6 Redditors Who Became Debt-Free: Lessons From Success Stories

In 2014, u/UpstatedNYer was $80,000 in debt. Like many people in that position, they felt overwhelmed. But instead of freezing up, they got to work—literally.

They picked up multiple jobs and side gigs and funneled every extra dollar into debt. Selling a car instantly knocked out $8,000. To stay motivated, they hung a giant whiteboard in their house, tracking every balance and update. This whiteboard kept them motivated as it became a visual reminder of how far they’d come.

This Reddit user is now debt-free (except for a mortgage), financially secure, and stress-free. They always keep at least three months of expenses in savings and have grown their net worth to more than $500,000 (with millionaire status on the horizon).

It doesn’t matter where you start. If you’re willing to get scrappy, track your progress, and stay disciplined, you can build a life you’re proud of. Their words: “Once you take hold of your finances, your life is great.”

When u/FlirtyInPhilly graduated with an MBA and landed their dream job, they also carried a financial weight: $101,000 in debt, including student loans, credit cards, and a car loan. They decided to draw a line in the sand and change their life.

They went “scorched earth” (their words). No restaurants. No new clothes. No travel. They told their family and friends upfront they were going “off-grid” financially in 2024 and stuck to it. The snowball method, paying off the smallest debts first, motivated them early on, and they kept the momentum going.

They also slashed lifestyle costs to the bone:

• Moved into a cheaper apartment
• Cut every subscription
• Did their own hair
• Capped groceries at $200 per paycheck

This Reddit user leveraged their $175K salary (and a city with no state income tax), funneled end-of-year bonuses into debt, and gave up short-term luxuries to gain long-term peace of mind. They funneled about $6,500 toward their debt each month, and hit their final payment in February 2025—just 17 months after starting.

They also took extra steps: 

• Got educated: read The Psychology of Money, The Millionaire Next Door, The Total Money Makeover
• Tuned in daily to Ramit Sethi and Dave Ramsey (and found a balance between their advice)
• Budgeted tightly, but still made room for joy (hello, free local events!)
• Stayed consistent, even when life got hard

Debt freedom is possible, but sometimes it takes extreme measures to get there as fast as you want. As FlirtyInPhilly puts it: “A little effort toward your goal is better than none at all. Through being consistent and disciplined, you can truly accomplish anything. DO NOT GIVE UP!!”

u/WhenTimeFalls and their partner had carried student loan debt for nearly 10 years. But in September 2023, they started aggressively paying it off. Within a year, they were debt-free. Their household income ranged from $130K to $180K during that time, and they had no other debt to worry about.

They committed hard to repayment as soon as the COVID-era pause ended. They were able to go all-in because they had no other debt on the books and a healthy household income.

It’s clear this Reddit user had a disciplined approach to paying off debt. They used a spreadsheet to track every payoff and visualize progress (they even shared the template in the thread!). That kind of tracking might sound nerdy, but for many people, seeing the debt shrink in real time makes the journey way more motivating.

The moment you’re in a position to attack your student loans, don’t waste it. Make a plan, track your progress, and ride the momentum.

Eight years ago, u/ceramos9 and their wife were drowning in six figures of debt: credit cards, student loans, car loans, and personal loans. Despite earning solid incomes, they were living paycheck to paycheck—a frustrating place to be when you’re working hard but still stuck.

They followed Dave Ramsey’s debt snowball method: paying off the smallest balances first to build momentum. But the real turning point wasn’t a tool; it was a mindset shift. They got brutally honest about their spending and decided they were done living above their means.

They slashed their budget and threw every extra dollar—tax refunds, bonuses, raises—at their debt. Vacations, eating out, and lifestyle upgrades were off the table. And while they didn’t have help, they credit a powerful reading list with sharpening their mindset and money skills. (Favorites included The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel and Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss.)

Getting out of debt involves mindset shifts just as much as math. But once you change the way you reframe the narrative and get serious, you never know … the rest might follow.

This Reddit story of how to become debt-free is from the above thread. This response is in favor of the snowball method.

By their early 20s, u/Cultural_Example_419 had racked up over $100,000 in debt—everything from a phone case to a car loan to student loans. It felt overwhelming. But instead of giving up, they went all in on paying it off.

They used the debt snowball method: listing their debts from smallest to largest and knocking out the smallest ones first. Getting those early wins helped them build confidence and stay motivated for the long haul.

They started with tiny balances like a parking ticket and a phone bill. Then came credit cards, the car, and eventually, student loans. One by one, each payoff gave them momentum. By the end, they were debt-free and able to cash-flow a wedding, a baby, and a new car.

Don’t underestimate the power of small wins. When your debt feels massive, paying off the smallest balance first might be the thing that keeps you going.

Redditor u/geechirevenue shared that after finally wiping out $25,000 in debt, they were left with just $300 in the bank. The accomplishment felt huge … but also a little deflating. Turns out, being debt-free doesn’t always mean feeling financially secure right away.

Though they didn’t detail their exact strategy, this is clearly a case of focused payoff. From the context and comments, it’s likely they used an aggressive repayment plan and directed most of their cash flow toward crushing debt.

Frugality, consistency, and staying committed to the long game. And now that they’re debt-free, they’ve already pivoted to the next financial step: rebuilding savings and avoiding the trap all over again.

Reddit commenters reminded the OP that the “broke” feeling after paying off debt is temporary. Now, every dollar you put toward that debt stays with you, and that adds up fast.