May 26, 2026 • 40 mins
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What happens when you finally get tired of the stress, the payments, and wondering where all your money went?
In this episode, Brad sits down with Sonya Kunz, who paid off more than $90,000 in debt after joining Roots in 2022. Since then, she became debt free, built a strong savings account, and even turned a side hustle into her own business.
Sonya shares the mindset shifts that changed everything for her, including overcoming emotional spending, using sinking funds, breaking free from paycheck-to-paycheck living, and learning how to think differently about money. She also opens up about marriage, raising kids, financial habits passed down from parents, and how debt freedom created opportunities she never imagined possible.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed by debt or wondered if real financial change is possible, this episode will leave you inspired and motivated to keep going.
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Episode Transcript
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Brad Nelson (00:00):
Hey guys, so today we are going to be talking with
Sonia Koons about her incrediblejourney from debt stress to
financial freedom.
Check this out.
Since 2022, she's paid off over$90,000 of debt, became
debt-free in December of 2025,and has already built her
savings to tens of thousands ofdollars, which is amazing.
(00:22):
Now, in this episode, we'regoing to be diving into the
mindset shifts, the sacrifices,the habits that helped her
completely change her financiallife over the last three and a
half to four years whilebalancing things like work,
family, and even starting herown business.
Now, if you're looking for somemotivation and proof that this
is all possible, you're going tolove this conversation.
Announcer (00:46):
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,
(01:08):
tricks, and practical advice togain financial freedom.
Brad Nelson (01:13):
Hey guys, welcome to today's show.
My name is Brad Nelson.
I'm the founder of Debt FreeDad.
I paid off about $45,000 ofdebt.
I've been debt-free now outsideof my mortgage for over 13
years now.
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 DebtFree Dad.
Now, after listening to thisepisode, if you're ready to take
(01:34):
things to the next level,hopefully, and I know it's going
to, Sonia's uh journey is goingto motivate you.
And maybe you're ready to breakfree from living paycheck to
paycheck like she was.
Maybe you want to reducefinancial stress, build your
savings, finally pay off yourdebt for good.
But maybe you're like a lot ofpeople out there, you're just
not sure where to get started.
It's stressful, right?
Well, we've created someincredible free resources for
(01:55):
you here at Defree Dad, and I'llbe sharing some details of how
you can get some of those lateron in today's episode.
As I said, our guest today isSonia.
Now she's a wife, a mom ofthree adult children, now ages
24, 22, and 20, and also a proudowner of two very spoiled Shih
Tzu puppies, who she jokinglysays they are spoiled even more
(02:18):
so than the kids these days,right?
I know how that goes.
We got three dogs ourselves.
Sonia has worked as a projectmanager for the past 15 years,
including several years livingabroad in Germany.
She's also been an Airbnb hostnow for the last four years and
recently became the owner of asmall furniture refinishing
business, which I can't wait totalk to her about this in her
(02:38):
hometown of Lidditz, known asone of America's coolest small
towns.
So hey Sonia, welcome back tothe Deaf for Dead podcast.
So glad to have you.
Sonya (02:48):
Hi, Brad.
Thanks for having me.
I'm doing great.
It's the weekend.
Brad Nelson (02:53):
Absolutely.
It's Friday as we're recordingthis.
I mentioned in your intro, andyou're going to be talking a
little bit about how you starteda business.
And man, just managing thatplus life, it can it can be a
lot.
But today you're here to talk alittle bit and give us an
update on your journey.
You were back here on episode,I think it was 152.
Sonya (03:09):
And I think I was three months into the program.
Brad Nelson (03:13):
Yeah, yeah.
So take us back a little bitbecause obviously it's been some
time since you've been on theshow and you did join Roots, but
I want to kind of what causedyou to join Roots or what was
going on in your life back in2022 before you went on this
journey over the last three anda half, four years?
Sonya (03:29):
Yeah.
So I would say my entire life,I've never been good with money.
I've always lived outside mymeans and spent more than I make
living on credit cards.
I don't really know what theexact point was, but living that
day in and day out getsexhausting.
And there was something aboutthe amount of debt I had at that
(03:53):
time and the money that I make,which is pretty good.
And then we decided to getpuppies.
And of course, I didn't havethe amount.
I didn't have that money forthe puppies.
And there was something aboutthat moment where I was like,
okay, I made an excuse or reasonthat I could afford these
puppies and all the expense thatcomes around it, but I don't
(04:16):
have that same money to puttowards actually getting out of
debt and just living a differentlifestyle.
I don't know.
There was just, I think it wasall compiling to a certain point
and it just kind of clicked forme.
And I had came across, I think,your Facebook and then
eventually maybe TikTok.
I'm not sure what it was.
(04:37):
And yeah, I thought, what theheck?
If I can spend money onsomething else that I really
don't need, why not try to spendmoney on a program that might
actually benefit me in the longrun?
And if it doesn't, then youknow, it was just another
attempt.
But for me, it's a very simpleprogram and it's flexible to
(04:58):
tailor the way that you need itto in your lifestyle.
And it's not constraining,whereas maybe some of the other
programs that you've talkedabout on your show are so
constraining that maybe it failsbecause it doesn't work for
you.
Brad Nelson (05:12):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Before we get into like rootsand some of the maybe some of
the highlights there that reallyhelped you the most, I can you
share a little bit just with theaudience, just so they get an
understanding.
Like what kind of you youmentioned you had some
overspending issues and likewhat kinds of debts were you
dealing with before you started?
Like, did you have a mixture ofthings?
Was it one thing, or what werewe looking at?
Sonya (05:30):
I did.
So outside of a mortgage, I hada car and not a terribly
expensive car, but still was acar payment.
Brad Nelson (05:37):
Yeah.
Sonya (05:37):
Loads of credit card debt or zero financing.
It's always been credit carddebt.
I've been a master attransferring one debt to the
next.
Brad Nelson (05:48):
Um I have well, we're on we're part of the same
team.
I used to do that.
Sonya (05:52):
You know, so yeah, a lot of credit card, you know.
Brad Nelson (05:56):
In your relationship, was this an issue?
Did it cause stress on yourrelationship?
Sonya (06:01):
All the debt, like were there things like my husband and
I are complete opposite.
Okay.
He's never had debt, he's not abudgeter.
He knows in his head what hemakes and what he needs and what
the bills are.
And that was never an issue.
So I would say we've beenmarried 25 years now.
(06:22):
I would say most of the earlyyears, there was a lot of fights
around, you know, financial,whether it was just overspending
or no communication in majorpurchases, something of that
sort.
Brad Nelson (06:36):
So I'm sure there's a lot of people out there that
can relate.
Money and personal financeissues and fights and arguments
are one of the leading causes ofsplits and divorces.
And it is, it's just somethingthat the money is just a
constant thing, whether it'sjust in your own personal life,
but also it affects not onlyyour relationships, but affects
your parenting, it affects yourcareer.
You mentioned you were feelingthe stress.
I mean, where you are today,like what's the difference
(06:58):
between when you started 2022versus where you're at here in
the middle of May of 2026?
Sonya (07:04):
The biggest difference for me is I still am budgeting,
I still look at my account.
I've laxed a little bit whereI'm not looking at it every day,
maybe every week, but the mostwonderful feeling is opening my
bank account a week after oreven a day after payday.
(07:24):
And there's still money inthere.
Yeah.
That the transactions are notcoming out every day because
they don't have all of the themonthly payments on whatever
debt.
So that's the greatest feelingis actually, you know, seeing
um, and surprises come along,and we I just had some, the
budget to a certain degreematching your account on a daily
(07:46):
basis.
That that's relieving.
Brad Nelson (07:48):
It's huge.
You can't you just can't put aprice on that, you know.
Yeah.
And we talk about that all thetime.
It's not just about the math,it's not about the numbers.
And you have, I mean, you havesome amazing savings numbers
now, and we'll talk a little bitabout that coming up, but it's
really that just you can breathea little bit, you know.
It's not life still can bedifficult at times and it can
still be stressful financially,even paying off your debt.
(08:09):
But it it's not nearly what itwas when you're trying to juggle
off.
Sonya (08:12):
It is, and you talked about influences, and my I've my
kids are in their 20s now, butthey know I've been on this
journey, and to a certaindegree, my husband and has kind
of joked with me along the waybecause he's not a budgeter, so
that's a weird term for him.
Brad Nelson (08:28):
Right.
Sonya (08:29):
Two or three of my children are very good with
their money, and my daughter islike a mirror to me in my 20s,
and so at first she was and partof the maturity, she was not
open to listening to anythingabout the financial skills or
just trying to strengthen whereshe needs to be, but she's still
(08:51):
in college and we still supporther 100%.
But in the last years withmaturity, she's and living on
her own.
She lives off campus and shehas to pay her rent.
She has been open to trying tounderstand.
And the biggest thing that I'mtrying to teach her is that it
is a horrible feeling to livepaycheck to paycheck if you
(09:12):
don't have to.
Yeah.
So I think she still has a verylong journey to get there, but
she's come a ways and she's atleast receptive to listening to
me.
So the semester just ended.
And I said, okay, now we needto sit down and kind of have a
plan for summer because and thereason that she pays her rent is
because she spends her money assoon as it gets into her
(09:33):
account.
So I'm not going to take myhard-earned effort and pay for
your schooling when you arecapable.
Brad Nelson (09:41):
Right.
Sonya (09:42):
Yeah, there's no no better medicine than a little
bit.
Brad Nelson (09:45):
Yeah, right.
Yeah, there's no bettermedicine than a slap of real
life.
You know, that's kind ofprobably what she's
experiencing.
I have a son, he's 16, gonna be17 in December.
He's gonna be a junior nextyear.
And as his dad, he's got a job.
I've been talking to him aboutthis stuff, and it's the same
thing.
He's like, I do this for aliving, and he's the eye rolls
and whatever, you know.
Eventually he'll learn realquick.
Sonya (10:06):
Yeah.
Brad Nelson (10:07):
Sometimes life is the lesson.
Sonya (10:09):
And even my son, who is now working full-time and still
trying to find his path.
But I talked to them about wethey're not really adulting at
the moment that we're stillcovering a lot of the bills.
Try to get these skills underwraps before you actually have
to start paying and finding itout the hard way.
Yeah, yeah.
Brad Nelson (10:28):
Even something is simple when you got teenage
kids.
Like um, he's just about to gethis license.
And I'm telling him, you'relike, You're paying for your
insurance, you're gonna startpaying for half your cell phone
bill, you're gonna start payingfor like he's got an X Xbox
subscription for his gamingsystem, you're paying for that.
I'm not doing that anymore.
And sometimes they feel like,oh, that's a I'm being punished.
No, you're being taughtresponsibility because when you
(10:50):
get to real life, yeah, I mean,you you have to pay this stuff,
you have to learn to budget, youhave to make sure that you've
got enough money in youraccount.
Those are all just easy thingsthat you can do.
And as parents, like you mightfeel bad.
Oh, I'm punishing my kid, butwhat you're really doing is
getting them prepared for whatthe rest of their life's gonna
look like.
Sonya (11:04):
And I had one parent that was very good with money and
didn't actually make a lot.
I am amazed what my mother hasdone with the amount of money
she makes.
She's a school bus driver,she's always been a school bus
driver, she doesn't make much.
And my dad, on the other hand,and my parents are now divorced
as well.
A lot of it was because thefinancial piece of it who made
(11:24):
really good money, and somehow Itended to take after him of
spending and living the samekind of lifestyle that he did.
So definitely there's aninfluence that you have on your
children.
I'm not saying that's 100%, butthere's a portion of it comes
along with it.
Brad Nelson (11:40):
For sure.
Yeah.
And I mean, like if my son goesand does that, I know where he
gets it from.
I'm a spender, I know that.
Like I have to fight againstmyself in this.
It's not like I'm perfect atthis by any means, even being
debt-free now for 13 plus years.
And you can probably talk tothat a little bit is you still
have the habits that come backand rear their ugly head every
once in a while, and you stillgot to battle that stuff.
It's human, right?
Sonya (12:00):
But I think there's at least for me, I think everybody
might take something differentout of your program.
But the things that reallychanged my habits outside of the
program, I think also aging,maybe not needing as many
materialistic things as much asI don't really, I don't have fun
shopping anymore, or I feellike I don't need, but I
(12:24):
recognize through your programthat the emotional spending is
where I was falling, you know,there for whatever reasons, that
was kind of what was making mefeel good at the moment, right?
So I recognize that wassomething that was affecting me.
Yeah.
And then we talked about justnot living paycheck to paycheck.
(12:47):
The concept of sinking funds issomething that I have just
embraced, and it is part of mybudget, like it's a monthly
bill.
Yeah, there have been timeswhere I've had to maybe reduce
or eliminate like the Christmasfund.
I would say the end of lastyear, just the way that the year
was going, that completely gotcanceled for a few months.
(13:10):
But car insurance, I nevertouch it.
So I pay my premium every sixmonths, and that money goes into
an account just like I'm payingmy insurance on a monthly
basis.
Brad Nelson (13:22):
Yeah.
Sonya (13:22):
So I do the Christmas fund and then I also have a pet
fund, whether it's their annualvisit or something is coming up.
Though those are my three, andof course, your emergency fund.
Brad Nelson (13:33):
Right.
Um, so uh yeah, I want to Iwant to come back to the sinking
funds, but you said somethinginteresting about shopping is no
longer fun.
You don't necessarily feel likeyou need all the stuff that you
used to need or feel like youneeded.
Can you talk a little bit aboutthe mindset shift there?
Because someone might thinkabout, well, I love shopping.
I don't want to give upshopping.
What what's different now isversus before?
Sonya (13:57):
I think it's knowing that if I don't have the money, of
course, if I if there'ssomething I really want and I'm
budgeting for it, or now thatI'm debt-free, and I think you
it you talked about this onetime, you might slip a little
bit and maybe you have to reduceout of your emergency fund or
something where it wasn't reallyplanned, but the money is
(14:18):
there.
So when I think about, okay,now that I have the money, or if
I don't have the money, what'sthe consequence of spending at
that moment?
Is it now that I have $100extra on my credit card that I
have to pay off that wasn'tplanned?
That's $100 further from mygoal when I was paying off debt,
(14:39):
or is it $100 less now that isgoing into my savings or another
sinking fund for something thatI really want?
So I just tend to think aboutit more.
And then I'm not always thegreatest, but the impulse
shopping too is just letting itsit and saying, okay, you know,
let's just revisit it tomorrow.
(15:00):
And that's something that my mydaughter that I've been trying
to help her with.
She's very impulsive by usingthat 24-hour rule.
That one I didn't ever have toutilize too much, but I think it
was just the stress of knowing,you know.
Yeah.
So I kind of go through thatneed or want.
Sure, and how I guess I'm ableto gauge how I feel from that
(15:22):
transaction a little bit better,rather than living in the
moment and feeling what I'mfeeling.
Brad Nelson (15:27):
Yeah.
I want to talk a little bitabout roots because obviously,
in the very beginning, the oneof the very first modules and
things that we have everyone gothrough is not even really
related to budgeting or savingor anything like that.
It's all about behavior,habits, choices, really
developing like a reason or awhy of why you want to get out
of debt.
And you said something whereyou mentioned where you think
(15:50):
about things differently now.
Did that play a role in thatand really thinking forward of
like, this is where I am inlife.
I'm not happy with where I amfinancially.
I want to go here.
Has that helped?
Like just really figuring outlike where you want to go, where
you want to be.
You open up your business.
How did that play a role?
Because some people look atfinances on a surface surface
level of it's just math andnumbers, but it really does dive
(16:11):
a lot deeper because it's moneyis the tool that can help you
build that life.
Sonya (16:15):
You've highlighted it doesn't matter where you are in
your salary range, right?
You can be your definition ofsuccessful and still be horribly
in financial debt.
For me, I recognize I makepretty good money.
I shouldn't have to live likethis.
But the other caveat to that isthat if you don't have debt, it
(16:39):
allows you opportunity.
So if you have cash on hand andyou have the opportunity to buy
something, whether it's a greatdeal, something that you
wanted, but or just wanting todo something else, I have that.
I think it was the opportunityalso.
If I was in the position, Iwould be able to make different
(16:59):
choices.
And as maybe we'll get into,that's kind of led to my side
gig turning into more of apassion into a small business.
Brad Nelson (17:10):
Yeah.
And I love that you brought upthat that word opportunity,
because it is all about that.
You mentioned like you wereyou're thinking about that with
purchases.
Is it an eater or want?
And it's all about thinkingabout the opportunity cost.
Yes, I can say yes to thistoday.
But if I say yes to this, I'malso saying no to ever to some
other things, like a biggersavings, a larger emergency
fund, or I'm saying no to thethings I really want because I
(17:31):
want to be spontaneous or youknow, make an emotional
purchase.
And it's just sometimes takingthat real quick, just a few
seconds of what is theopportunity cost of this
purchase?
But there's also an opportunitycost of making the right
decisions because now thatyou've made all these right
decisions, and I want to talkabout this because last episode
we had a page on, and Paige,she's a roots member, she just
recently became debt-free, andshe talks about how she turned
(17:53):
her passion of animals into dogsitting and pet watching, and it
was a huge contribution to herpaying off debt within the last
two and a half years.
And now you started a businessas a side hustle.
So let's talk about that.
You got into this opportunityof doing what?
Because I think this is socool.
Sonya (18:07):
Yeah, we coincidentally bought our house right before
COVID.
And one of the first projects Itook on in my house threw me
into woodworking.
And then also getting into someFacebook groups, I started
building desks because everybodyneeded desk at home.
And I had did some furniturerefinishing in the past just for
personal use, but then thatstarted going into I started
(18:28):
refinishing furniture.
And outside of then trying tomake extra money prior to Roots,
which probably wasn't reallygoing to debt, it was just being
spent somewhere, um, or backinto products and tools that I
thought I needed to do thathobby.
But then when I started Roots,you had talked about the
(18:50):
crafting that you were doing orjust different ideas to generate
additional income.
And so I really kind of tookthat as a way to make extra
income.
Now, a year prior to startingmy business, knowing that I was
going to take it to the nextlevel, I stopped utilizing that
(19:11):
money to pay off debt and justlet it sit into an account to
just build up knowing what wascoming.
So I guess you could call thatkind of a different sinking fund
away.
But yeah, so I refinishfurniture, but because I do
small woodworking, I also makethings, but it allows me the
opportunity to make repairs tofurniture if I need to.
(19:33):
In 2024, I decided to take itfrom a side hustle and
officially make it into a soleproprietorship.
Came up with a name.
And then I met another woman inmy area that has a small
business.
And she has, I've told her shehad an impact on me, but it was
just conversational-wise, seeingthat she had a small business a
(19:57):
little bit different than whatI'm doing.
And I thought, you know, Ishould take mine to the next
level.
That's when I had officiallycreated it in August 2024.
And then again, the opportunityportion is I end up going into
a small, the town we live in hasa lot of small shops, and it
tends to be a touristdestination to some degree.
(20:17):
We live in Amish Country,Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
And one of the shops wasselling the furniture paint that
I wanted to start using.
And I had gone into there, andthen she needed somebody to
refinish her big, bigger piecesbecause she was older and was
having health issues.
And then not long after that,she wanted to retire.
And she said, Are youinterested in buying my
(20:39):
business?
And essentially, outside of thefurniture portion, it's she has
a lot of different products,but gift shop and whatnot.
And at first, I was like,that's not really the vision I
had.
And I started helping her andthen realizing, well, there's
diversity here.
Not everybody is coming inlooking for furniture.
And so I decided, what theheck?
So, in preparation a yearbefore taking over, or six
(21:01):
months, a year in preparation ofokay, I'm now gonna be a brick
or mortar, but then changing upfrom sole proprietorship and to
LLC and rebranding.
And yeah, so all of that kindof sinking fund that I was
building up in my furniture areawas going to all my startup
costs.
Now I will say I'm debt-free ona personal level, but I am not
(21:25):
debt-free on the business.
And essentially I bought all ofher inventory, which was still
a really great deal.
Yeah.
But along with all of that, Iwas able to take her numbers and
do forecasting and use that forwhat is my first, second, third
year going to look like, givenher numbers.
(21:45):
And what can I do differently?
What do I think that I canimprove upon on what she did?
But the good news is I keepthat all separate from my
personal and it's doing great.
And then we're picking upmomentum.
And yeah, I'm still working myday job.
So I Haven't quit that.
So I do have a staff and it's alot to manage, but that's kind
of my personality, anyways.
(22:06):
And I'm hoping one day I canwalk away from my main job.
Brad Nelson (22:10):
Yeah.
How awesome.
Would you ever have thoughtthree and a half years ago that
this is where you would be?
No, absolutely not.
Sonya (22:17):
Right.
Brad Nelson (22:18):
It's incredible.
I get the awesome opportunityto be able to talk to amazing
people like you who have gonethrough this journey, and
people's responses to that areall the same.
It's like I just never wouldhave imagined how much my life
would have changed by doingthis.
And that's why we're sopassionate about here, because
again, it's not just aboutnumbers, but this stuff truly
does this.
It changes your life.
And it's you just never know,like you said, you probably
(22:39):
never would have imagined thatyou're in the spot that you're
in now, but it's all because youtook these little steps along
the way and these doors keptopening for you.
Things continuously got better,and the opportunities now are
presenting themselves, which isand I projected when I wanted my
debt paid off.
Sonya (22:54):
So I paid it in December 2025, knowing I was taking over
mid-January.
When I contemplated how I wasspending that last funding of
extra money coming in, do I payit off?
Do I put it into the business?
And ultimately I thought, okay,I don't want to take out some
(23:16):
extra debt on my business, but Iwould really just like to not
have to worry about anything onmy personal side.
That is all done.
Yeah, you know, and so I'm gladI did that.
And I absolutely do not have toworry about any personal debt,
and I'm focusing on buildingemergency funds up.
And I did take some of theextra money and I did put that
(23:38):
in the business, but I keeptrack of all that.
And at the end of the year,it's all going under the same
tax income for me as well.
So it's just a matter of whereyou push the numbers.
Brad Nelson (23:48):
Yeah.
Yeah, it's incredible.
So we're probably having peoplelistening to this show right
now that are either wanting toget started, they're interested
in getting out of debt, orthey're on their journey.
But if you had to go back andstart all the way over back in
2022, and you know, you joinedRoots, what do you feel made the
biggest impact on you,especially early on?
We had you on in your first, Ithink, three or four months.
Sonya (24:09):
And yeah, I think it was three months.
Brad Nelson (24:11):
Yeah, you had paid off over $13,000, I think.
And you took off right away.
Because people are probablylike, Well, how did she pay off
over $90,000?
And and you saved what now inin sinking funds now since
December.
Sonya (24:24):
Yeah, I think I had told you had literally about $20,000.
And part of that was my I getmy bonus in January, and I had
some other money, and I've takena good portion of that and I've
kind of put that into thebusiness, but it was there, and
that's how I chose to spend it,and I'm building my savings back
(24:44):
up again.
I would say if I could go back,I guess your question is how do
you criticize somebody to maybetake the step?
Yeah.
Brad Nelson (24:51):
If you're just getting started, what do you
feel were those first thingsthat you did that made the
biggest difference, especiallyin those first few months?
Sonya (24:58):
I would say really putting your heart in and being
diligent about the the differentmodules that you have.
So I did all those.
And as you tell your listeners,it's at your own pace.
So there's no you have to keepon schedule.
I was joining the meetings alot of the times and
participating in the challenges.
(25:20):
I would just say if you'retired of living that paycheck,
paycheck, just being open todifferent ideas.
Brad Nelson (25:27):
It's a big one.
Sonya (25:29):
It's a big one.
Yeah, you know, and I mentionedbudgeting.
My husband was just uh talkingto my son because my son's
really into stocks and stufflike that.
And he just makes fun of theword budgeting.
And I said, you know, that'sjust how my brain works, and I
have to do that.
So kind of getting away fromthat mindset and stereotypes of
right.
(25:49):
Um, and I think you've usedanother word, you don't have to
use budget, you know, that'sfull plan.
Brad Nelson (25:54):
Yeah.
Sonya (25:54):
I mean, yeah, it's more or less having a plan for your
money.
Brad Nelson (25:58):
Yeah.
Sonya (25:58):
Because swiping the card, the next thing you know, you're
like, oh my gosh, I spent thatmuch at, you know, I would just
say being open to and doing themodule and joining the meetings,
and you know, towards the end,I didn't join as many meetings
as I did or like because you putthem at nine o'clock Eastern
Standard Time.
Brad Nelson (26:16):
It gets late for me too.
I don't think we had one lastnight, it was eight o'clock our
time, and I'm wiped out by eighto'clock.
Sonya (26:24):
Yeah, but but those are very helpful.
And hearing, I think the otherthing is in in your programming,
you do this very well, ishighlighting people's
achievements.
So seeing what other people aredoing, and sometimes you get
ideas from what others are doingand motivation.
I remember when you had, Idon't remember the couple's
name, it was probably well overa year ago.
(26:47):
And when they reached theirfinancial journey, there was
like, I can't remember that yourname is Laura Lori and Daniel.
It might, yes, I think so.
Yeah, and I was just like, oh,you know, it was like, I want
that.
So that drove me to keep goingas well.
Brad Nelson (27:02):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I think you brought up alot of things.
And I think if you're thecircle you're around when it
comes to this journey, I thinkis really important.
I think that's probably, Imean, yeah, the stuff that we
teach, not to pat ourselves onthe back, is great, right?
It helps a lot of people.
But I think the most importantpart of what we do in Roots or
even here at Defree Dad is thecommunity.
(27:23):
It's getting yourself aroundpeople who are working on a
similar goal or common goals.
Because if you look around you,the majority of people are
living paycheck to paycheck.
The majority of people arestruggling financially, the
majority of people aren't payingattention to their finances.
So it's easy just to fall intothe majority.
And sadly, that's why a lot ofpeople are in the majority.
Sonya (27:39):
Yeah.
I think society too.
Like there's so much marketingthat's driven that you have to
have this type of car, or youhave to have this, or so it's
breaking away from that as well.
And I'll give you just one moreexample.
My son's in the military, hecame home and I let him borrow
my car for the week because he'sunder 25 and it was gonna cost
(28:00):
him a heck of a lot of money torent to rent, yeah.
Lo and behold, an hour afterhe's on the road, a deer jumps
out, hits my car.
Okay, my car's paid off.
It wasn't that much damage, butby the end of the assessment,
they wanted to total the car.
And I'm like, no, like, one, Idon't want another car payment.
(28:20):
Two, mechanically, nothing waswrong with it.
Right.
And I talked to the shop, andbecause I I knew one portion had
this tiny little dent.
I'm like, I don't need a newfender, leave the den.
So I was able to negotiate ordiscuss with the body shop and
then negotiate with theinsurance and say, okay, like I
don't want to total the car.
Being okay with what societytells us, you know.
(28:42):
Any I I had a friend I wastalking about this with, and she
said, you know, any otherperson would have just, or not
person, but nine times out of 10or 90% of the people would have
been like, okay, great, give methe money, I'll go get a new
car.
I want a new car anyways.
Mine's 10 years old.
But it goes back to theopportunity again, right?
Like, I don't want that carpayment.
Right.
I don't even know what it coststhese days for a new car or a
(29:05):
year old car.
Brad Nelson (29:06):
Yeah.
Sonya (29:07):
But I I'm fine, you know.
Brad Nelson (29:10):
Right, right.
Sonya (29:10):
So, yeah, breaking away from that mindset as well.
Right.
Brad Nelson (29:14):
Well, and I think when you go through the journey
like you have, and you've comeas far as you have, and now you
have this amazing opportunity ofopening up your own business.
Like, like I said earlier, thatthe peace of mind, I think, is
what you value more thananything else.
You know, and it and it's sohard to tell people that who are
just getting started becauseyou are so materialistically
driven.
We are as a society, like it'sjust buy more, have more, get
(29:35):
better, have better stuff,compete against your neighbors,
your friends, have a better car.
It's all what we're talkingabout.
You mentioned that with themarketing.
And when you step away fromthat and you just focus on what
truly is important in your life,and for most people, it isn't
even any of this stuff, it'sjust what we're being sold.
You actually realize like peaceof mind is way more valuable
than a payment or a nicerclothes or nicer car, any of
(29:56):
that other stuff.
Sonya (29:57):
Yeah.
And I'm building my savingsaccount.
I completely drained it, whichafter putting whatever in the
business, and we had we owedtaxes this year, wasn't
expecting that.
And then my husband's carneeded some major work at
inspection, which we werecontemplating trading it in
because it's not kind of on itsverge and we're waiting for it
(30:17):
to, but we decided let's get itthrough one more year, let's
save some more money.
So, am I unhappy that I had todrain for two unfund things?
But I also had it and I didn'thave to worry about on a credit
card or something, or putting ona credit card and now I have to
pay it off.
(30:37):
So it's just those unexpected.
I really thought we weregetting money back this tax
year.
And I thought, okay, we knowwe're gonna need work on the
car, so we'll use that.
And that was not the case.
And I'm like, okay, well, thatplan didn't work.
Brad Nelson (30:50):
Yeah.
Um, so with your relationship,you mentioned things were a
little stressful before.
Have you noticed a considerablechange if money is not such a
sore spot anymore?
Sonya (30:58):
Yes.
I mean, there's other factorsthat have changed in the course
of our relationship.
Sure.
The last 10, 12 years, ourroles in financial salaries have
switched.
Right.
He was the breadwinner, now I'mthe breadwinner.
Right.
I know.
That changes the dynamics tosome degree.
(31:19):
But again, I think it also isthe point in our our lives, too,
where we're just not wantingthe same things that we wanted
when we were 20, you know, 15years ago.
Our focus is different.
We're my husband's 52.
I'm almost 50.
So, you know, being more readyfor retirement and where do we
want to go next?
Brad Nelson (31:40):
Yeah, what are the next steps?
Sonya (31:42):
Um, and I think that just happens naturally.
You just kind of hit that ageand your perspectives change
different.
Our kids are now older, sothey're all single or mostly
single, but you know, there'sgonna be a day they're gonna get
married, they're gonna havekids, you know.
So it's like I want to be thatgrandparent, you know.
I don't want to be in debt andnot being able.
(32:03):
My husband's family was my momhelped on non-financial ways
that I could never I'm grateful.
But my husband's grandparentswhen they were alive and his
parents, you know, it was likethe little things they'd go to
the grocery store and they'dpick up things or give us a
hundred dollars or and it waslike I want to be that parent
(32:25):
where I can do that for my kids.
Do they need it?
But when you're starting off inyour 20s, having an extra
hundred dollars to go to thegrocery store, like it it meant
so much, you know.
Yeah, so much things for mykids and grandchildren, right?
Brad Nelson (32:43):
Yeah, I'm doing the same thing.
I I chose to start putting justa little bit of money away from
my kids every single month, andit's not a huge amount between
the two of them.
But now my son's got more moneythan I did probably up until I
was age 33 in a savings account.
He's only 16 years old becauseI've just putting this little
amount in.
And now I'm gonna transfer thatover to him in the sense of he
doesn't get the money yet, butyou're gonna start putting the
(33:05):
money in because I want you tosee how this thing grows, and
that's how you start to teachkids some of this stuff.
And again, you can start outwith just five, 10, 15 bucks a
week, especially as yourfinances improve.
And same, I'm doing the samething for my daughter, and a lot
of people will say, Well, like,don't you feel like you're
spoiling them that way?
I'm like, Well, no, if I had tostart, I would love to start
out my early 20s with a nicelittle nest egg, of especially
(33:27):
with how expensive everything isnow, you know.
Sonya (33:30):
My my daughter and my son were just here this morning,
and my youngest son is he hashad money in his account from
the minute he got an account.
He's just very good with hismoney, but he also is very
interested.
He invests, he already has aRoth.
He and he was talking to mydaughter about that today
because my daughter works at abakery through college, but they
(33:53):
make really good money comparedto when we were making first
jobs, and she transfers moneyfor her apartment every
paycheck.
But I said, you know, you youreally should start taking, even
if it's $25 and putting it intoa Roth or putting, I was never
taught that.
I don't even think I ever heardany of financial topics come
(34:15):
out of my parents' mouth aboutand maybe because when we were
younger, pensions with a companywere more the thing.
So you didn't have 401ks andretirement accounts.
At least that's my perspective.
But I was telling that to mydaughter today.
It's like $25 doesn't seem likeI'm up, but you're in your 20s.
So now sit 20 years later,where I'm sitting, going, hmm,
(34:38):
yeah, if I could have taken someof that money from that job,
what 16, 17 or whatnot, like yousaid.
Brad Nelson (34:46):
Yeah, are you gonna have $20?
No.
Right, right.
I mean, for a lot of usparents, we're spending on a
bunch of crap for our kids as itis, you know, it's it's all
about again, reevaluating wherethe money's going and saying,
what if I instead took thismoney and put it away?
You know, and even for kids,once they start working and have
a regular job, they can open upa kid's Roth IRA out there.
(35:06):
You can open up a kids' RothIRA, you can start even before
the age of 18.
But even if they're not workingand you want to start putting
some money away, there'sespecially in today's day and
age, there's so many of theselittle financial tools that are
out there, all these apps, allthese brokerage firms that are
out there.
I mean, they make it so simple.
10 bucks a 10 bucks a month, 25bucks.
You don't even miss the moneyif you set it up automatically.
Yeah, and it can make such ahuge difference.
(35:27):
We have that example insideRoots, and we talk about it in
our live meetups constantly islong-term savings is huge.
And the secret to compoundinterest is the length of time
that you have the money inthere.
So if you start putting yourmoney away for your kids at a
young age, all the way up tosay, and they keep doing it up
until retirement age, a lot ofpeople could be self-made
millionaires just by doingsomething really small every
(35:47):
single month.
Sonya (35:49):
I just heard something, maybe that this would be a great
topic for one of your podcasts.
One of the things that I justheard uh recently, and you don't
think about it because we grewup in an age where it was just
cash and now it is so technologydriven, but our kids they don't
know what it's like to actuallycarry cash around, everything
(36:10):
is digital.
So the whole mindset andconcept of money, I I don't know
how to explain it because I'mnot living like them, but it's a
totally different world.
And how does that influence howyou are spending your money and
saving your money?
Brad Nelson (36:27):
Um well, the credit card companies and those they
are geniuses at marketing.
They know that you're gonnaspend more money using a card or
using cardless options, and youhave those stats inside roots
and talking about thedifferences and what is and not
getting them.
Sonya (36:41):
They as soon as they get in college, they are getting,
you know, discover is the bigone.
They go after it immediately.
And I told my daughter, I said,absolutely, under no
circumstances, she's 22 now, soshe can do what she wants.
I said, Do not get a creditcard, you can't afford one,
right?
And you are so much like I wasat your age, just don't do it.
Brad Nelson (37:02):
Yeah, yeah, they're sneaky.
They'll be like, Oh, we'll giveyou like a $500 limit, and then
all of a sudden you startmaking that payment on time, and
then six months later, it's a$2,000 limit, and then six
months after that, it's a $5,000limit.
And before you know it, theygot their grips right on you,
you know.
And yeah, so yeah, you gotta begotta be very mindful and
careful with the kids and thecards.
It's no question.
Yeah, what's next?
So you got a furniture shop,like anything else that you're
(37:25):
aspiring to do now that you'vegone on this journey?
Sonya (37:28):
You're probably like, heck no, I got enough going on.
No, I mean, we've never talkedabout it, but part of that
initial debt, and you'll seethat in the numbers I sent you,
is when I had taken a differentjob, I bought a second house, an
Airbnb.
That so there was a goodportion of that initial debt
that was part of that startupthat runs itself and it's more
(37:52):
or less an investment.
But outside of that, and mynext thing is I want a van for
my shop.
So I have a sedan, so I wouldsay that's my next goal is to
get a van, not a new one, justsomething that you know is
something to transport thingsaround.
Brad Nelson (38:07):
Yep.
Sonya (38:08):
Yeah, but just keep increasing where I can walk away
from my own job and just dowhat I really like to do.
Brad Nelson (38:15):
Well, it's been uh a privilege to be able to talk
to you today.
It's so proud of you for allthe work that you put in.
And it's just this is the bestpart about my job is I get to
see the entire journey and whereyou've come from.
We've been messaging throughoutthe last couple of years and
just kind of keeping in touch,and it's just so cool to see
where you're at right now.
So I just want to saycongratulations to you and thank
you for the program.
Sonya (38:35):
And I know you you say it in your Facebook and whatnot,
but we talked about joining.
You offer a free portion tostart, right?
And before fully committing.
So there's a lot of tools thatyou give without fully
committing.
Brad Nelson (38:51):
Yeah, tons.
Sonya (38:52):
Yes.
Brad Nelson (38:53):
Yeah, this podcast, the workshops that we have on
our website, there's a lot offree stuff out there that'll get
you started.
But like we've talked abouttoday, I think the most
important thing that we offer isjust that community.
It's just that accountability,the support.
And that's what Ruth provides.
But Sonia, congratulations toyou.
Thanks so much for being on theshow today.
Sonya (39:09):
All right, thank you so much.
Brad Nelson (39:10):
Uh now, if you're ready to break free from living
paycheck to paycheck, you wantto reduce financial stress, you
want to build your savings andfinally pay off your debt for
good.
But again, maybe you're notsure where to get started.
Well, don't worry, we've gotyou covered.
Uh Simplify My Money is sent toyou each and every Sunday to
your email.
It is your step-by-step roadmapto better financial control.
And you're also gonna learnsome easy to follow strategies
(39:31):
to manage your money moreeffectively.
It's gonna help you makestress-free money decisions.
And these decisions are gonnahelp you simplify your financial
life with proven tips thatactually work.
And you're gonna gain the toolsand confidence to tackle your
financial goals head on.
You can sign up for Simplify MyMoney by clicking the link at
the top of the show notes.
Thanks for joining us ontoday's show, and we will see
(39:51):
you guys on the next episode.
Announcer (39:58):
Thanks for listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast.
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rating and review.
We so appreciate it.
For resources, show notes, andlinks mentioned in today's show,
visit debtfred.com.
(40:19):
Catch you next week.
Hey guys, so today we are going to be talking with
Sonia Koons about her incrediblejourney from debt stress to
financial freedom.
Check this out.
Since 2022, she's paid off over$90,000 of debt, became
debt-free in December of 2025,and has already built her
savings to tens of thousands ofdollars, which is amazing.
(00:22):
Now, in this episode, we'regoing to be diving into the
mindset shifts, the sacrifices,the habits that helped her
completely change her financiallife over the last three and a
half to four years whilebalancing things like work,
family, and even starting herown business.
Now, if you're looking for somemotivation and proof that this
is all possible, you're going tolove this conversation.
Announcer (00:46):
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,
(01:08):
tricks, and practical advice togain financial freedom.
Brad Nelson (01:13):
Hey guys, welcome to today's show.
My name is Brad Nelson.
I'm the founder of Debt FreeDad.
I paid off about $45,000 ofdebt.
I've been debt-free now outsideof my mortgage for over 13
years now.
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 DebtFree Dad.
Now, after listening to thisepisode, if you're ready to take
(01:34):
things to the next level,hopefully, and I know it's going
to, Sonia's uh journey is goingto motivate you.
And maybe you're ready to breakfree from living paycheck to
paycheck like she was.
Maybe you want to reducefinancial stress, build your
savings, finally pay off yourdebt for good.
But maybe you're like a lot ofpeople out there, you're just
not sure where to get started.
It's stressful, right?
Well, we've created someincredible free resources for
(01:55):
you here at Defree Dad, and I'llbe sharing some details of how
you can get some of those lateron in today's episode.
As I said, our guest today isSonia.
Now she's a wife, a mom ofthree adult children, now ages
24, 22, and 20, and also a proudowner of two very spoiled Shih
Tzu puppies, who she jokinglysays they are spoiled even more
(02:18):
so than the kids these days,right?
I know how that goes.
We got three dogs ourselves.
Sonia has worked as a projectmanager for the past 15 years,
including several years livingabroad in Germany.
She's also been an Airbnb hostnow for the last four years and
recently became the owner of asmall furniture refinishing
business, which I can't wait totalk to her about this in her
(02:38):
hometown of Lidditz, known asone of America's coolest small
towns.
So hey Sonia, welcome back tothe Deaf for Dead podcast.
So glad to have you.
Sonya (02:48):
Hi, Brad.
Thanks for having me.
I'm doing great.
It's the weekend.
Brad Nelson (02:53):
Absolutely.
It's Friday as we're recordingthis.
I mentioned in your intro, andyou're going to be talking a
little bit about how you starteda business.
And man, just managing thatplus life, it can it can be a
lot.
But today you're here to talk alittle bit and give us an
update on your journey.
You were back here on episode,I think it was 152.
Sonya (03:09):
And I think I was three months into the program.
Brad Nelson (03:13):
Yeah, yeah.
So take us back a little bitbecause obviously it's been some
time since you've been on theshow and you did join Roots, but
I want to kind of what causedyou to join Roots or what was
going on in your life back in2022 before you went on this
journey over the last three anda half, four years?
Sonya (03:29):
Yeah.
So I would say my entire life,I've never been good with money.
I've always lived outside mymeans and spent more than I make
living on credit cards.
I don't really know what theexact point was, but living that
day in and day out getsexhausting.
And there was something aboutthe amount of debt I had at that
(03:53):
time and the money that I make,which is pretty good.
And then we decided to getpuppies.
And of course, I didn't havethe amount.
I didn't have that money forthe puppies.
And there was something aboutthat moment where I was like,
okay, I made an excuse or reasonthat I could afford these
puppies and all the expense thatcomes around it, but I don't
(04:16):
have that same money to puttowards actually getting out of
debt and just living a differentlifestyle.
I don't know.
There was just, I think it wasall compiling to a certain point
and it just kind of clicked forme.
And I had came across, I think,your Facebook and then
eventually maybe TikTok.
I'm not sure what it was.
(04:37):
And yeah, I thought, what theheck?
If I can spend money onsomething else that I really
don't need, why not try to spendmoney on a program that might
actually benefit me in the longrun?
And if it doesn't, then youknow, it was just another
attempt.
But for me, it's a very simpleprogram and it's flexible to
(04:58):
tailor the way that you need itto in your lifestyle.
And it's not constraining,whereas maybe some of the other
programs that you've talkedabout on your show are so
constraining that maybe it failsbecause it doesn't work for
you.
Brad Nelson (05:12):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Before we get into like rootsand some of the maybe some of
the highlights there that reallyhelped you the most, I can you
share a little bit just with theaudience, just so they get an
understanding.
Like what kind of you youmentioned you had some
overspending issues and likewhat kinds of debts were you
dealing with before you started?
Like, did you have a mixture ofthings?
Was it one thing, or what werewe looking at?
Sonya (05:30):
I did.
So outside of a mortgage, I hada car and not a terribly
expensive car, but still was acar payment.
Brad Nelson (05:37):
Yeah.
Sonya (05:37):
Loads of credit card debt or zero financing.
It's always been credit carddebt.
I've been a master attransferring one debt to the
next.
Brad Nelson (05:48):
Um I have well, we're on we're part of the same
team.
I used to do that.
Sonya (05:52):
You know, so yeah, a lot of credit card, you know.
Brad Nelson (05:56):
In your relationship, was this an issue?
Did it cause stress on yourrelationship?
Sonya (06:01):
All the debt, like were there things like my husband and
I are complete opposite.
Okay.
He's never had debt, he's not abudgeter.
He knows in his head what hemakes and what he needs and what
the bills are.
And that was never an issue.
So I would say we've beenmarried 25 years now.
(06:22):
I would say most of the earlyyears, there was a lot of fights
around, you know, financial,whether it was just overspending
or no communication in majorpurchases, something of that
sort.
Brad Nelson (06:36):
So I'm sure there's a lot of people out there that
can relate.
Money and personal financeissues and fights and arguments
are one of the leading causes ofsplits and divorces.
And it is, it's just somethingthat the money is just a
constant thing, whether it'sjust in your own personal life,
but also it affects not onlyyour relationships, but affects
your parenting, it affects yourcareer.
You mentioned you were feelingthe stress.
I mean, where you are today,like what's the difference
(06:58):
between when you started 2022versus where you're at here in
the middle of May of 2026?
Sonya (07:04):
The biggest difference for me is I still am budgeting,
I still look at my account.
I've laxed a little bit whereI'm not looking at it every day,
maybe every week, but the mostwonderful feeling is opening my
bank account a week after oreven a day after payday.
(07:24):
And there's still money inthere.
Yeah.
That the transactions are notcoming out every day because
they don't have all of the themonthly payments on whatever
debt.
So that's the greatest feelingis actually, you know, seeing
um, and surprises come along,and we I just had some, the
budget to a certain degreematching your account on a daily
(07:46):
basis.
That that's relieving.
Brad Nelson (07:48):
It's huge.
You can't you just can't put aprice on that, you know.
Yeah.
And we talk about that all thetime.
It's not just about the math,it's not about the numbers.
And you have, I mean, you havesome amazing savings numbers
now, and we'll talk a little bitabout that coming up, but it's
really that just you can breathea little bit, you know.
It's not life still can bedifficult at times and it can
still be stressful financially,even paying off your debt.
(08:09):
But it it's not nearly what itwas when you're trying to juggle
off.
Sonya (08:12):
It is, and you talked about influences, and my I've my
kids are in their 20s now, butthey know I've been on this
journey, and to a certaindegree, my husband and has kind
of joked with me along the waybecause he's not a budgeter, so
that's a weird term for him.
Brad Nelson (08:28):
Right.
Sonya (08:29):
Two or three of my children are very good with
their money, and my daughter islike a mirror to me in my 20s,
and so at first she was and partof the maturity, she was not
open to listening to anythingabout the financial skills or
just trying to strengthen whereshe needs to be, but she's still
(08:51):
in college and we still supporther 100%.
But in the last years withmaturity, she's and living on
her own.
She lives off campus and shehas to pay her rent.
She has been open to trying tounderstand.
And the biggest thing that I'mtrying to teach her is that it
is a horrible feeling to livepaycheck to paycheck if you
(09:12):
don't have to.
Yeah.
So I think she still has a verylong journey to get there, but
she's come a ways and she's atleast receptive to listening to
me.
So the semester just ended.
And I said, okay, now we needto sit down and kind of have a
plan for summer because and thereason that she pays her rent is
because she spends her money assoon as it gets into her
(09:33):
account.
So I'm not going to take myhard-earned effort and pay for
your schooling when you arecapable.
Brad Nelson (09:41):
Right.
Sonya (09:42):
Yeah, there's no no better medicine than a little
bit.
Brad Nelson (09:45):
Yeah, right.
Yeah, there's no bettermedicine than a slap of real
life.
You know, that's kind ofprobably what she's
experiencing.
I have a son, he's 16, gonna be17 in December.
He's gonna be a junior nextyear.
And as his dad, he's got a job.
I've been talking to him aboutthis stuff, and it's the same
thing.
He's like, I do this for aliving, and he's the eye rolls
and whatever, you know.
Eventually he'll learn realquick.
Sonya (10:06):
Yeah.
Brad Nelson (10:07):
Sometimes life is the lesson.
Sonya (10:09):
And even my son, who is now working full-time and still
trying to find his path.
But I talked to them about wethey're not really adulting at
the moment that we're stillcovering a lot of the bills.
Try to get these skills underwraps before you actually have
to start paying and finding itout the hard way.
Yeah, yeah.
Brad Nelson (10:28):
Even something is simple when you got teenage
kids.
Like um, he's just about to gethis license.
And I'm telling him, you'relike, You're paying for your
insurance, you're gonna startpaying for half your cell phone
bill, you're gonna start payingfor like he's got an X Xbox
subscription for his gamingsystem, you're paying for that.
I'm not doing that anymore.
And sometimes they feel like,oh, that's a I'm being punished.
No, you're being taughtresponsibility because when you
(10:50):
get to real life, yeah, I mean,you you have to pay this stuff,
you have to learn to budget, youhave to make sure that you've
got enough money in youraccount.
Those are all just easy thingsthat you can do.
And as parents, like you mightfeel bad.
Oh, I'm punishing my kid, butwhat you're really doing is
getting them prepared for whatthe rest of their life's gonna
look like.
Sonya (11:04):
And I had one parent that was very good with money and
didn't actually make a lot.
I am amazed what my mother hasdone with the amount of money
she makes.
She's a school bus driver,she's always been a school bus
driver, she doesn't make much.
And my dad, on the other hand,and my parents are now divorced
as well.
A lot of it was because thefinancial piece of it who made
(11:24):
really good money, and somehow Itended to take after him of
spending and living the samekind of lifestyle that he did.
So definitely there's aninfluence that you have on your
children.
I'm not saying that's 100%, butthere's a portion of it comes
along with it.
Brad Nelson (11:40):
For sure.
Yeah.
And I mean, like if my son goesand does that, I know where he
gets it from.
I'm a spender, I know that.
Like I have to fight againstmyself in this.
It's not like I'm perfect atthis by any means, even being
debt-free now for 13 plus years.
And you can probably talk tothat a little bit is you still
have the habits that come backand rear their ugly head every
once in a while, and you stillgot to battle that stuff.
It's human, right?
Sonya (12:00):
But I think there's at least for me, I think everybody
might take something differentout of your program.
But the things that reallychanged my habits outside of the
program, I think also aging,maybe not needing as many
materialistic things as much asI don't really, I don't have fun
shopping anymore, or I feellike I don't need, but I
(12:24):
recognize through your programthat the emotional spending is
where I was falling, you know,there for whatever reasons, that
was kind of what was making mefeel good at the moment, right?
So I recognize that wassomething that was affecting me.
Yeah.
And then we talked about justnot living paycheck to paycheck.
(12:47):
The concept of sinking funds issomething that I have just
embraced, and it is part of mybudget, like it's a monthly
bill.
Yeah, there have been timeswhere I've had to maybe reduce
or eliminate like the Christmasfund.
I would say the end of lastyear, just the way that the year
was going, that completely gotcanceled for a few months.
(13:10):
But car insurance, I nevertouch it.
So I pay my premium every sixmonths, and that money goes into
an account just like I'm payingmy insurance on a monthly
basis.
Brad Nelson (13:22):
Yeah.
Sonya (13:22):
So I do the Christmas fund and then I also have a pet
fund, whether it's their annualvisit or something is coming up.
Though those are my three, andof course, your emergency fund.
Brad Nelson (13:33):
Right.
Um, so uh yeah, I want to Iwant to come back to the sinking
funds, but you said somethinginteresting about shopping is no
longer fun.
You don't necessarily feel likeyou need all the stuff that you
used to need or feel like youneeded.
Can you talk a little bit aboutthe mindset shift there?
Because someone might thinkabout, well, I love shopping.
I don't want to give upshopping.
What what's different now isversus before?
Sonya (13:57):
I think it's knowing that if I don't have the money, of
course, if I if there'ssomething I really want and I'm
budgeting for it, or now thatI'm debt-free, and I think you
it you talked about this onetime, you might slip a little
bit and maybe you have to reduceout of your emergency fund or
something where it wasn't reallyplanned, but the money is
(14:18):
there.
So when I think about, okay,now that I have the money, or if
I don't have the money, what'sthe consequence of spending at
that moment?
Is it now that I have $100extra on my credit card that I
have to pay off that wasn'tplanned?
That's $100 further from mygoal when I was paying off debt,
(14:39):
or is it $100 less now that isgoing into my savings or another
sinking fund for something thatI really want?
So I just tend to think aboutit more.
And then I'm not always thegreatest, but the impulse
shopping too is just letting itsit and saying, okay, you know,
let's just revisit it tomorrow.
(15:00):
And that's something that my mydaughter that I've been trying
to help her with.
She's very impulsive by usingthat 24-hour rule.
That one I didn't ever have toutilize too much, but I think it
was just the stress of knowing,you know.
Yeah.
So I kind of go through thatneed or want.
Sure, and how I guess I'm ableto gauge how I feel from that
(15:22):
transaction a little bit better,rather than living in the
moment and feeling what I'mfeeling.
Brad Nelson (15:27):
Yeah.
I want to talk a little bitabout roots because obviously,
in the very beginning, the oneof the very first modules and
things that we have everyone gothrough is not even really
related to budgeting or savingor anything like that.
It's all about behavior,habits, choices, really
developing like a reason or awhy of why you want to get out
of debt.
And you said something whereyou mentioned where you think
(15:50):
about things differently now.
Did that play a role in thatand really thinking forward of
like, this is where I am inlife.
I'm not happy with where I amfinancially.
I want to go here.
Has that helped?
Like just really figuring outlike where you want to go, where
you want to be.
You open up your business.
How did that play a role?
Because some people look atfinances on a surface surface
level of it's just math andnumbers, but it really does dive
(16:11):
a lot deeper because it's moneyis the tool that can help you
build that life.
Sonya (16:15):
You've highlighted it doesn't matter where you are in
your salary range, right?
You can be your definition ofsuccessful and still be horribly
in financial debt.
For me, I recognize I makepretty good money.
I shouldn't have to live likethis.
But the other caveat to that isthat if you don't have debt, it
(16:39):
allows you opportunity.
So if you have cash on hand andyou have the opportunity to buy
something, whether it's a greatdeal, something that you
wanted, but or just wanting todo something else, I have that.
I think it was the opportunityalso.
If I was in the position, Iwould be able to make different
(16:59):
choices.
And as maybe we'll get into,that's kind of led to my side
gig turning into more of apassion into a small business.
Brad Nelson (17:10):
Yeah.
And I love that you brought upthat that word opportunity,
because it is all about that.
You mentioned like you wereyou're thinking about that with
purchases.
Is it an eater or want?
And it's all about thinkingabout the opportunity cost.
Yes, I can say yes to thistoday.
But if I say yes to this, I'malso saying no to ever to some
other things, like a biggersavings, a larger emergency
fund, or I'm saying no to thethings I really want because I
(17:31):
want to be spontaneous or youknow, make an emotional
purchase.
And it's just sometimes takingthat real quick, just a few
seconds of what is theopportunity cost of this
purchase?
But there's also an opportunitycost of making the right
decisions because now thatyou've made all these right
decisions, and I want to talkabout this because last episode
we had a page on, and Paige,she's a roots member, she just
recently became debt-free, andshe talks about how she turned
(17:53):
her passion of animals into dogsitting and pet watching, and it
was a huge contribution to herpaying off debt within the last
two and a half years.
And now you started a businessas a side hustle.
So let's talk about that.
You got into this opportunityof doing what?
Because I think this is socool.
Sonya (18:07):
Yeah, we coincidentally bought our house right before
COVID.
And one of the first projects Itook on in my house threw me
into woodworking.
And then also getting into someFacebook groups, I started
building desks because everybodyneeded desk at home.
And I had did some furniturerefinishing in the past just for
personal use, but then thatstarted going into I started
(18:28):
refinishing furniture.
And outside of then trying tomake extra money prior to Roots,
which probably wasn't reallygoing to debt, it was just being
spent somewhere, um, or backinto products and tools that I
thought I needed to do thathobby.
But then when I started Roots,you had talked about the
(18:50):
crafting that you were doing orjust different ideas to generate
additional income.
And so I really kind of tookthat as a way to make extra
income.
Now, a year prior to startingmy business, knowing that I was
going to take it to the nextlevel, I stopped utilizing that
(19:11):
money to pay off debt and justlet it sit into an account to
just build up knowing what wascoming.
So I guess you could call thatkind of a different sinking fund
away.
But yeah, so I refinishfurniture, but because I do
small woodworking, I also makethings, but it allows me the
opportunity to make repairs tofurniture if I need to.
(19:33):
In 2024, I decided to take itfrom a side hustle and
officially make it into a soleproprietorship.
Came up with a name.
And then I met another woman inmy area that has a small
business.
And she has, I've told her shehad an impact on me, but it was
just conversational-wise, seeingthat she had a small business a
(19:57):
little bit different than whatI'm doing.
And I thought, you know, Ishould take mine to the next
level.
That's when I had officiallycreated it in August 2024.
And then again, the opportunityportion is I end up going into
a small, the town we live in hasa lot of small shops, and it
tends to be a touristdestination to some degree.
(20:17):
We live in Amish Country,Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
And one of the shops wasselling the furniture paint that
I wanted to start using.
And I had gone into there, andthen she needed somebody to
refinish her big, bigger piecesbecause she was older and was
having health issues.
And then not long after that,she wanted to retire.
And she said, Are youinterested in buying my
(20:39):
business?
And essentially, outside of thefurniture portion, it's she has
a lot of different products,but gift shop and whatnot.
And at first, I was like,that's not really the vision I
had.
And I started helping her andthen realizing, well, there's
diversity here.
Not everybody is coming inlooking for furniture.
And so I decided, what theheck?
So, in preparation a yearbefore taking over, or six
(21:01):
months, a year in preparation ofokay, I'm now gonna be a brick
or mortar, but then changing upfrom sole proprietorship and to
LLC and rebranding.
And yeah, so all of that kindof sinking fund that I was
building up in my furniture areawas going to all my startup
costs.
Now I will say I'm debt-free ona personal level, but I am not
(21:25):
debt-free on the business.
And essentially I bought all ofher inventory, which was still
a really great deal.
Yeah.
But along with all of that, Iwas able to take her numbers and
do forecasting and use that forwhat is my first, second, third
year going to look like, givenher numbers.
(21:45):
And what can I do differently?
What do I think that I canimprove upon on what she did?
But the good news is I keepthat all separate from my
personal and it's doing great.
And then we're picking upmomentum.
And yeah, I'm still working myday job.
So I Haven't quit that.
So I do have a staff and it's alot to manage, but that's kind
of my personality, anyways.
(22:06):
And I'm hoping one day I canwalk away from my main job.
Brad Nelson (22:10):
Yeah.
How awesome.
Would you ever have thoughtthree and a half years ago that
this is where you would be?
No, absolutely not.
Sonya (22:17):
Right.
Brad Nelson (22:18):
It's incredible.
I get the awesome opportunityto be able to talk to amazing
people like you who have gonethrough this journey, and
people's responses to that areall the same.
It's like I just never wouldhave imagined how much my life
would have changed by doingthis.
And that's why we're sopassionate about here, because
again, it's not just aboutnumbers, but this stuff truly
does this.
It changes your life.
And it's you just never know,like you said, you probably
(22:39):
never would have imagined thatyou're in the spot that you're
in now, but it's all because youtook these little steps along
the way and these doors keptopening for you.
Things continuously got better,and the opportunities now are
presenting themselves, which isand I projected when I wanted my
debt paid off.
Sonya (22:54):
So I paid it in December 2025, knowing I was taking over
mid-January.
When I contemplated how I wasspending that last funding of
extra money coming in, do I payit off?
Do I put it into the business?
And ultimately I thought, okay,I don't want to take out some
(23:16):
extra debt on my business, but Iwould really just like to not
have to worry about anything onmy personal side.
That is all done.
Yeah, you know, and so I'm gladI did that.
And I absolutely do not have toworry about any personal debt,
and I'm focusing on buildingemergency funds up.
And I did take some of theextra money and I did put that
(23:38):
in the business, but I keeptrack of all that.
And at the end of the year,it's all going under the same
tax income for me as well.
So it's just a matter of whereyou push the numbers.
Brad Nelson (23:48):
Yeah.
Yeah, it's incredible.
So we're probably having peoplelistening to this show right
now that are either wanting toget started, they're interested
in getting out of debt, orthey're on their journey.
But if you had to go back andstart all the way over back in
2022, and you know, you joinedRoots, what do you feel made the
biggest impact on you,especially early on?
We had you on in your first, Ithink, three or four months.
Sonya (24:09):
And yeah, I think it was three months.
Brad Nelson (24:11):
Yeah, you had paid off over $13,000, I think.
And you took off right away.
Because people are probablylike, Well, how did she pay off
over $90,000?
And and you saved what now inin sinking funds now since
December.
Sonya (24:24):
Yeah, I think I had told you had literally about $20,000.
And part of that was my I getmy bonus in January, and I had
some other money, and I've takena good portion of that and I've
kind of put that into thebusiness, but it was there, and
that's how I chose to spend it,and I'm building my savings back
(24:44):
up again.
I would say if I could go back,I guess your question is how do
you criticize somebody to maybetake the step?
Yeah.
Brad Nelson (24:51):
If you're just getting started, what do you
feel were those first thingsthat you did that made the
biggest difference, especiallyin those first few months?
Sonya (24:58):
I would say really putting your heart in and being
diligent about the the differentmodules that you have.
So I did all those.
And as you tell your listeners,it's at your own pace.
So there's no you have to keepon schedule.
I was joining the meetings alot of the times and
participating in the challenges.
(25:20):
I would just say if you'retired of living that paycheck,
paycheck, just being open todifferent ideas.
Brad Nelson (25:27):
It's a big one.
Sonya (25:29):
It's a big one.
Yeah, you know, and I mentionedbudgeting.
My husband was just uh talkingto my son because my son's
really into stocks and stufflike that.
And he just makes fun of theword budgeting.
And I said, you know, that'sjust how my brain works, and I
have to do that.
So kind of getting away fromthat mindset and stereotypes of
right.
(25:49):
Um, and I think you've usedanother word, you don't have to
use budget, you know, that'sfull plan.
Brad Nelson (25:54):
Yeah.
Sonya (25:54):
I mean, yeah, it's more or less having a plan for your
money.
Brad Nelson (25:58):
Yeah.
Sonya (25:58):
Because swiping the card, the next thing you know, you're
like, oh my gosh, I spent thatmuch at, you know, I would just
say being open to and doing themodule and joining the meetings,
and you know, towards the end,I didn't join as many meetings
as I did or like because you putthem at nine o'clock Eastern
Standard Time.
Brad Nelson (26:16):
It gets late for me too.
I don't think we had one lastnight, it was eight o'clock our
time, and I'm wiped out by eighto'clock.
Sonya (26:24):
Yeah, but but those are very helpful.
And hearing, I think the otherthing is in in your programming,
you do this very well, ishighlighting people's
achievements.
So seeing what other people aredoing, and sometimes you get
ideas from what others are doingand motivation.
I remember when you had, Idon't remember the couple's
name, it was probably well overa year ago.
(26:47):
And when they reached theirfinancial journey, there was
like, I can't remember that yourname is Laura Lori and Daniel.
It might, yes, I think so.
Yeah, and I was just like, oh,you know, it was like, I want
that.
So that drove me to keep goingas well.
Brad Nelson (27:02):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And I think you brought up alot of things.
And I think if you're thecircle you're around when it
comes to this journey, I thinkis really important.
I think that's probably, Imean, yeah, the stuff that we
teach, not to pat ourselves onthe back, is great, right?
It helps a lot of people.
But I think the most importantpart of what we do in Roots or
even here at Defree Dad is thecommunity.
(27:23):
It's getting yourself aroundpeople who are working on a
similar goal or common goals.
Because if you look around you,the majority of people are
living paycheck to paycheck.
The majority of people arestruggling financially, the
majority of people aren't payingattention to their finances.
So it's easy just to fall intothe majority.
And sadly, that's why a lot ofpeople are in the majority.
Sonya (27:39):
Yeah.
I think society too.
Like there's so much marketingthat's driven that you have to
have this type of car, or youhave to have this, or so it's
breaking away from that as well.
And I'll give you just one moreexample.
My son's in the military, hecame home and I let him borrow
my car for the week because he'sunder 25 and it was gonna cost
(28:00):
him a heck of a lot of money torent to rent, yeah.
Lo and behold, an hour afterhe's on the road, a deer jumps
out, hits my car.
Okay, my car's paid off.
It wasn't that much damage, butby the end of the assessment,
they wanted to total the car.
And I'm like, no, like, one, Idon't want another car payment.
(28:20):
Two, mechanically, nothing waswrong with it.
Right.
And I talked to the shop, andbecause I I knew one portion had
this tiny little dent.
I'm like, I don't need a newfender, leave the den.
So I was able to negotiate ordiscuss with the body shop and
then negotiate with theinsurance and say, okay, like I
don't want to total the car.
Being okay with what societytells us, you know.
(28:42):
Any I I had a friend I wastalking about this with, and she
said, you know, any otherperson would have just, or not
person, but nine times out of 10or 90% of the people would have
been like, okay, great, give methe money, I'll go get a new
car.
I want a new car anyways.
Mine's 10 years old.
But it goes back to theopportunity again, right?
Like, I don't want that carpayment.
Right.
I don't even know what it coststhese days for a new car or a
(29:05):
year old car.
Brad Nelson (29:06):
Yeah.
Sonya (29:07):
But I I'm fine, you know.
Brad Nelson (29:10):
Right, right.
Sonya (29:10):
So, yeah, breaking away from that mindset as well.
Right.
Brad Nelson (29:14):
Well, and I think when you go through the journey
like you have, and you've comeas far as you have, and now you
have this amazing opportunity ofopening up your own business.
Like, like I said earlier, thatthe peace of mind, I think, is
what you value more thananything else.
You know, and it and it's sohard to tell people that who are
just getting started becauseyou are so materialistically
driven.
We are as a society, like it'sjust buy more, have more, get
(29:35):
better, have better stuff,compete against your neighbors,
your friends, have a better car.
It's all what we're talkingabout.
You mentioned that with themarketing.
And when you step away fromthat and you just focus on what
truly is important in your life,and for most people, it isn't
even any of this stuff, it'sjust what we're being sold.
You actually realize like peaceof mind is way more valuable
than a payment or a nicerclothes or nicer car, any of
(29:56):
that other stuff.
Sonya (29:57):
Yeah.
And I'm building my savingsaccount.
I completely drained it, whichafter putting whatever in the
business, and we had we owedtaxes this year, wasn't
expecting that.
And then my husband's carneeded some major work at
inspection, which we werecontemplating trading it in
because it's not kind of on itsverge and we're waiting for it
(30:17):
to, but we decided let's get itthrough one more year, let's
save some more money.
So, am I unhappy that I had todrain for two unfund things?
But I also had it and I didn'thave to worry about on a credit
card or something, or putting ona credit card and now I have to
pay it off.
(30:37):
So it's just those unexpected.
I really thought we weregetting money back this tax
year.
And I thought, okay, we knowwe're gonna need work on the
car, so we'll use that.
And that was not the case.
And I'm like, okay, well, thatplan didn't work.
Brad Nelson (30:50):
Yeah.
Um, so with your relationship,you mentioned things were a
little stressful before.
Have you noticed a considerablechange if money is not such a
sore spot anymore?
Sonya (30:58):
Yes.
I mean, there's other factorsthat have changed in the course
of our relationship.
Sure.
The last 10, 12 years, ourroles in financial salaries have
switched.
Right.
He was the breadwinner, now I'mthe breadwinner.
Right.
I know.
That changes the dynamics tosome degree.
(31:19):
But again, I think it also isthe point in our our lives, too,
where we're just not wantingthe same things that we wanted
when we were 20, you know, 15years ago.
Our focus is different.
We're my husband's 52.
I'm almost 50.
So, you know, being more readyfor retirement and where do we
want to go next?
Brad Nelson (31:40):
Yeah, what are the next steps?
Sonya (31:42):
Um, and I think that just happens naturally.
You just kind of hit that ageand your perspectives change
different.
Our kids are now older, sothey're all single or mostly
single, but you know, there'sgonna be a day they're gonna get
married, they're gonna havekids, you know.
So it's like I want to be thatgrandparent, you know.
I don't want to be in debt andnot being able.
(32:03):
My husband's family was my momhelped on non-financial ways
that I could never I'm grateful.
But my husband's grandparentswhen they were alive and his
parents, you know, it was likethe little things they'd go to
the grocery store and they'dpick up things or give us a
hundred dollars or and it waslike I want to be that parent
(32:25):
where I can do that for my kids.
Do they need it?
But when you're starting off inyour 20s, having an extra
hundred dollars to go to thegrocery store, like it it meant
so much, you know.
Yeah, so much things for mykids and grandchildren, right?
Brad Nelson (32:43):
Yeah, I'm doing the same thing.
I I chose to start putting justa little bit of money away from
my kids every single month, andit's not a huge amount between
the two of them.
But now my son's got more moneythan I did probably up until I
was age 33 in a savings account.
He's only 16 years old becauseI've just putting this little
amount in.
And now I'm gonna transfer thatover to him in the sense of he
doesn't get the money yet, butyou're gonna start putting the
(33:05):
money in because I want you tosee how this thing grows, and
that's how you start to teachkids some of this stuff.
And again, you can start outwith just five, 10, 15 bucks a
week, especially as yourfinances improve.
And same, I'm doing the samething for my daughter, and a lot
of people will say, Well, like,don't you feel like you're
spoiling them that way?
I'm like, Well, no, if I had tostart, I would love to start
out my early 20s with a nicelittle nest egg, of especially
(33:27):
with how expensive everything isnow, you know.
Sonya (33:30):
My my daughter and my son were just here this morning,
and my youngest son is he hashad money in his account from
the minute he got an account.
He's just very good with hismoney, but he also is very
interested.
He invests, he already has aRoth.
He and he was talking to mydaughter about that today
because my daughter works at abakery through college, but they
(33:53):
make really good money comparedto when we were making first
jobs, and she transfers moneyfor her apartment every
paycheck.
But I said, you know, you youreally should start taking, even
if it's $25 and putting it intoa Roth or putting, I was never
taught that.
I don't even think I ever heardany of financial topics come
(34:15):
out of my parents' mouth aboutand maybe because when we were
younger, pensions with a companywere more the thing.
So you didn't have 401ks andretirement accounts.
At least that's my perspective.
But I was telling that to mydaughter today.
It's like $25 doesn't seem likeI'm up, but you're in your 20s.
So now sit 20 years later,where I'm sitting, going, hmm,
(34:38):
yeah, if I could have taken someof that money from that job,
what 16, 17 or whatnot, like yousaid.
Brad Nelson (34:46):
Yeah, are you gonna have $20?
No.
Right, right.
I mean, for a lot of usparents, we're spending on a
bunch of crap for our kids as itis, you know, it's it's all
about again, reevaluating wherethe money's going and saying,
what if I instead took thismoney and put it away?
You know, and even for kids,once they start working and have
a regular job, they can open upa kid's Roth IRA out there.
(35:06):
You can open up a kids' RothIRA, you can start even before
the age of 18.
But even if they're not workingand you want to start putting
some money away, there'sespecially in today's day and
age, there's so many of theselittle financial tools that are
out there, all these apps, allthese brokerage firms that are
out there.
I mean, they make it so simple.
10 bucks a 10 bucks a month, 25bucks.
You don't even miss the moneyif you set it up automatically.
Yeah, and it can make such ahuge difference.
(35:27):
We have that example insideRoots, and we talk about it in
our live meetups constantly islong-term savings is huge.
And the secret to compoundinterest is the length of time
that you have the money inthere.
So if you start putting yourmoney away for your kids at a
young age, all the way up tosay, and they keep doing it up
until retirement age, a lot ofpeople could be self-made
millionaires just by doingsomething really small every
(35:47):
single month.
Sonya (35:49):
I just heard something, maybe that this would be a great
topic for one of your podcasts.
One of the things that I justheard uh recently, and you don't
think about it because we grewup in an age where it was just
cash and now it is so technologydriven, but our kids they don't
know what it's like to actuallycarry cash around, everything
(36:10):
is digital.
So the whole mindset andconcept of money, I I don't know
how to explain it because I'mnot living like them, but it's a
totally different world.
And how does that influence howyou are spending your money and
saving your money?
Brad Nelson (36:27):
Um well, the credit card companies and those they
are geniuses at marketing.
They know that you're gonnaspend more money using a card or
using cardless options, and youhave those stats inside roots
and talking about thedifferences and what is and not
getting them.
Sonya (36:41):
They as soon as they get in college, they are getting,
you know, discover is the bigone.
They go after it immediately.
And I told my daughter, I said,absolutely, under no
circumstances, she's 22 now, soshe can do what she wants.
I said, Do not get a creditcard, you can't afford one,
right?
And you are so much like I wasat your age, just don't do it.
Brad Nelson (37:02):
Yeah, yeah, they're sneaky.
They'll be like, Oh, we'll giveyou like a $500 limit, and then
all of a sudden you startmaking that payment on time, and
then six months later, it's a$2,000 limit, and then six
months after that, it's a $5,000limit.
And before you know it, theygot their grips right on you,
you know.
And yeah, so yeah, you gotta begotta be very mindful and
careful with the kids and thecards.
It's no question.
Yeah, what's next?
So you got a furniture shop,like anything else that you're
(37:25):
aspiring to do now that you'vegone on this journey?
Sonya (37:28):
You're probably like, heck no, I got enough going on.
No, I mean, we've never talkedabout it, but part of that
initial debt, and you'll seethat in the numbers I sent you,
is when I had taken a differentjob, I bought a second house, an
Airbnb.
That so there was a goodportion of that initial debt
that was part of that startupthat runs itself and it's more
(37:52):
or less an investment.
But outside of that, and mynext thing is I want a van for
my shop.
So I have a sedan, so I wouldsay that's my next goal is to
get a van, not a new one, justsomething that you know is
something to transport thingsaround.
Brad Nelson (38:07):
Yep.
Sonya (38:08):
Yeah, but just keep increasing where I can walk away
from my own job and just dowhat I really like to do.
Brad Nelson (38:15):
Well, it's been uh a privilege to be able to talk
to you today.
It's so proud of you for allthe work that you put in.
And it's just this is the bestpart about my job is I get to
see the entire journey and whereyou've come from.
We've been messaging throughoutthe last couple of years and
just kind of keeping in touch,and it's just so cool to see
where you're at right now.
So I just want to saycongratulations to you and thank
you for the program.
Sonya (38:35):
And I know you you say it in your Facebook and whatnot,
but we talked about joining.
You offer a free portion tostart, right?
And before fully committing.
So there's a lot of tools thatyou give without fully
committing.
Brad Nelson (38:51):
Yeah, tons.
Sonya (38:52):
Yes.
Brad Nelson (38:53):
Yeah, this podcast, the workshops that we have on
our website, there's a lot offree stuff out there that'll get
you started.
But like we've talked abouttoday, I think the most
important thing that we offer isjust that community.
It's just that accountability,the support.
And that's what Ruth provides.
But Sonia, congratulations toyou.
Thanks so much for being on theshow today.
Sonya (39:09):
All right, thank you so much.
Brad Nelson (39:10):
Uh now, if you're ready to break free from living
paycheck to paycheck, you wantto reduce financial stress, you
want to build your savings andfinally pay off your debt for
good.
But again, maybe you're notsure where to get started.
Well, don't worry, we've gotyou covered.
Uh Simplify My Money is sent toyou each and every Sunday to
your email.
It is your step-by-step roadmapto better financial control.
And you're also gonna learnsome easy to follow strategies
(39:31):
to manage your money moreeffectively.
It's gonna help you makestress-free money decisions.
And these decisions are gonnahelp you simplify your financial
life with proven tips thatactually work.
And you're gonna gain the toolsand confidence to tackle your
financial goals head on.
You can sign up for Simplify MyMoney by clicking the link at
the top of the show notes.
Thanks for joining us ontoday's show, and we will see
(39:51):
you guys on the next episode.
Announcer (39:58):
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 debtfred.com.
(40:19):
Catch you next week.
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