and prayers to you and your family 👪 🙏

What a beautiful setting and backdrop with the flowers and sunshine. Made the debt pill a bit easier to swallow. Debt free is how we love to live! I’ve noticed the stress my husband feels anytime we have had debt or there’s a measure of overspending.

Yes!!! So glad you talked about this. We did the babysteps 2 years ago. It was so hard but babystep 7 is such a wonderful experience. The safety here is real!

The past week I've been searching youtube for getting out of debt videos. I even searched thru your playlists to see if you talked about it. We are well on our way and I'm so glad you posted this!

Thank you for taking on this topic!! Debt freedom and simple living definitely go together!!

That is sound and solid advice. Great video Dawn! 👏👏

You are so sweet how much you genuinely care. I appreciate all of the information you share. Thank you!

You have truly changed my mindset! I’ve been following you for almost two years and now I think what I’m buying! That is huge!!!!

Ok. So I just LOVE your vulnerability & practically on this topic! Truly appreciate ALL your content. My Mom & I follow you & encourage one another with a lot of what we've heard you say! Blessings & SONshine to you & yours!

Less stuff=freedom No debt=freedom Glad you encourage people towards both! (both decluttering and getting out of debt can feel insurmountable!)

Thank you so much for this smart, empathetic, thoughtful, and encouraging video!

Dawn & the flowers & the lighting are beautiful to the eyes. Love it when she says 'I love you' at the end. It makes me say aaaw.☺

Dawn u make so much sense when u talk about these issues. Thank u for sharing and giving us dif perspectives!!

Thank you Dawn for talking about this uncomfortable subject. It's very important. We as well are on our debt free journey (paying of our house).

Your background is beautiful. Beautiful flowers!

HI Dawn, the more of your videos I watch--the more I appreciate your wisdom, kindness and genuine compassion--and most of all...you quirky sense of humor. This video is "right on time" and "spot on". You are helping me and so many people live better lives! Keep these awesome videos coming -- YOU ROCK !!!!!!!

We got out of debt years ago and have maintained an adequate emergency fund. My boss was diagnosed with a terminal Illness and I lost my job. I didn't have to add financial anxiety to the emotional toll of losing both a beloved boss and a beloved job. So thankful we are debt free thanks to Dave.

Great B roll, love the drone shots! Being debt free is THE best feeling ever.

I hope people who need to hear this listens. I figured out bad debt & positive debt. A mortgage is positive, a car is not. Anything that is depreciating asset you owe money on is bad. I didn’t realise this till my late 20s. I have no bad debt & I am trying to pay our mortgage off in 7 years so I don’t pay for another house in interest.

A good pep talk to keep me from quitting and giving up. Thanks Dawn!

YES YES YES!!!! I’ve been following you Dawn for the last 2-2.5 years!!! & I feel this video SO much ! The husband & I finally decided to follow Dave’s baby steps ! I got another side job & so did he ! We’re committed ! Thank you for posting this ! Would love more videos on your channel about this !

I wish you would talk about this more, Dawn!

Thanks for "talking about it" !! You rock!

Dawn, this video could not have come at a more perfect time!! I’ve been watching for over two years now and somehow you always have the right thing to say in the right moment! My husband and I had just started talking earlier this week about downsizing to become mortgage free! Thank you for the continued advice, support and encouragement - I look forward to your videos every time they’re posted!

Dawn, thank you so much for creating these videos. You are so down to earth which is why I love listening to you. I feel like you truly care. Thank you.

Dawn, you are so inspirational! I feel like you are my older, wiser sister that keeps me on the right path in life. Thank you for ALL that you (and Tom!) do! My husband and I began our relationship with a goal of staying debt free- he loathes credit cards and owing anyone money. I unfortunately came into our marriage with a lot of debt from my college/survival years. I try not to feel guilty about it- sometimes you have to do what you can to get by and I was in an abusive relationship. Living on credit was the only way to save myself at the time. I pray for the day when I can leave it all behind and know that my debts are totally cleared!

Excellent video Dawn, you have something different going on. Glad for you. Nice authentic sharing.

I relocated and moved far away from family and friends and are now debt free for the first time in a long time. It’s been really hard but hopefully worth it. BTW each time I see pics of your home I am so inspired to press forward on my decluttering journey. Media promotes lies in every direction. Buy this, ingest this, take this pill etc.

Once again..... a fabulous video Dawn! Thank you

Thank you,Dawn! We’re working on it. (Jane in SC)❤️🙏🏻

Loved this video! Debt free is the way to live and feel that freedom!