Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in  Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.

Here’s my little Happy New Year gift to you. Each day in January, I’ll bring you a simple, concrete and easy to put in place tip to fuel your efforts to Save Money, Pay Off Debt, and Be Awesome this year. Looking for a quick plan? Well this might not to be the right place for you. Most things down well take time. But that doesn’t mean you can’t begin to implement systems in your life that will help you achieve your goals. I’ve said it many, many times before. Paying off debt isn’t complex. It’s just not easy. You have to punch the clock daily and do the hard work. Here’s another way to make that happen.

Day 16: Be Careful the Company You Keep

The first semester of my freshman year of college, I spent many a Saturday with two very sweet girls. We’d go to Fazoli’s and order kids’ meals (free breadsticks! free refills!) and then we’d head to the mall to shop. One of my friends came from a fairly wealthy family. Her parents had sent her to college with a credit card that she could use to purchase what seemed like anything she wanted. I’m certain they had placed limits around her but to the girl who had to walk to the bank to get cash from the ATM, her funds seemed overflowing and unending.

I had never even been in many of the stores at the mall near campus before. Abercrombie & Fitch? Our smaller mall didn’t have one of those. Victoria Secret? I loved that Pear body spray. If I inhale deep enough I can still smell it. It was a sacrifice for me to purchase it. After a couple of weeks, I found myself longing for something from every single store we visited. Even in my non-royal days, I could feel a tug at my soul. The rituals of our relationship were creating some unhealthy habits in my heart.

There were so many pretty things I never even knew I needed. And I wanted them ALL.

Gradually, I stepped away from the Saturdays of fettuccine and endless breadsticks (that was probably a good idea, too) and trips to the mall. I loved my sweet friend but I knew it just wasn’t a good pattern for me to repeat.

Did you know that our friends influence everything from our waistline to our pocketbook? Craig Groschel said so poignantly in this series “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”We can easily adopt the habits of those with whom we hang.

To kick debt in the teeth, you’re going to need some kick butt friends. You’ll need fellow debt slayers. You’ll need individuals who are encouraging and want the best for you. You’ll need friends who will tell you when you’re out of line or buying something you don’t need. You might be called to end some friendships or at least transition their priority in your life.

Don’t know where to look to find those kind of friends? I’d highly recommend joining the Court of the Queen of Free on Facebook. Sure, I share the randomness of life and freebies and deals there but there are also plenty of others who answer questions about frugal ways, understand the heat of the battle with the Debt Dragon, and long for freedom just as much as you do. It’s a community of nearly 7000 other Debt Slayers just like you.

You might also check a local church for an FPU course or another financial ministry. Find those frugal, financially smart people in your community and cling to them. Turn away from friends who lead you astray or stir up malcontent in your heart. Don’t mishear me. I’m not saying you treat them harshly or announce at a dinner party that you can’t hang out with any of the guests anymore because they’re stupid with money. Be loving. Be kind. But guard your heart, wallet, and time.

Kicking Debt in the Teeth requires community. You will require encouragement. Seek it out as soon as you finish reading this sentence.

Miss the first 15 days of Kicking Debt in the teeth? Have no fear! Read:

• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in The Teeth: Believe
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in The Teeth: Stop It
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Sell, Baby, Sell
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Use Cash
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Plan Meals
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Mind Over Budget
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Read a Book
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Quit Eating at Restaurants
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Dream On
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Set Limits
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Communicate with Your Spouse
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Move It
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Work It
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Get Your Coupon On
• 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Visualize Victory

Want to be sure you don’t miss a single one of the 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth? Be sure to subscribe to my daily newsletter! Look for the bar that looks like this in the upper righthand corner.

You’ll receive another e-mail to confirm and then daily around 5 pm all of the money saving, debt slaying posts I write will come right to your e-mail inbox!

I’m so looking forward to sharing this month of challenge and inspiration with you. Together, we can show debt who’s boss and give it a swift kick in the teeth this January and throughout the year in 2014. Away we go!

My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free on Kindle.  

This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!

Related posts:

31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth in 2014: Stop It 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth in 2014: Use CA$H 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Change Your Mind About Budgeting 31 Ways to Kick Debt in the Teeth: Quit Eating at Restaurants