10 Cheap & Fun Things We Did While We Were Crushing Our Debt

Nobody warned us that we’d nearly fall out of our seats at Yankee Stadium. Not because of anything baseball-related.

We’d scored tickets to see the Savannah Bananas. If you’ve never heard of them, just know that calling it a “baseball game” is a little like calling a circus a “tent event.” We were already losing it over the trick plays, the dancing, and the general beautiful chaos of it all. Then Russell Wilson stepped up to bat. We looked at each other like, is that actually him? It was. We both about fell over.

That was just one afternoon of the trip. We also wandered the halls of the Met, got a little lost in Central Park, stood in the middle of Times Square with lights blazing in every direction, caught the Harry Potter play with Tom Felton himself on stage as Draco Malfoy, and closed out more than one evening in a classic New York City Irish pub with a Guinness and a plate of something fried and wonderful.

It was one of those trips that feels almost unreal while you’re in it.

And here’s the part that made it even sweeter: we paid for every single bit of it in cash.

That didn’t happen by accident. Years ago, my husband and I made a goal. We wanted to travel. Not someday, not “when things slow down,” but actually, really travel. The kind of travel where you show up somewhere new and stay long enough to feel it. But between student loans, car payments, and the general avalanche of life expenses, it felt out of reach.

So we made a decision. We were going to get out of debt first. All of it. We were going to be ruthless about it.

That season of life required us to cut back. Really cut back. But the beautiful thing about having a clear goal is that sacrifice starts to feel like progress. Every “no” was actually a “yes” to something bigger. Along the way, we discovered that living on less didn’t mean living less. We just got creative.

Here are ten things we did during those years that kept us sane, kept us connected, and helped us actually enjoy the journey, even while we were grinding through debt payoff mode.

10 Things That Kept Us Sane While We Paid Off Debt

1. Movie Nights at Home

Netflix, Redbox (remember those little kiosks?!), digging through our DVD collection, taking turns picking the movie. Sometimes we'd do themed nights. Pixar Saturdays, early 2000s classics, fun rom-coms with popcorn and Red Vines. It cost almost nothing and became one of our favorite traditions. Honestly? We still do it.

2. Cooking at Home

I'll be honest, I am a terrible cook. My husband is the talented one in the kitchen and during this season he was determined to get even better. So we leaned into it. Meal planning, trying new recipes, and me baking the bread or rolls to go with a dinner (I may be a terrible cook, but my baking is top notch). Eating out became a special occasion rather than a default. The grocery bill is a fraction of what restaurants cost. The food is often better too.

3. Free or Cheap Local Adventures

We started treating our own region like tourists. Hiking trails we’d never bothered to check out, free community events, farmers markets on Saturday mornings, small-town festivals. There is so much out there that costs nothing or next to nothing. It reminded us that adventure isn’t about the destination price tag.

4. Game Nights

Board games, hilarious card games (like Relative Insanity by Jeff Foxworthy), puzzles spread out across the kitchen table on a Saturday afternoon. Game nights became a staple. We’d invite friends over and everyone would bring something to snack on. Zero cover charge, excellent company, and the kind of memories that actually stick.

5. Library Trips

The library is one of the most underrated resources in America. We finally took full advantage. Books, audiobooks, the Libby app. It gave us a little preview of each book before we committed to it. If we loved it, we'd consider adding it to our permanent collection. Many libraries also offer free or discounted passes to local museums and attractions. We had no idea how much was available to us until we actually looked.

6. Backyard Hangouts

Bonfires. Cornhole in the backyard. Potluck dinners with friends where everyone brought a dish and a six pack to share. There’s something about gathering outside around a fire with people you love that no restaurant can replicate. The cost? A bag of firewood.

7. Thrift Store and Garage Sale

Treasure Hunting When you need something, the thrift store becomes your best friend. Clothes, home goods, filing cabinet, a bookshelf. I turned it into an adventure. Saturday morning garage sale circuits became a thing (pro tip: hit up the more affluent areas in your town for the higher quality finds). The thrill of finding something great for two dollars never got old. It also kept us from spending full price on things.

8. Exploring Our Own City Like Tourists

We made a rule. At least once a month, we’d go somewhere in our own area we’d never been. A historic neighborhood. A trail. A hole-in-the-wall restaurant we’d driven past a hundred times. It built in us the mindset of being curious about wherever we are. That skill served us really well once we finally did start traveling. You can be a tourist anywhere.

9. DIY Home Projects

Painting a room, building a shelf, tackling small repairs instead of calling someone. YouTube and a little patience will take you surprisingly far. It kept us busy on weekends, gave us a sense of accomplishment, and genuinely improved our home without spending much. We also learned skills we’ve used ever since.

10. Picnics

This one sounds simple because it is. Pack food from home, drive somewhere beautiful, spread out a blanket. It’s the same meal you would have made anyway, but completely different. There’s something about eating outside with no agenda and nowhere to be that feels luxurious even when it costs almost nothing.

The Payoff Was Worth Every Single “No”

Standing in Times Square, I thought about all of it. Every movie night. Every pot of soup we made instead of going out. Every backyard bonfire instead of a bar tab. Every library book. Every Saturday garage sale. It didn’t feel like sacrifice in that moment. It felt like wisdom.

We set a goal. We worked toward it consistently, even when it was slow, even when it was boring, even when it would have been really easy to just swipe a card and deal with it later. And now we get to do the things we actually wanted to do. The trips, the experiences, the memories. No pile of debt waiting for us when we got home.

That is worth celebrating.

If you’re in the middle of that season right now, heads down, grinding, saying no to things, I see you. Keep going. The trip is coming.

Hi! I’m Jeannette and I help professionals ditch debt without the overwhelm and build wealth without the stress.

📞 Contact me to schedule a FREE 15 minute phone call and start to make a plan with your money.

Friendly reminder: The information shared is for educational purposes only and isn’t a substitute for financial, legal, tax, or mental health advice. Please consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.