Once you have started on your debt free journey there might be a point in time when everything feels a bit boring and like you are depriving yourself, and that might be true! and I think it is actually ok to do that for a limited time, to set things back on track and to create a better, financial future. Here are some ideas to add more enjoyment into your life while paying off debt.
1. Save up for a small thing that you value a lot
Find something you highly value but that you need to cut while paying off debt and create a small sinking fund for it. Maybe you like going to restaurants often, then you can make a goal and sinking fund to go to a restaurant in 2 months time with the money you saved up for it, guilt free.
2. Start with inexpensive hobbies and activities
If you have cut down your expenses a lot that could also have included entertainment and activities that felt like fun for you and your family. Here are some inexpensive, fun things to add to your life as a replacement. Some examples are: spending time with family, friends, pets, being in nature, at church, volunteering, playing board games, writing letters, crafts, sports, cooking, your (inexpensive) hobbies, take a roadtrip with picnic, camping, visit the library etc.
3. Plan and budget for a celebration once you have become debt free
It doesn't have to be very expensive. It could be a meal in a restaurant or a cake and coffee with fresh flowers at home. Something that would feel special for you and your close ones. What you need here is to create a sinking fund and save up for this celebration while you are paying off debt. If you have a long way to go maybe you can even celebrate milestones, like a third of the debt paid off etc.
4. Embrace the new, money-smart you
Something weird usually happens once you start to track your spending and budget on a regular basis: you actually start to enjoy it. I consider myself a full-blown money nerd by now but it wasn't always like that. The 4th tip is to embrace this feeling. Notice when you start to feel a little less resistance to opening up your money documents, this is the turning point. There is a lot of satisfaction from having things under control, you just need to let it happen to you.
5. Practice gratitude with the things you have
If you are working hard on paying off your debt you are most likely (hopefully) not buying new stuff. This is an opportunity to appreciate what you already have. Maybe you can de-clutter and re-organize your closets. That will make your clothes look nice and tidy and you'll appreciate them more. You can clean your house and change the position of the furniture instead of buying new interior design pieces. You can practice giving gratitude to all the things you have while using them: e.g thank the plates for letting you eat delicious, home made meals on them. Thank the car while driving for the powerful transportation machine that it is. Thank your clothes for keeping you warm/cool. Its incredibly powerful and enjoyable to view your life and things this way.
6. Focus on relationships and community instead of money and stuff that costs money
Once you have your debt free journey all set up: you have done a net worth calculation, you are tracking your spending, you have a budget that you update on a regular basis and you are working your debt free plan (e.g. snowball) then you could focus on relationships and your community instead. Having coffee with friends (home made coffee at home ;-), volunteering, playdates etc. As long as those relationships and environments are positive and supporting, this is a great way to add more enjoyment to your life while paying off debt.
Did you find this blog post valuable? If yes, sign up for my list to receive posts like these straight to your inbox together with this Free pdf report: