Awesome Ideas to Visualize Your Debt Payoff.
We all need a little motivation to keep going when we’re paying down debt – especially if it’s a large amount. I know from personal experience that sometimes it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel and it’s easy to get discouraged. Some of us need to come up with some strategies that make debt repayment something tangible where we can actually see it working. That’s where these Creative Ways to Visualize Your Debt Repayment come in!
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We used to be debt-free… not anymore. Long story short, our daughter made the decision to transfer to another college sort of at the last minute and pretty much lost a lot of her scholarships and grants last year. So we took out a Plus Loan for $15,750 to help pay for that year (which was not the whole amount of tuition btw ). In hindsight, I’m not sure it was the right move to make but what’s done is done. We worked our way out of debt before and we can do it again and at least it’s not credit card debt for stuff that I didn’t really need but wanted 🙂
Anyway, I’m a visual person so I thought it would help me if I could find some visual ways to track that debt reduction besides using the debt tracker worksheet in my budget binder. You know- to keep me motivated so I can see the amount coming down since it’s so huge. Here are a few ideas that I found!
Creative Ways to Visualize Your Debt Repayment
When it comes to debt repayment, it’s something that most of us go through at some point (or multiple points) in our lives. I know it can be stressful at times, but eventually, you can tackle it. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you are paying down debt.
- It didn’t happen overnight and it won’t go away overnight. Okay, sometimes debt does happen overnight, but you know what I mean. If you end up with a large unexpected bill or something, you can’t always pay it off right away. That is OKAY! Just keep chipping away at it and eventually it will be long gone.
- Visuals help tremendously. Use visuals like the ones in this post to show how much you owe versus what you have paid off. It’s a great way to feel accomplished.
- Be more budget conscientious. I know it’s easier said than done, but once you get the hang of budgeting you’ll see that your effort is completely worth it. You will be able to stop mindless spending and focus on the necessities.
1. Chalkboard Debt Thermometer
This debt thermometer can be made on a chalkboard like this one at Doctor In Debt, or you could use a wipe-off board, paper, or poster board. It’s a great way to visualize the debt disappearing.
2. Debt Thermometer Printable
You can easily print out this debt thermometer! Here’s one I made that you can print out and color in! It fits on regular letter size paper, so you can hang it up anywhere.
3. Debt Repayment Printables
These printable debt trackers are perfect to see your debt disappear before your eyes! Debt Free Forties created them and I think you will enjoy visualizing your debt going away. Hang them on a corkboard or put them in a binder.
4. Debt Free Visual Aids
Over at Debt Free Millenials, they took paying off student loans and turned it into something funny! They have three downloadable FREE printables that you can hang, color, or put in a picture frame to stay motivated.
5. Don’t Give Up Printable
Gold Standard Workshop created an uplifting reminder that you Don’t Give Up when you want something. This is perfect to look at and keep you excited about being debt-free.
While I like all of these ideas, I’m kind of leaning toward printing out a debt thermometer and tacking that on my bulletin board where I’ll see it every day.
Have you used any visual tools to help keep you motivated in your debt free journey?
You might also be interested in: Get Out Of Debt – Use The Debt Snowball System
Tracy says
Great ideas!
Debby Messner says
So glad that college fees and weddings are in the past for us. I have no idea how we paid for three in college at one time. Life was better then……or should I say the paycheck was.
That’s a shame that your daughter lost out on the college funds.
I’m afraid of times to come for us. Nearing retirement and not being where we want to be…..scary. Good luck to us all.
Theresa H. Roach says
All are great ideas! Debt used to be hot on our heels, not any more! Enjoy your evening dear friend, HUGS!
Pat says
Love these~
What ever you do with your debt tracker…will be uniquely yours and will look so great!
I hope you keep us posted how that is going. Let us see what you decide to do with it.
Pat
Stacey says
This is such an expensive stage of life with kids in college. Sometimes it feels like it will never end! You’ll be glad you did this for your daughter. 🙂
Carol says
Our kids are grown and out of college so we are debt free. Actually, we made a concerted effort to live small and pay cash so we have never had debt. But, if we did, I would go for the paper chain. Of course, it is colorful, but also I like the idea of counting down. Imagine how the people will feel when there are only a few links left.
Are you familiar with the story of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Well, I have turned your beautiful redwork pillowcases into “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pillowcases. I have just finished redoing our bedroom – white with blue – and the pillows were going to be put into a cupboard. I remembered when you sent me the lovely pillowcases and the comment from Jann Olson of Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson. She loved the pillowcases and said she was so jealous. So, today, the pillowcases arrived in Utah after months of living on the beach of California.
I do hope your feelings are not hurt. I felt the pillowcases needed to be loved instead of stored in a cupboard.
Manuela says
🙂 I absolutely love that you sent them to someone that would use them and enjoy them!
Jen Y says
We wrote the total owed on our wall calendar each month for the last few yrs we were paying debt down. We paid off our mortgage in 1999(I was 34 & my husband was 39) & the rest of our debt in 2006.
Manuela says
Congratulations! You guys were so young to accomplish so much! Well I hope to be done with that Plus Loan in a few years. Our daughter is graduating in Sept so that’s the end of those kind of bills!
Erin says
Thanks for featuring our paper chain. We just tore off the last link this past week! Woo hoo. I much prefer to see the balance dwindle vs. my payments increasing. Now it’s time to set up the next chain for the next debt that we are snowballing. One day I will be able to see myself in the bedroom mirror again. 🙂