May 19, 2026 • 34 mins
After nearly three years of hard work, setbacks, side hustles, and sacrifice, Paige is officially debt free.
In this episode, Paige shares how she paid off over $51,553.34 in just 2 years and 8 months on a single income. From budgeting and accountability to overcoming emotional spending and building a successful dog-sitting side hustle, she opens up about what really helped her change her financial life.
If you’ve ever wondered whether becoming debt free is actually possible for you, this episode will give you hope, and a real plan to start.
The Totally Awesome Debt Freedom Planner https://www.debtfreedad.com/planner
Connect With Brad
Website- https://www.debtfreedad.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thedebtfreedad
Private Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/debtfreedad
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/debtfreedad/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@debt_free_dad
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@bradnelson-debtfreedad2751/featured
Thanks For Listening
Like what you hear? Please, subscribe on the platform you listen to most: Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Tune-In, Stitcher, YouTube Music, YouTube
We LOVE feedback, and also helps us grow our podcast! Please leave us an honest review in Apple Podcasts, we read every single one.
Is there someone that you think would benefit from the Debt Free Dad podcast? Please, share this episode with them on your favorite social network!
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Brad Nelson (00:00):
Hey guys, we are back and in a big way because
almost three years ago, Paigewas struggling with debt,
feeling stuck, overwhelmed, andunsure if she was ever gonna get
out.
I'm sure some of you listeningto this might be able to relate
pretty well with those feelings.
Well, today Paige is back andshe is here to celebrate an
amazing milestone.
(00:21):
And in this episode, we'regonna be bringing Paige back on
the show.
And Paige has joined us on twoother episodes sharing her
journey.
And we're not just gonna talkabout the struggle, but we want
to be able to take some time andcelebrate this amazing
milestone that Paige hasreached.
We're gonna break down whatactually worked for her, and
we're gonna talk about what lifelooks like right now on the
(00:42):
other side of her debt journey.
Now, if you've ever wondered,can I really do this?
Can I really get out of debt?
I'm telling you, this episodeis gonna be for you guys, and I
can't wait for you to hear this.
Announcer (00:54):
You're listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast with
Brad Nelson.
Brad and his co-hostsexperience the anxiety of living
paycheck to paycheck beforelearning the fundamentals of
financial success.
They are now on a mission toempower regular people to pay
off their debt for good andenjoy happier, less stressful
lives.
Keep listening forinspirational interviews, tips,
(01:16):
tricks, and practical advice togain financial freedom.
Brad Nelson (01:21):
Hey guys, welcome to today's show.
My name is Brad Nelson.
I am the founder of Deaf FreeDad.
I paid off about $45,000 ofdebt.
I've been Deaf Free now formore than 13 years outside of my
mortgage.
I've also been fortunate tohelp thousands of other people
save and pay off tens ofmillions of dollars with the
work that we do here at DeafFreeDad over the years.
Now, guys, after listening tothis episode, if you are ready
(01:41):
to take things to the next levelin your own financial life, you
want to break free from livingpaycheck to paycheck, you want
to reduce a lot of the financialstress in your life, you want
to build savings, maybe finallypay off debt for good.
But maybe you're like a lot ofpeople, including myself at one
time, you're not really surewhere to get started with all of
this.
Well, we've created someincredible free resources for
you here at Defree Dad, andwe'll be sharing some details
(02:02):
about how you get some of thoselater on in today's episode.
So I want to introduce Paige toyou guys.
Now, like I said, Paige hasbeen on our show two other
times, once very early on in herjourney, and once kind of
midway through her journey.
It was actually a little over ayear ago that she did her
second episode here at DefreeDad.
But Paige is now 27 years old.
She is a competitive bowler ofover 11 years.
(02:24):
And she also says she's a prouddog mom to three dogs, Ruby,
Scooby, and Buddy.
And when she's not competing intournaments, you'll probably
find her cheering on some of herfavorite banana ball teams.
Banana, Savannah, bananas,those guys are blowing up right
now.
She especially loves the partyanimals and the firefighters.
(02:44):
I'm sure a lot of you guys outthere have seen the TikToks and
Facebook reels of all those guysand doing their games and
stuff.
It's it's crazy what uh they'redoing.
So I'm sure Paige loves seeingall that.
But what makes Paige's story sopowerful isn't just what she
is, it's what she'saccomplished.
And you guys, and what she'sjust accomplished in two years
and eight months since joiningRoots is quite honestly just uh
(03:07):
outstanding.
It is it is amazing, and I'm soexcited that Paige is here with
us today.
So, Paige, welcome back to theDeaf Free Dad podcast.
And we're not going to make youwait for this entire show, but
you recently, like I said in theintroduction, you've achieved
an amazing milestone in yourlife and especially in your get
(03:28):
out of jet journey.
Can you share with us rightaway what you have achieved?
Paige (03:33):
I am debt-free.
There you go.
Brad Nelson (03:35):
Yeah, that is so awesome.
Now, you recently just becamedebt-free as we're recording
this.
It's early May.
What was the actual celebrationdate of you reaching that?
Paige (03:45):
I think it was April 9th.
Brad Nelson (03:47):
Okay.
So it's been about a month.
And can you share what was theamount that you paid off and the
amount you saved in the time?
Because it's been about twoyears, eight months since you
joined Root.
So, what was the total amountthat you were able to pay off in
that period of time?
Paige (04:02):
So, in two years and eight months, I paid off
$51,553.34.
Brad Nelson (04:10):
Wow.
When you look at that number,can you even believe that?
Paige (04:14):
No, not at all.
Like on a single income, I onlywork one job, and I never
thought I would have done that,especially in less than three
years.
Brad Nelson (04:25):
Yeah.
It's incredible.
You know, I told you rightbefore we hit record, I went
back and I was listening to someof the previous podcast
episodes that we've done.
I went through and read throughsome of the text exchanges that
we've had over the last coupleof years and just some of the
things that you've gone through.
And uh crazy enough, just lastyear, I'm gonna bring this up.
You were just here a littleover a year ago, and I don't
know if you know this, but inApril, I think we released this
(04:47):
episode back in 2025.
And at that time, you had paidoff $24,285.
And here you are, just a littleover a year later, paying off
over fifty thousand dollars.
That means in this past year,it's twenty-five thousand
dollars that you've paid off.
I mean, that's an incredibleyear in itself, but just the
journey altogether.
I mean, that's that's crazy.
Paige (05:08):
Yeah, that's absolutely insane.
I cannot believe that.
Brad Nelson (05:11):
Not only that, but like a year ago or it was a
little, it was about a year ago,I think, or or not too long
ago, but you had to buy yourselfa car, and unfortunately, you
mentioned you had to go intodebt for that, but you put that
in here and you paid that alloff too.
Paige (05:23):
Yeah, so back then when we did the second podcast,
that's actually when I bought uma brand new vehicle, like brand
new, and it was like for$27,000 or something like that.
I ended up totaling that car,which in the long run ended up
being a good thing for mebecause then I just got another
loan out just for $9,500.
(05:45):
And I got my car paid off.
My my car I currently have.
I paid that off the $9,500, Ipaid it off in less than eight
months.
Brad Nelson (05:55):
Yeah, that's incredible.
Would you have ever thought,like when you first started
this, that you'd ever be able toeven achieve paying off a car
in eight or nine months?
Paige (06:03):
No, like it was a 36-month loan, and I paid it off
in eight months.
Brad Nelson (06:08):
Yeah, yeah, that's awesome.
So, can you talk a little bitabout how it has been feeling
the last month or so?
Is it a little surreal still?
Like I said, it's been about amonth since you've reached Dev
Freedom.
Has it settled in at all thatyou're there?
Paige (06:23):
No, I think I'm still in kind of denial.
I I actually got a scare theother day because my grandma
accidentally has my email on herSam's Club credit card that she
signed up for.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, I all of a sudden got anemail saying that the minimum
payment due is $28, but you owe$590 something dollars.
(06:46):
And I was like, wait, what?
I thought it was I thought itwas my TJX card for a minute, my
my TJX credit card.
And I'm like, I haven't usedthat in a long time, like over a
year.
And I I then looked at itcloser and it said Sam's Club.
And I was like, oh my gosh,that is my grandma's credit
card, not my credit card.
(07:07):
So it's it kind of gave me ascare for a minute, but no, I'm
still in complete denial.
I just I've been bowling more,I've been bowling almost every
single weekend, and I want to bedebt-free before my league
started.
My league starts tonight, mysummer bowling league starts
back up.
So I'm excited to bowl my firstleague debt-free.
And um, but I'm still no, I'mhonestly still in complete
(07:29):
denial because it just doesn'tfeel real.
It was crazy because I alreadyhad $2,400 in my dog emergency
fund, but I was just able to putmy dog sitting money that I got
this week, which was $700.
I was able to put $400 of thatinto my Cedar Point fund and
then the other $300 into myTennessee fund.
(07:50):
So now I was like, wait, Idon't have to put my dog sitting
money to debt anymore.
Like, this was my first dogsitting gig that I got that I
actually got to keep the money.
Brad Nelson (08:00):
Yeah, isn't that and that's crazy, right?
And now it's all yours.
I mean, what a great feeling.
I know when you first gotstarted with Roots, you
originally started with just ourTet Freedom Planner, and I
think you you know, youeventually decided to join us in
Roots, and you had made severalcomments that you knew the
journey that you were on or thatthe position that you were in,
it wasn't going to besustainable.
(08:21):
I know, like you said, you loveyour dogs and you had some
situations go on with your withsome dogs, and you know, that
puts you into some debt.
Can you talk about that journeysince then?
What were some of the bigthings that you felt?
Because a lot of people werelistening to this, like, how
does a single girl in two yearsand eight months pay off over
fifty thousand dollars on theirown, especially in today's day
and age, you're in 2016?
(08:42):
This is unheard of.
So, can you talk about whatwere some of the things that
made the biggest difference foryou over the last two or three
years or so?
Paige (08:50):
Honestly, I I think it was just on your course was
amazing.
Like, honestly, me joining yourcourse was probably the best
thing that I've ever done beforeI joined your course.
I was listening to yourpodcast.
So I listened to like probablya hundred or so episodes before
I decide, you know what, screwit.
I need to join Roots and gofrom there.
(09:11):
But that was that has helped metremendously.
But honestly, I believe it wasthe roots of personal finance,
like that was a big thing, andthe accountability.
The accountability wasabsolutely amazing.
Yeah, I don't know what I woulddo with without that.
I mean, and that's why I thinkeven though now I'm debt free,
I'm probably gonna stay in itfor a little while and stay with
(09:35):
you guys because I just I'mkind of scared.
Brad Nelson (09:39):
Yeah, scared.
You know, we talk about it alot.
Just because you're debt freedoesn't mean you don't have to
follow the rules anymore.
It's like you just said, youknow, now you have all this
extra extra money.
You know, it's easy just tostart spending and spending and
easing up on the budget a littlebit, which is fine.
You should have some time andcelebrate.
You've earned it, right?
Take some time, spend somemoney, go out and have some fun.
(10:00):
You've earned all of that.
But at some point, too, then itcomes down to okay, we've now
reached that free.
What's the next step, right?
And so you mentionedaccountability is huge.
Like for some people, that's aweird thing.
So when you say accountability,what do you think helped you
the most?
Because for a lot of people,like finance is a scary thing,
and now having a group ofpeople, you kind of have an
accountability team, anaccountability partner almost
(10:22):
that can be a little weird topeople.
So, how did that how do youfeel it helped you the most, the
accountability side?
Paige (10:28):
I I honestly think it just made me feel really good.
Like every time that I wouldmake a post on the roots or like
when we were doing thecelebrations and and just having
people, even when I wentdownhill, because obviously I
wasn't perfect in the two yearsand eight months.
Like I did, I I did relapse alittle bit, went back into my
(10:51):
shopping addiction and uh usedmy credit card a little bit.
So it wasn't perfect, but thepeople in there were so great,
they were like, you know what,you got this, just just start
all over.
They were just great.
It's nice because the peoplethat are in roots, they're they
understand, you know what Imean?
Like it's not just regularpeople, like they they
(11:13):
understand because they're alsoin debt.
Brad Nelson (11:16):
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
And you're right, so manypeople feel like it's like a
diet or a health journey, youknow what?
You're gonna have some dayswhere you're gonna eat some of
the junk food where you overeator where you don't get to the
gym.
And it's the same thing when itcomes to your finances, like
you said.
Like there were some days thatyou messed up, some days you use
your credit cards.
It's those things happen, andit's totally gonna be okay.
(11:36):
I think the key is, and likeyou mentioned, the
accountability is what kinds ofkind of gets you off the floor
and brush yourself back off andand really get going again.
Let's talk a little bit aboutbudgeting because for a lot of
people, budgeting can be a veryoverwhelming thing.
It is it's probably one of thethings that a lot of our,
especially you know, our newmembers especially struggle with
the most as you're gettingstarted because it's such a
(11:57):
learned habit.
But can you share how budgetingyour money really kind of
helped you over the last fewyears get to where you are and
what your thoughts are aboutbudgeting now?
Paige (12:06):
Yeah, but budging was the best thing that I have done
because before I startedbudgeting, I wasn't paying
attention where my money wasgoing, and I was spending way
too much on shopping or bowling,or and I wasn't budging for it.
So ever since I started thatbudget platform, by the way, I
(12:29):
still use that same budget flatplatform that Amber made a while
back.
Yeah, the spreadsheet, yes,love it so much, love it so
much, and I use that spreadsheetevery single month, and I
actually enjoy doing it now.
I enjoy making a budget becauseespecially now that I don't
have any more debt, it's likeit's a lot more fun.
(12:50):
Yeah, in the little in thelittle debt area on it.
Literally, I don't have to putanything.
Like I don't have to put anymoney budget for that now.
But I just really I I reallylove that budget platform and
being able to control my moneywhen I know when I know where
it's supposed to go and what I'mable to, what I'm spending on
(13:13):
spending money and what I'mspending on bowling.
Just last month, now that I'mdebt free, I spent like $700 and
something dollars on freakingbowling last month.
I was like, whoa, but I had itbudgeted for.
Brad Nelson (13:28):
Exactly.
But you did have a budget forit, and yeah, it's a larger
amount than definitely whatyou're used to.
And I want to ask you aboutthat next.
But the point is that youbudgeted for it, you had the
money put away.
There should be no guilt in it.
Enjoy it, right?
Especially because I think Ingmentioned in the past, bullying
is an important part of yourlife.
You've been a part of it for along time, you're good at it,
(13:48):
you compete with it, but it wasalso one of those things that
you knew you had to sacrifice alittle bit to get to where you
are.
How did that play a role?
Because that is something a lotof us struggle with is you
know, especially when we'restarting out something new, you
know, if we're getting out ofdebt, if we're gonna go on that
diet or go on, we always we tendto focus on everything that we
can't have anymore.
And obviously, you had to cutout something for a little while
(14:09):
that was really important toyou.
Was that sacrifice worth it inthe end?
Paige (14:14):
Oh, yeah.
It most definitely was, eventhough I sacrificed because the
sacrifice that I made, if peoplehaven't listened to my other
podcast, the sacrifice that Imade was going to just one
league a year instead of doing afall, winter, and spring league
and then a summer league.
I was only doing a summerleague.
I still bowled in the fall,winter, and spring.
(14:34):
I still bowled tournaments andnine pin no taps and stuff like
that.
I just wasn't bowling leagueweekly.
Um all the money that I wouldput towards league was going
towards debt.
So I did have to make thatsacrifice, and it was a very
hard sacrifice, by the way,because I love bowling, it's my
life.
Yeah, uh, I've been competitivebowler for over 11 years now,
(14:57):
and I love it so much.
So, yeah, that was a majorsacrifice, but I don't regret
doing it because I did that.
I got my debt paid off evenquicker.
Brad Nelson (15:07):
Yeah, yeah.
And now you get to go out andjust enjoy that much more.
And again, being able to paycash and not have to worry about
debt anymore.
What an amazing place to be.
Uh, I'm so excited for you toget back to it, and uh, I know
you're gonna enjoy it a heck ofa lot more.
One of the things I wanted totalk about, because you've
mentioned it over the lastseveral episodes that you've
(15:28):
been on, and I know we'vechatted about it, but you've
mentioned that shopping was kindof a coping mechanism and
spending money, and I'm sureit's still probably something
that you struggle with.
I know I've struggled withcertain things, still, even
being deaf free, even being deaffree for this many years, is
still something you gotta thinkabout and make sure you're
you're not letting it kind ofseep through the cracks and get
(15:48):
at you, right?
Like I like to spend money whenI get bored, and I know if I
get bored, I'm gonna spendmoney, right?
So I have to keep myself busy.
But you had mentioned you havethis shopping coping mechanism
when things get stressful, youshop, you spend money.
Can you talk about yourrelationship with that now
versus when you first startedand how that's improved over the
years?
Paige (16:07):
So, yeah, when I first started, my shopping addiction
was really bad.
Actually, out of that $51, uh$553 I paid, probably $10,000 of
it was probably shopping money.
It was pretty bad.
And actually, I think whatstarted it to help me like it
(16:30):
the behavior module was huge.
But I think the other thingthat really helped me was when
we were doing the weeklychallenges, and it was the
declutter month.
Brad Nelson (16:42):
Oh, yeah.
Paige (16:42):
Um that one that one helped me tremendously.
I was literally so focused ontrying to find anything in the
house that I literally couldsell.
I was like, I don't need thisanymore.
And also now that I'm debtfree, I'm gonna try to get a
place of my own, but every placeis so expensive.
So if I want to get a place ofmy own, it's probably only gonna
(17:05):
be like a one or two bedroom.
And right now I'm living in athree-bedroom house, like with a
basement and all that.
I need to get rid of a lot ofstuff.
So I was really focused ondoing that.
And I told myself, because Ispent all that money in debt
buying that stuff, that I wouldput every single penny of the
(17:29):
money that I sold.
So every time I sold something,I would put that amount of
money into my savings, and thenonce I got my savings built up
to a certain amount, I would payit towards my debt.
So I didn't keep any of themoney from the stuff I was
selling, I put it all towards mydebt.
So the combination of theselling and the dog sitting, and
(17:50):
then my full-time job was how Iwas able to pay off all that
amount.
Brad Nelson (17:56):
Yeah, that's one thing I will definitely give you
tons of credit on is over thelast two years in uh eight
months, is that you were doing alot.
Like you're selling stuff, andI also want to talk to you a
little bit about the whole dogsituation you have, not just
your dogs, but you have thislittle side gig that you do, and
you've made some considerablygood money at it.
And what I like about it is itworked for you, and you found a
(18:18):
way to make money at it, and youuse that money to pay off your
debt.
So, can you talk a little bitabout what you decided to do
outside of your normal job?
Paige (18:26):
Yeah, so I decided to do dog sitting.
I have a major passion fordogs.
Obviously, I love my threedogs, but I also love just dog
sitting other people's dogs.
And I've had the dog sittingbusiness for probably well,
since I was 16 and I'm 27 now.
So I've had it for a while, butI wasn't really focused on
(18:51):
building new clients and doingit monthly and stuff like that.
I would just do it when theyneeded me, but then I decided
that that could be some extraincome to put towards my debt.
So I also made a commitment tomyself that all the money I was
making from dog sitting would gointo my savings and it would go
towards my debt.
(19:12):
I would not spend any of it onshopping, I would not spend any
of it on bowling.
It just automatically wentstraight into my savings and
then it went to my debt.
But like I said, now it'sdifferent because I I'm
currently dog sitting at a housein Alton and they paid me $700
(19:33):
and I get to keep all of it.
It's completely different thanwhat I normally have to do
because normally I have to putit in my savings and then it
would go to my debt.
Brad Nelson (19:41):
So and now you get to keep it for yourself.
Now, can I just ask quicklywhen you charge $700, is that
just for like a week or how manydays do you are you there?
Paige (19:48):
So it depends.
Basically, if you have twodogs, it's $60 a day.
And then if you have three,it's $75 a day, and then if you
have four, it's a hundreddollars a day.
Uh the ones I'm currentlywatching right now, they have
three dogs and a cat, so fourpets.
So I'm watching them for sevendays.
So yeah.
Brad Nelson (20:09):
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's that's a good chunk ofchange, though.
And you're right.
Now you get to keep that money.
Did you by chance evercalculate how much money you've
made from that business thatyou've put towards your debt?
Paige (20:21):
I believe out of the 51,553, probably around like
30,000 of it was probably fromdog city.
Brad Nelson (20:29):
Wow.
I'm glad you shared that becauseI just want people to think
it's not always just cuttingeverything out of your budget.
Yes, those things definitely dohelp.
But on the other end of it,it's what can you do to create
income-producing activities?
And again, like you'vementioned, you've sold stuff
around your house, you've takenon extra work, and you're
(20:51):
running this side gig.
You've done so many things tohelp you get out of debt.
And I just want to be veryclear with people is this is why
Paige did this, this is how shedid it.
It wasn't that she just got ona budget and magically all this
stuff got paid off.
Yes, that stuff all helps, butit was a combination of a lot of
activity that you've done overthe last several years.
Paige (21:09):
It's very hard for people to do dog sitting as a side gig
because I'm lucky that I livewith my dad.
So when I dog sit for otherpeople's dogs, basically my dad
takes care of my dogs.
Brad Nelson (21:21):
Right.
Paige (21:22):
So I'm able to do it currently, but I also want to
enjoy dog sitting as much as Ican right now because whenever I
move into a place of my own, Iprobably won't be able to dog
sit anymore just because like mydad's not gonna be here
forever, and he's usually mygo-to to watch my dogs.
So sooner or later, I'mprobably gonna have to not be
(21:46):
able to dog sit anymore.
But I'm enjoying it while I canright now because I I have my
dad to watch my dogs.
And it it wouldn't be aproblem.
Like I people ask me, why don'tyou dog sit in your own house?
And I always tell people, Isaid, the reason I can't dog sit
in my own house is because ofmy dog Ruby.
(22:06):
She is dog reactive.
Any dog she does not know now,she will attack because she's
worried they will attack her.
And basically I took her to adog therapist and everything,
and they told me there'sliterally nothing you could do
for her, just love, love on herand give her all the attention
she can get.
She was very special becauseshe was my first foster.
(22:27):
She was my first foster and Ifailed and kept her, which I
don't regret in any way.
But like I said, I can't do dogsitting at home because of her.
Brad Nelson (22:38):
Right, right.
Well, and I think what you'repointing out though is that not
like dog sitting doesn't workfor everybody, but there is
opportunities out there based onyour current life and based on
your current life situation.
Everyone's situation is goingto be a little bit different.
And sometimes I think thinkingoutside the box in this day and
age, all of us have a phone, andthere's so many different
opportunities out there just tomake money on your phone,
(22:59):
whether it be bookkeepingservices or like you said, dog
watching.
And I mean, there's so manydifferent things that people
have done, even in the rootscommunity, just to make some
extra money.
It's incredible.
And again, the reason why Ipoint that out is because it's
played such a significant rolein helping you get out of debt
faster.
Because the faster you get outof debt, the better it is,
right?
That's that's the that's what'sgreat about it.
Paige (23:19):
Well, the thing is, like I also now I don't do it as
often, but I do door dash too.
Um I haven't been door dashingright now because gas is almost
five dollars.
Yeah.
So I I'm not door dashing rightnow, but I also do door dashing
and I used to put that extramoney towards my debt.
(23:40):
Right, right, right.
So I would rather just stickwith dog sitting and like I
said, I have such a huge passionfor dogs, it's just it's
unbelievable.
So that like suits me.
And honestly, it's so mucheasier than working at Amazon.
Like Amazon's such a physicallydemanding job anyway.
(24:01):
It's taken a toll on my body.
I've been there for four yearsnow, and it's taken a toll.
And so when I dog sit, I don'thave to work as much.
Like next month, for example,I'm always busier in the
summertime.
It's always been that way withpet sitting.
People like to travel in thesummertime.
(24:21):
Next month, I'm pretty muchfull almost fully booked.
I think I'm gone from my housefor a week and a half, and then
I'm home for two days, and thenI start pet sitting again, and
I'm gone for a week and a half,and then I'm home for two days.
So, you know.
Brad Nelson (24:37):
Well, that's the cool part now is that now that
you don't have any more debt,you don't really care to work at
Amazon.
Now you have opportunities tosay, what does Paige want to do
next?
Right?
You have bills to pay, you havethings to still pay for, you
still have someresponsibilities, but not nearly
as much when you're having topay off credit card debt and all
this other debt and all theseother payments.
So you don't have a car paymentanymore.
(24:58):
And it frees up and gives youthe opportunity to now look at
all of your options.
And you can say, Hey, I don'treally care for this work
anymore.
I really enjoy doing this overhere.
And I'm not saying it happensovernight, but you can also
start to explore opportunitiesof how can I get more into this
work and replace the income overat Amazon and now be able to do
more of the things that I love.
And that is what financialfreedom ultimately gives you is
(25:22):
more choices, more options, moreflexibility because you're just
not suffocating from all thosepayments anymore.
Paige (25:28):
Well, and that's the thing, and I probably will stay
at Amazon probably for the restof my life, just because I'm
never gonna find another jobthat does VTO, which is
voluntary time off, and PTO andvacation, and VET, which is
voluntary extra time, and thenthey do shift swaps and shift
(25:48):
covers.
Like today, I did a shiftcover, so I don't have to go to
work today.
Like I was supposed to worktoday, and I did a shift cover
because I had bullying tonightand I don't want to work before
bullying because I don't want tohurt myself before bullying.
So I'm like, I'm just gonna doa shift cover.
I will never find another jobthat's like that, especially a
dog boarding job, because I'veworked at a lot of dog boarding
facilities, and it's very hardto get a day off at a dog
(26:13):
boarding facility.
So I will probably stay atAmazon, but I don't have to
overwork myself anymore.
Some weeks, if I want, I onlyhave to work 20 hours.
You know, I don't have to workmy normal 30-hour shift.
When I was getting my debt paidoff, I was working sometimes
50, 60 hour weeks just to putthe extra money towards my debt.
(26:33):
Now I don't have to worry aboutthat anymore.
So I can get to a point where Iliterally, especially when I'm
dog sitting, I would rather behome with the dogs.
So I could just say, you knowwhat, I'm just not gonna go to
work today.
Brad Nelson (26:46):
Yeah.
Paige (26:46):
You know what I mean?
Brad Nelson (26:48):
So what's the next steps for you?
You know, now that you'redebt-free, like what are you
what are you gonna focus onnext, do you think?
Paige (26:55):
I do want to get a place, um preferably closer to work,
but like I said, it's veryexpensive.
It's probably gonna take me awhile.
I have tons of trips coming upthis year.
This month we're going toIndianapolis for the party
animals, the banana ball game.
Yeah, and then and we're doingthat.
(27:16):
And then next month, we don'thave anything because I'm booked
with dog sitting, but thenJuly, I'm more open and
flexible.
So July, I have the banana ballgame, the firefighters against
the Savannah Bananas in Chicago.
So we're going up there, andthen in August, I have the St.
Louis banana ball game, thehome game of the bananas versus
(27:39):
the coconuts.
So we're going to that game.
And then September we have ourtrip to Cedar Point in Sandusky,
Ohio.
Because my boyfriend said tome, He's like, now that you're
debt-free, he's like, Where doyou want to go?
What's the one place that youwant to go that you haven't been
able to go to because you'vebeen in so much debt?
(27:59):
And I said, I have not gone toCedar Point since 2019.
I want to go back to CedarPoint.
So we're going to go to CedarPoint, but we're also going to
go watch my party animals playout there that same week in
Ohio.
And then in uh October, I haveto go to Tennessee for my
brother's wedding.
Brad Nelson (28:19):
So you got a lot of stuff coming up, but a lot of
fun.
Paige (28:23):
Yeah, I know a lot of trips, a lot of trips.
So um, that's why I alreadyhave 300 in my Tennessee fund
and 400 in my Cedar Point fundbecause I'm like, I've got to
get these funds built up.
Brad Nelson (28:34):
Yeah.
Paige (28:35):
But after that, I'm I am going to just try to save some
money up to get a place.
That's that's my all-time goal.
Brad Nelson (28:43):
I love that you're taking some time, like I said,
to have some fun.
Sometimes one of the mistakesthat we can make is going right
to the next goal and focus,focus, focus, focus.
And all these little trips andall these little things are
little goals, but they're fun.
And you deserve to have severalmonths of fun because of all
the hard work that you've putin.
And I hope you get to enjoy allof those experiences.
And that's the cool part aboutit.
It's not stuff, it'sexperiences, which I think is
(29:05):
great, which is just going tocreate a lot of memories for
you.
So, last question before I letyou go today, Paige, is this is
that if you had to go back andmeet you again two years or
yeah, two years, eight monthsago, and give them one piece of
advice.
What would you say now, havinggone through all of this over
the last couple of years?
What's one piece of advice thatyou would share with yourself?
Paige (29:27):
I would have told myself to start sooner instead of
instead of just listening to allthose podcasts of the first
three or four months.
I should have just startedimmediately.
But I was kind of questioningit, and I was only questioning
it because I have signed up forother stuff in the past to help
get my debt paid off, and itjust didn't work.
(29:47):
And so I was kind ofquestioning it a little bit.
So that's why I listened toyour podcast first.
And I just wish I startedsooner.
That's my biggest regret is Iwish I started sooner.
But like I said, my goal was tobe debt-free before May.
I got debt free before May.
So yep.
So there.
(30:07):
So now, yeah, that that's justmy biggest regret, though.
Like I wish I started sooner.
And I know a lot of people saythat because I've listened to a
lot of your podcasts, and a lotof them say, We I wish we
started sooner.
Brad Nelson (30:19):
Well, once you once you get on something that
works, it's man, I wish I wouldhave just started sooner, right?
Because it works, you know, andit it takes a little time.
I know it it took you sometime.
There were some times where youhad some doubt.
I'm going through a lot ofstuff in my life, and this isn't
going right, and this isn'tgoing right.
You and you feel like you wantto quit.
And I would just keepencouraging you, just keep at
it, keep at it.
Eventually, things will startfalling your way.
(30:40):
And here we are, two years,eight months later, and you're
completely debt-free.
Uh, I just want to say hugecongratulations, T.
I'm so, so proud of you, anduh, you've come so far.
You should be very proud ofyourself.
And at 27 years young, you havea whole life to live now.
And man, what an amazingopportunity you've created for
(31:01):
yourself by putting in thesecouple years of hard work.
Paige (31:04):
I know.
I remember my first podcast,the title says how this
24-year-old.
So, yeah, so that was that'sjust huge.
And like I said, I'm excitednow because this month I
budgeted $500 for bowling thismonth, and like it's not gonna
hurt me, you know what I mean?
I'm able, even though I onlyhave one dog sitting booking
(31:24):
this whole month, like if I haveto, I could work extra hours at
Amazon, right?
But it's not gonna hurt me, youknow what I mean?
I have $500 for bowling, and Idon't even think I'm gonna spend
that in bowling this month.
Brad Nelson (31:37):
So yeah, awesome.
Thanks for joining us againtoday.
I know for sure anyone who'slistening to this, I'm sure
you've encouraged them to getmoving and hopefully prove to
them like, hey, this stuff'sstill possible for everyone
that's out there.
You just got to put in some ofthe work, and you've proven that
it does work.
So thanks so much for beinghere today, Paige.
I appreciate it.
Paige (31:55):
No problem, and it's because of you, Brad.
I couldn't have done thiswithout you.
I appreciate that.
Your help has been tremendous.
Brad Nelson (32:04):
Yeah, I appreciate that.
These are the most fun episodesthat we do.
It's just all the work that weput in to help you guys out and
to have someone come in and seethat it's worked for them so
well.
It's it's my favorite part ofwhat we do, and so uh it's
awesome just to be able to seeyou do it.
And I I told you you'd getthere one day, and here you are,
and uh it's it's so awesome.
Paige (32:22):
I know, I still remember those old messages that we were
messing back and forth, and Itold you I don't think I can do
this, and you know, just goingback and forth, and you kept
motivating me, and I was like, Idon't think I'm gonna be able
to pay it off, and then here Iam.
Brad Nelson (32:37):
Yep.
Yep, awesome.
Well, I'm excited for you.
I'm excited to see what's next,and glad you're gonna stick
around to roots so we can seethat.
But again, thanks so much forbeing here.
All right, guys.
Now, if you are someone likePaige who's just getting
started, you're ready to breakfree from living paycheck to
paycheck.
You want to reduce financialstress, you want to build
savings, finally pay off yourdebt for good, just like Paige
talked about here on today'sepisode.
(32:57):
Again, but maybe you're notquite sure where to get started.
Well, don't worry, we've gotyou covered.
Simplify my money is sent toyou each and every Sunday to
your email.
And uh simplify your money,simplify your money is just a
step-by-step roadmap to uh helpyou with better financial
control.
You're also gonna learn someeasy-to-follow strategies to
help you manage your money moreeffectively.
(33:17):
It's gonna help you makestress-free money decisions.
These stress-free moneydecisions are gonna help
simplify your financial lifewith proven tips that actually
work, and you're gonna gain thetools and confidence to tackle
your financial goals head on.
If you'd like to sign up forSimplify My Money, all you gotta
do is click on the link at thetop of the show notes or head
over to debtfreedad.com, andwe're happy to get you on our
(33:39):
newsletter list.
Hey guys, thanks for joining uson today's episode, and we will
see you guys on the next show.
Announcer (33:51):
Thanks for listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast.
Connect with us on Facebook,TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
Just search Debt Free Dad.
If you found value in today'sepisode, please leave us a
rating and review.
We so appreciate it.
For resources, show notes, andlinks mentioned in today's show,
visit debtfreedad.com.
(34:11):
Catch you next week.
Hey guys, we are back and in a big way because
almost three years ago, Paigewas struggling with debt,
feeling stuck, overwhelmed, andunsure if she was ever gonna get
out.
I'm sure some of you listeningto this might be able to relate
pretty well with those feelings.
Well, today Paige is back andshe is here to celebrate an
amazing milestone.
(00:21):
And in this episode, we'regonna be bringing Paige back on
the show.
And Paige has joined us on twoother episodes sharing her
journey.
And we're not just gonna talkabout the struggle, but we want
to be able to take some time andcelebrate this amazing
milestone that Paige hasreached.
We're gonna break down whatactually worked for her, and
we're gonna talk about what lifelooks like right now on the
(00:42):
other side of her debt journey.
Now, if you've ever wondered,can I really do this?
Can I really get out of debt?
I'm telling you, this episodeis gonna be for you guys, and I
can't wait for you to hear this.
Announcer (00:54):
You're listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast with
Brad Nelson.
Brad and his co-hostsexperience the anxiety of living
paycheck to paycheck beforelearning the fundamentals of
financial success.
They are now on a mission toempower regular people to pay
off their debt for good andenjoy happier, less stressful
lives.
Keep listening forinspirational interviews, tips,
(01:16):
tricks, and practical advice togain financial freedom.
Brad Nelson (01:21):
Hey guys, welcome to today's show.
My name is Brad Nelson.
I am the founder of Deaf FreeDad.
I paid off about $45,000 ofdebt.
I've been Deaf Free now formore than 13 years outside of my
mortgage.
I've also been fortunate tohelp thousands of other people
save and pay off tens ofmillions of dollars with the
work that we do here at DeafFreeDad over the years.
Now, guys, after listening tothis episode, if you are ready
(01:41):
to take things to the next levelin your own financial life, you
want to break free from livingpaycheck to paycheck, you want
to reduce a lot of the financialstress in your life, you want
to build savings, maybe finallypay off debt for good.
But maybe you're like a lot ofpeople, including myself at one
time, you're not really surewhere to get started with all of
this.
Well, we've created someincredible free resources for
you here at Defree Dad, andwe'll be sharing some details
(02:02):
about how you get some of thoselater on in today's episode.
So I want to introduce Paige toyou guys.
Now, like I said, Paige hasbeen on our show two other
times, once very early on in herjourney, and once kind of
midway through her journey.
It was actually a little over ayear ago that she did her
second episode here at DefreeDad.
But Paige is now 27 years old.
She is a competitive bowler ofover 11 years.
(02:24):
And she also says she's a prouddog mom to three dogs, Ruby,
Scooby, and Buddy.
And when she's not competing intournaments, you'll probably
find her cheering on some of herfavorite banana ball teams.
Banana, Savannah, bananas,those guys are blowing up right
now.
She especially loves the partyanimals and the firefighters.
(02:44):
I'm sure a lot of you guys outthere have seen the TikToks and
Facebook reels of all those guysand doing their games and
stuff.
It's it's crazy what uh they'redoing.
So I'm sure Paige loves seeingall that.
But what makes Paige's story sopowerful isn't just what she
is, it's what she'saccomplished.
And you guys, and what she'sjust accomplished in two years
and eight months since joiningRoots is quite honestly just uh
(03:07):
outstanding.
It is it is amazing, and I'm soexcited that Paige is here with
us today.
So, Paige, welcome back to theDeaf Free Dad podcast.
And we're not going to make youwait for this entire show, but
you recently, like I said in theintroduction, you've achieved
an amazing milestone in yourlife and especially in your get
(03:28):
out of jet journey.
Can you share with us rightaway what you have achieved?
Paige (03:33):
I am debt-free.
There you go.
Brad Nelson (03:35):
Yeah, that is so awesome.
Now, you recently just becamedebt-free as we're recording
this.
It's early May.
What was the actual celebrationdate of you reaching that?
Paige (03:45):
I think it was April 9th.
Brad Nelson (03:47):
Okay.
So it's been about a month.
And can you share what was theamount that you paid off and the
amount you saved in the time?
Because it's been about twoyears, eight months since you
joined Root.
So, what was the total amountthat you were able to pay off in
that period of time?
Paige (04:02):
So, in two years and eight months, I paid off
$51,553.34.
Brad Nelson (04:10):
Wow.
When you look at that number,can you even believe that?
Paige (04:14):
No, not at all.
Like on a single income, I onlywork one job, and I never
thought I would have done that,especially in less than three
years.
Brad Nelson (04:25):
Yeah.
It's incredible.
You know, I told you rightbefore we hit record, I went
back and I was listening to someof the previous podcast
episodes that we've done.
I went through and read throughsome of the text exchanges that
we've had over the last coupleof years and just some of the
things that you've gone through.
And uh crazy enough, just lastyear, I'm gonna bring this up.
You were just here a littleover a year ago, and I don't
know if you know this, but inApril, I think we released this
(04:47):
episode back in 2025.
And at that time, you had paidoff $24,285.
And here you are, just a littleover a year later, paying off
over fifty thousand dollars.
That means in this past year,it's twenty-five thousand
dollars that you've paid off.
I mean, that's an incredibleyear in itself, but just the
journey altogether.
I mean, that's that's crazy.
Paige (05:08):
Yeah, that's absolutely insane.
I cannot believe that.
Brad Nelson (05:11):
Not only that, but like a year ago or it was a
little, it was about a year ago,I think, or or not too long
ago, but you had to buy yourselfa car, and unfortunately, you
mentioned you had to go intodebt for that, but you put that
in here and you paid that alloff too.
Paige (05:23):
Yeah, so back then when we did the second podcast,
that's actually when I bought uma brand new vehicle, like brand
new, and it was like for$27,000 or something like that.
I ended up totaling that car,which in the long run ended up
being a good thing for mebecause then I just got another
loan out just for $9,500.
(05:45):
And I got my car paid off.
My my car I currently have.
I paid that off the $9,500, Ipaid it off in less than eight
months.
Brad Nelson (05:55):
Yeah, that's incredible.
Would you have ever thought,like when you first started
this, that you'd ever be able toeven achieve paying off a car
in eight or nine months?
Paige (06:03):
No, like it was a 36-month loan, and I paid it off
in eight months.
Brad Nelson (06:08):
Yeah, yeah, that's awesome.
So, can you talk a little bitabout how it has been feeling
the last month or so?
Is it a little surreal still?
Like I said, it's been about amonth since you've reached Dev
Freedom.
Has it settled in at all thatyou're there?
Paige (06:23):
No, I think I'm still in kind of denial.
I I actually got a scare theother day because my grandma
accidentally has my email on herSam's Club credit card that she
signed up for.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah, I all of a sudden got anemail saying that the minimum
payment due is $28, but you owe$590 something dollars.
(06:46):
And I was like, wait, what?
I thought it was I thought itwas my TJX card for a minute, my
my TJX credit card.
And I'm like, I haven't usedthat in a long time, like over a
year.
And I I then looked at itcloser and it said Sam's Club.
And I was like, oh my gosh,that is my grandma's credit
card, not my credit card.
(07:07):
So it's it kind of gave me ascare for a minute, but no, I'm
still in complete denial.
I just I've been bowling more,I've been bowling almost every
single weekend, and I want to bedebt-free before my league
started.
My league starts tonight, mysummer bowling league starts
back up.
So I'm excited to bowl my firstleague debt-free.
And um, but I'm still no, I'mhonestly still in complete
(07:29):
denial because it just doesn'tfeel real.
It was crazy because I alreadyhad $2,400 in my dog emergency
fund, but I was just able to putmy dog sitting money that I got
this week, which was $700.
I was able to put $400 of thatinto my Cedar Point fund and
then the other $300 into myTennessee fund.
(07:50):
So now I was like, wait, Idon't have to put my dog sitting
money to debt anymore.
Like, this was my first dogsitting gig that I got that I
actually got to keep the money.
Brad Nelson (08:00):
Yeah, isn't that and that's crazy, right?
And now it's all yours.
I mean, what a great feeling.
I know when you first gotstarted with Roots, you
originally started with just ourTet Freedom Planner, and I
think you you know, youeventually decided to join us in
Roots, and you had made severalcomments that you knew the
journey that you were on or thatthe position that you were in,
it wasn't going to besustainable.
(08:21):
I know, like you said, you loveyour dogs and you had some
situations go on with your withsome dogs, and you know, that
puts you into some debt.
Can you talk about that journeysince then?
What were some of the bigthings that you felt?
Because a lot of people werelistening to this, like, how
does a single girl in two yearsand eight months pay off over
fifty thousand dollars on theirown, especially in today's day
and age, you're in 2016?
(08:42):
This is unheard of.
So, can you talk about whatwere some of the things that
made the biggest difference foryou over the last two or three
years or so?
Paige (08:50):
Honestly, I I think it was just on your course was
amazing.
Like, honestly, me joining yourcourse was probably the best
thing that I've ever done beforeI joined your course.
I was listening to yourpodcast.
So I listened to like probablya hundred or so episodes before
I decide, you know what, screwit.
I need to join Roots and gofrom there.
(09:11):
But that was that has helped metremendously.
But honestly, I believe it wasthe roots of personal finance,
like that was a big thing, andthe accountability.
The accountability wasabsolutely amazing.
Yeah, I don't know what I woulddo with without that.
I mean, and that's why I thinkeven though now I'm debt free,
I'm probably gonna stay in itfor a little while and stay with
(09:35):
you guys because I just I'mkind of scared.
Brad Nelson (09:39):
Yeah, scared.
You know, we talk about it alot.
Just because you're debt freedoesn't mean you don't have to
follow the rules anymore.
It's like you just said, youknow, now you have all this
extra extra money.
You know, it's easy just tostart spending and spending and
easing up on the budget a littlebit, which is fine.
You should have some time andcelebrate.
You've earned it, right?
Take some time, spend somemoney, go out and have some fun.
(10:00):
You've earned all of that.
But at some point, too, then itcomes down to okay, we've now
reached that free.
What's the next step, right?
And so you mentionedaccountability is huge.
Like for some people, that's aweird thing.
So when you say accountability,what do you think helped you
the most?
Because for a lot of people,like finance is a scary thing,
and now having a group ofpeople, you kind of have an
accountability team, anaccountability partner almost
(10:22):
that can be a little weird topeople.
So, how did that how do youfeel it helped you the most, the
accountability side?
Paige (10:28):
I I honestly think it just made me feel really good.
Like every time that I wouldmake a post on the roots or like
when we were doing thecelebrations and and just having
people, even when I wentdownhill, because obviously I
wasn't perfect in the two yearsand eight months.
Like I did, I I did relapse alittle bit, went back into my
(10:51):
shopping addiction and uh usedmy credit card a little bit.
So it wasn't perfect, but thepeople in there were so great,
they were like, you know what,you got this, just just start
all over.
They were just great.
It's nice because the peoplethat are in roots, they're they
understand, you know what Imean?
Like it's not just regularpeople, like they they
(11:13):
understand because they're alsoin debt.
Brad Nelson (11:16):
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
And you're right, so manypeople feel like it's like a
diet or a health journey, youknow what?
You're gonna have some dayswhere you're gonna eat some of
the junk food where you overeator where you don't get to the
gym.
And it's the same thing when itcomes to your finances, like
you said.
Like there were some days thatyou messed up, some days you use
your credit cards.
It's those things happen, andit's totally gonna be okay.
(11:36):
I think the key is, and likeyou mentioned, the
accountability is what kinds ofkind of gets you off the floor
and brush yourself back off andand really get going again.
Let's talk a little bit aboutbudgeting because for a lot of
people, budgeting can be a veryoverwhelming thing.
It is it's probably one of thethings that a lot of our,
especially you know, our newmembers especially struggle with
the most as you're gettingstarted because it's such a
(11:57):
learned habit.
But can you share how budgetingyour money really kind of
helped you over the last fewyears get to where you are and
what your thoughts are aboutbudgeting now?
Paige (12:06):
Yeah, but budging was the best thing that I have done
because before I startedbudgeting, I wasn't paying
attention where my money wasgoing, and I was spending way
too much on shopping or bowling,or and I wasn't budging for it.
So ever since I started thatbudget platform, by the way, I
(12:29):
still use that same budget flatplatform that Amber made a while
back.
Yeah, the spreadsheet, yes,love it so much, love it so
much, and I use that spreadsheetevery single month, and I
actually enjoy doing it now.
I enjoy making a budget becauseespecially now that I don't
have any more debt, it's likeit's a lot more fun.
(12:50):
Yeah, in the little in thelittle debt area on it.
Literally, I don't have to putanything.
Like I don't have to put anymoney budget for that now.
But I just really I I reallylove that budget platform and
being able to control my moneywhen I know when I know where
it's supposed to go and what I'mable to, what I'm spending on
(13:13):
spending money and what I'mspending on bowling.
Just last month, now that I'mdebt free, I spent like $700 and
something dollars on freakingbowling last month.
I was like, whoa, but I had itbudgeted for.
Brad Nelson (13:28):
Exactly.
But you did have a budget forit, and yeah, it's a larger
amount than definitely whatyou're used to.
And I want to ask you aboutthat next.
But the point is that youbudgeted for it, you had the
money put away.
There should be no guilt in it.
Enjoy it, right?
Especially because I think Ingmentioned in the past, bullying
is an important part of yourlife.
You've been a part of it for along time, you're good at it,
(13:48):
you compete with it, but it wasalso one of those things that
you knew you had to sacrifice alittle bit to get to where you
are.
How did that play a role?
Because that is something a lotof us struggle with is you
know, especially when we'restarting out something new, you
know, if we're getting out ofdebt, if we're gonna go on that
diet or go on, we always we tendto focus on everything that we
can't have anymore.
And obviously, you had to cutout something for a little while
(14:09):
that was really important toyou.
Was that sacrifice worth it inthe end?
Paige (14:14):
Oh, yeah.
It most definitely was, eventhough I sacrificed because the
sacrifice that I made, if peoplehaven't listened to my other
podcast, the sacrifice that Imade was going to just one
league a year instead of doing afall, winter, and spring league
and then a summer league.
I was only doing a summerleague.
I still bowled in the fall,winter, and spring.
(14:34):
I still bowled tournaments andnine pin no taps and stuff like
that.
I just wasn't bowling leagueweekly.
Um all the money that I wouldput towards league was going
towards debt.
So I did have to make thatsacrifice, and it was a very
hard sacrifice, by the way,because I love bowling, it's my
life.
Yeah, uh, I've been competitivebowler for over 11 years now,
(14:57):
and I love it so much.
So, yeah, that was a majorsacrifice, but I don't regret
doing it because I did that.
I got my debt paid off evenquicker.
Brad Nelson (15:07):
Yeah, yeah.
And now you get to go out andjust enjoy that much more.
And again, being able to paycash and not have to worry about
debt anymore.
What an amazing place to be.
Uh, I'm so excited for you toget back to it, and uh, I know
you're gonna enjoy it a heck ofa lot more.
One of the things I wanted totalk about, because you've
mentioned it over the lastseveral episodes that you've
(15:28):
been on, and I know we'vechatted about it, but you've
mentioned that shopping was kindof a coping mechanism and
spending money, and I'm sureit's still probably something
that you struggle with.
I know I've struggled withcertain things, still, even
being deaf free, even being deaffree for this many years, is
still something you gotta thinkabout and make sure you're
you're not letting it kind ofseep through the cracks and get
(15:48):
at you, right?
Like I like to spend money whenI get bored, and I know if I
get bored, I'm gonna spendmoney, right?
So I have to keep myself busy.
But you had mentioned you havethis shopping coping mechanism
when things get stressful, youshop, you spend money.
Can you talk about yourrelationship with that now
versus when you first startedand how that's improved over the
years?
Paige (16:07):
So, yeah, when I first started, my shopping addiction
was really bad.
Actually, out of that $51, uh$553 I paid, probably $10,000 of
it was probably shopping money.
It was pretty bad.
And actually, I think whatstarted it to help me like it
(16:30):
the behavior module was huge.
But I think the other thingthat really helped me was when
we were doing the weeklychallenges, and it was the
declutter month.
Brad Nelson (16:42):
Oh, yeah.
Paige (16:42):
Um that one that one helped me tremendously.
I was literally so focused ontrying to find anything in the
house that I literally couldsell.
I was like, I don't need thisanymore.
And also now that I'm debtfree, I'm gonna try to get a
place of my own, but every placeis so expensive.
So if I want to get a place ofmy own, it's probably only gonna
(17:05):
be like a one or two bedroom.
And right now I'm living in athree-bedroom house, like with a
basement and all that.
I need to get rid of a lot ofstuff.
So I was really focused ondoing that.
And I told myself, because Ispent all that money in debt
buying that stuff, that I wouldput every single penny of the
(17:29):
money that I sold.
So every time I sold something,I would put that amount of
money into my savings, and thenonce I got my savings built up
to a certain amount, I would payit towards my debt.
So I didn't keep any of themoney from the stuff I was
selling, I put it all towards mydebt.
So the combination of theselling and the dog sitting, and
(17:50):
then my full-time job was how Iwas able to pay off all that
amount.
Brad Nelson (17:56):
Yeah, that's one thing I will definitely give you
tons of credit on is over thelast two years in uh eight
months, is that you were doing alot.
Like you're selling stuff, andI also want to talk to you a
little bit about the whole dogsituation you have, not just
your dogs, but you have thislittle side gig that you do, and
you've made some considerablygood money at it.
And what I like about it is itworked for you, and you found a
(18:18):
way to make money at it, and youuse that money to pay off your
debt.
So, can you talk a little bitabout what you decided to do
outside of your normal job?
Paige (18:26):
Yeah, so I decided to do dog sitting.
I have a major passion fordogs.
Obviously, I love my threedogs, but I also love just dog
sitting other people's dogs.
And I've had the dog sittingbusiness for probably well,
since I was 16 and I'm 27 now.
So I've had it for a while, butI wasn't really focused on
(18:51):
building new clients and doingit monthly and stuff like that.
I would just do it when theyneeded me, but then I decided
that that could be some extraincome to put towards my debt.
So I also made a commitment tomyself that all the money I was
making from dog sitting would gointo my savings and it would go
towards my debt.
(19:12):
I would not spend any of it onshopping, I would not spend any
of it on bowling.
It just automatically wentstraight into my savings and
then it went to my debt.
But like I said, now it'sdifferent because I I'm
currently dog sitting at a housein Alton and they paid me $700
(19:33):
and I get to keep all of it.
It's completely different thanwhat I normally have to do
because normally I have to putit in my savings and then it
would go to my debt.
Brad Nelson (19:41):
So and now you get to keep it for yourself.
Now, can I just ask quicklywhen you charge $700, is that
just for like a week or how manydays do you are you there?
Paige (19:48):
So it depends.
Basically, if you have twodogs, it's $60 a day.
And then if you have three,it's $75 a day, and then if you
have four, it's a hundreddollars a day.
Uh the ones I'm currentlywatching right now, they have
three dogs and a cat, so fourpets.
So I'm watching them for sevendays.
So yeah.
Brad Nelson (20:09):
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's that's a good chunk ofchange, though.
And you're right.
Now you get to keep that money.
Did you by chance evercalculate how much money you've
made from that business thatyou've put towards your debt?
Paige (20:21):
I believe out of the 51,553, probably around like
30,000 of it was probably fromdog city.
Brad Nelson (20:29):
Wow.
I'm glad you shared that becauseI just want people to think
it's not always just cuttingeverything out of your budget.
Yes, those things definitely dohelp.
But on the other end of it,it's what can you do to create
income-producing activities?
And again, like you'vementioned, you've sold stuff
around your house, you've takenon extra work, and you're
(20:51):
running this side gig.
You've done so many things tohelp you get out of debt.
And I just want to be veryclear with people is this is why
Paige did this, this is how shedid it.
It wasn't that she just got ona budget and magically all this
stuff got paid off.
Yes, that stuff all helps, butit was a combination of a lot of
activity that you've done overthe last several years.
Paige (21:09):
It's very hard for people to do dog sitting as a side gig
because I'm lucky that I livewith my dad.
So when I dog sit for otherpeople's dogs, basically my dad
takes care of my dogs.
Brad Nelson (21:21):
Right.
Paige (21:22):
So I'm able to do it currently, but I also want to
enjoy dog sitting as much as Ican right now because whenever I
move into a place of my own, Iprobably won't be able to dog
sit anymore just because like mydad's not gonna be here
forever, and he's usually mygo-to to watch my dogs.
So sooner or later, I'mprobably gonna have to not be
(21:46):
able to dog sit anymore.
But I'm enjoying it while I canright now because I I have my
dad to watch my dogs.
And it it wouldn't be aproblem.
Like I people ask me, why don'tyou dog sit in your own house?
And I always tell people, Isaid, the reason I can't dog sit
in my own house is because ofmy dog Ruby.
(22:06):
She is dog reactive.
Any dog she does not know now,she will attack because she's
worried they will attack her.
And basically I took her to adog therapist and everything,
and they told me there'sliterally nothing you could do
for her, just love, love on herand give her all the attention
she can get.
She was very special becauseshe was my first foster.
(22:27):
She was my first foster and Ifailed and kept her, which I
don't regret in any way.
But like I said, I can't do dogsitting at home because of her.
Brad Nelson (22:38):
Right, right.
Well, and I think what you'repointing out though is that not
like dog sitting doesn't workfor everybody, but there is
opportunities out there based onyour current life and based on
your current life situation.
Everyone's situation is goingto be a little bit different.
And sometimes I think thinkingoutside the box in this day and
age, all of us have a phone, andthere's so many different
opportunities out there just tomake money on your phone,
(22:59):
whether it be bookkeepingservices or like you said, dog
watching.
And I mean, there's so manydifferent things that people
have done, even in the rootscommunity, just to make some
extra money.
It's incredible.
And again, the reason why Ipoint that out is because it's
played such a significant rolein helping you get out of debt
faster.
Because the faster you get outof debt, the better it is,
right?
That's that's the that's what'sgreat about it.
Paige (23:19):
Well, the thing is, like I also now I don't do it as
often, but I do door dash too.
Um I haven't been door dashingright now because gas is almost
five dollars.
Yeah.
So I I'm not door dashing rightnow, but I also do door dashing
and I used to put that extramoney towards my debt.
(23:40):
Right, right, right.
So I would rather just stickwith dog sitting and like I
said, I have such a huge passionfor dogs, it's just it's
unbelievable.
So that like suits me.
And honestly, it's so mucheasier than working at Amazon.
Like Amazon's such a physicallydemanding job anyway.
(24:01):
It's taken a toll on my body.
I've been there for four yearsnow, and it's taken a toll.
And so when I dog sit, I don'thave to work as much.
Like next month, for example,I'm always busier in the
summertime.
It's always been that way withpet sitting.
People like to travel in thesummertime.
(24:21):
Next month, I'm pretty muchfull almost fully booked.
I think I'm gone from my housefor a week and a half, and then
I'm home for two days, and thenI start pet sitting again, and
I'm gone for a week and a half,and then I'm home for two days.
So, you know.
Brad Nelson (24:37):
Well, that's the cool part now is that now that
you don't have any more debt,you don't really care to work at
Amazon.
Now you have opportunities tosay, what does Paige want to do
next?
Right?
You have bills to pay, you havethings to still pay for, you
still have someresponsibilities, but not nearly
as much when you're having topay off credit card debt and all
this other debt and all theseother payments.
So you don't have a car paymentanymore.
(24:58):
And it frees up and gives youthe opportunity to now look at
all of your options.
And you can say, Hey, I don'treally care for this work
anymore.
I really enjoy doing this overhere.
And I'm not saying it happensovernight, but you can also
start to explore opportunitiesof how can I get more into this
work and replace the income overat Amazon and now be able to do
more of the things that I love.
And that is what financialfreedom ultimately gives you is
(25:22):
more choices, more options, moreflexibility because you're just
not suffocating from all thosepayments anymore.
Paige (25:28):
Well, and that's the thing, and I probably will stay
at Amazon probably for the restof my life, just because I'm
never gonna find another jobthat does VTO, which is
voluntary time off, and PTO andvacation, and VET, which is
voluntary extra time, and thenthey do shift swaps and shift
(25:48):
covers.
Like today, I did a shiftcover, so I don't have to go to
work today.
Like I was supposed to worktoday, and I did a shift cover
because I had bullying tonightand I don't want to work before
bullying because I don't want tohurt myself before bullying.
So I'm like, I'm just gonna doa shift cover.
I will never find another jobthat's like that, especially a
dog boarding job, because I'veworked at a lot of dog boarding
facilities, and it's very hardto get a day off at a dog
(26:13):
boarding facility.
So I will probably stay atAmazon, but I don't have to
overwork myself anymore.
Some weeks, if I want, I onlyhave to work 20 hours.
You know, I don't have to workmy normal 30-hour shift.
When I was getting my debt paidoff, I was working sometimes
50, 60 hour weeks just to putthe extra money towards my debt.
(26:33):
Now I don't have to worry aboutthat anymore.
So I can get to a point where Iliterally, especially when I'm
dog sitting, I would rather behome with the dogs.
So I could just say, you knowwhat, I'm just not gonna go to
work today.
Brad Nelson (26:46):
Yeah.
Paige (26:46):
You know what I mean?
Brad Nelson (26:48):
So what's the next steps for you?
You know, now that you'redebt-free, like what are you
what are you gonna focus onnext, do you think?
Paige (26:55):
I do want to get a place, um preferably closer to work,
but like I said, it's veryexpensive.
It's probably gonna take me awhile.
I have tons of trips coming upthis year.
This month we're going toIndianapolis for the party
animals, the banana ball game.
Yeah, and then and we're doingthat.
(27:16):
And then next month, we don'thave anything because I'm booked
with dog sitting, but thenJuly, I'm more open and
flexible.
So July, I have the banana ballgame, the firefighters against
the Savannah Bananas in Chicago.
So we're going up there, andthen in August, I have the St.
Louis banana ball game, thehome game of the bananas versus
(27:39):
the coconuts.
So we're going to that game.
And then September we have ourtrip to Cedar Point in Sandusky,
Ohio.
Because my boyfriend said tome, He's like, now that you're
debt-free, he's like, Where doyou want to go?
What's the one place that youwant to go that you haven't been
able to go to because you'vebeen in so much debt?
(27:59):
And I said, I have not gone toCedar Point since 2019.
I want to go back to CedarPoint.
So we're going to go to CedarPoint, but we're also going to
go watch my party animals playout there that same week in
Ohio.
And then in uh October, I haveto go to Tennessee for my
brother's wedding.
Brad Nelson (28:19):
So you got a lot of stuff coming up, but a lot of
fun.
Paige (28:23):
Yeah, I know a lot of trips, a lot of trips.
So um, that's why I alreadyhave 300 in my Tennessee fund
and 400 in my Cedar Point fundbecause I'm like, I've got to
get these funds built up.
Brad Nelson (28:34):
Yeah.
Paige (28:35):
But after that, I'm I am going to just try to save some
money up to get a place.
That's that's my all-time goal.
Brad Nelson (28:43):
I love that you're taking some time, like I said,
to have some fun.
Sometimes one of the mistakesthat we can make is going right
to the next goal and focus,focus, focus, focus.
And all these little trips andall these little things are
little goals, but they're fun.
And you deserve to have severalmonths of fun because of all
the hard work that you've putin.
And I hope you get to enjoy allof those experiences.
And that's the cool part aboutit.
It's not stuff, it'sexperiences, which I think is
(29:05):
great, which is just going tocreate a lot of memories for
you.
So, last question before I letyou go today, Paige, is this is
that if you had to go back andmeet you again two years or
yeah, two years, eight monthsago, and give them one piece of
advice.
What would you say now, havinggone through all of this over
the last couple of years?
What's one piece of advice thatyou would share with yourself?
Paige (29:27):
I would have told myself to start sooner instead of
instead of just listening to allthose podcasts of the first
three or four months.
I should have just startedimmediately.
But I was kind of questioningit, and I was only questioning
it because I have signed up forother stuff in the past to help
get my debt paid off, and itjust didn't work.
(29:47):
And so I was kind ofquestioning it a little bit.
So that's why I listened toyour podcast first.
And I just wish I startedsooner.
That's my biggest regret is Iwish I started sooner.
But like I said, my goal was tobe debt-free before May.
I got debt free before May.
So yep.
So there.
(30:07):
So now, yeah, that that's justmy biggest regret, though.
Like I wish I started sooner.
And I know a lot of people saythat because I've listened to a
lot of your podcasts, and a lotof them say, We I wish we
started sooner.
Brad Nelson (30:19):
Well, once you once you get on something that
works, it's man, I wish I wouldhave just started sooner, right?
Because it works, you know, andit it takes a little time.
I know it it took you sometime.
There were some times where youhad some doubt.
I'm going through a lot ofstuff in my life, and this isn't
going right, and this isn'tgoing right.
You and you feel like you wantto quit.
And I would just keepencouraging you, just keep at
it, keep at it.
Eventually, things will startfalling your way.
(30:40):
And here we are, two years,eight months later, and you're
completely debt-free.
Uh, I just want to say hugecongratulations, T.
I'm so, so proud of you, anduh, you've come so far.
You should be very proud ofyourself.
And at 27 years young, you havea whole life to live now.
And man, what an amazingopportunity you've created for
(31:01):
yourself by putting in thesecouple years of hard work.
Paige (31:04):
I know.
I remember my first podcast,the title says how this
24-year-old.
So, yeah, so that was that'sjust huge.
And like I said, I'm excitednow because this month I
budgeted $500 for bowling thismonth, and like it's not gonna
hurt me, you know what I mean?
I'm able, even though I onlyhave one dog sitting booking
(31:24):
this whole month, like if I haveto, I could work extra hours at
Amazon, right?
But it's not gonna hurt me, youknow what I mean?
I have $500 for bowling, and Idon't even think I'm gonna spend
that in bowling this month.
Brad Nelson (31:37):
So yeah, awesome.
Thanks for joining us againtoday.
I know for sure anyone who'slistening to this, I'm sure
you've encouraged them to getmoving and hopefully prove to
them like, hey, this stuff'sstill possible for everyone
that's out there.
You just got to put in some ofthe work, and you've proven that
it does work.
So thanks so much for beinghere today, Paige.
I appreciate it.
Paige (31:55):
No problem, and it's because of you, Brad.
I couldn't have done thiswithout you.
I appreciate that.
Your help has been tremendous.
Brad Nelson (32:04):
Yeah, I appreciate that.
These are the most fun episodesthat we do.
It's just all the work that weput in to help you guys out and
to have someone come in and seethat it's worked for them so
well.
It's it's my favorite part ofwhat we do, and so uh it's
awesome just to be able to seeyou do it.
And I I told you you'd getthere one day, and here you are,
and uh it's it's so awesome.
Paige (32:22):
I know, I still remember those old messages that we were
messing back and forth, and Itold you I don't think I can do
this, and you know, just goingback and forth, and you kept
motivating me, and I was like, Idon't think I'm gonna be able
to pay it off, and then here Iam.
Brad Nelson (32:37):
Yep.
Yep, awesome.
Well, I'm excited for you.
I'm excited to see what's next,and glad you're gonna stick
around to roots so we can seethat.
But again, thanks so much forbeing here.
All right, guys.
Now, if you are someone likePaige who's just getting
started, you're ready to breakfree from living paycheck to
paycheck.
You want to reduce financialstress, you want to build
savings, finally pay off yourdebt for good, just like Paige
talked about here on today'sepisode.
(32:57):
Again, but maybe you're notquite sure where to get started.
Well, don't worry, we've gotyou covered.
Simplify my money is sent toyou each and every Sunday to
your email.
And uh simplify your money,simplify your money is just a
step-by-step roadmap to uh helpyou with better financial
control.
You're also gonna learn someeasy-to-follow strategies to
help you manage your money moreeffectively.
(33:17):
It's gonna help you makestress-free money decisions.
These stress-free moneydecisions are gonna help
simplify your financial lifewith proven tips that actually
work, and you're gonna gain thetools and confidence to tackle
your financial goals head on.
If you'd like to sign up forSimplify My Money, all you gotta
do is click on the link at thetop of the show notes or head
over to debtfreedad.com, andwe're happy to get you on our
(33:39):
newsletter list.
Hey guys, thanks for joining uson today's episode, and we will
see you guys on the next show.
Announcer (33:51):
Thanks for listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast.
Connect with us on Facebook,TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.
Just search Debt Free Dad.
If you found value in today'sepisode, please leave us a
rating and review.
We so appreciate it.
For resources, show notes, andlinks mentioned in today's show,
visit debtfreedad.com.
(34:11):
Catch you next week.
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.