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 12: Move It
I know that the connection seems weak on the surface, but to best kick debt in the teeth, you need to be intentional with your practices of physical fitness. I’m not saying you need to win a Cross Fit contest, run a marathon, or learn how to tear phone books in two a la the Power Team, but you do need to take care of your body. Here’s why.
If you are physically fit, you’ll be sick less often
Less sickness = fewer doctor’s visit, prescriptions, & OTCs. Less missed work which means less missed income that you can use to Slay the Debt Dragon.
If you are physically fit, you’re less likely to have chronic or long term health problems.
That means fewer hospital visits, specialists, long term pharmaceuticals, scans, and tests. Again, more time and money to spend toward eliminating debt.
If you have a practice of regularly exercising, you’ll fill some of your time
Let’s be honest, it’s easy to focus in on what you don’t have and what you’re not doing when you’re sitting on the couch. If you are working out, you won’t be scanning social media channels jealous of what everyone else is doing. If you are working out, you won’t be watching television seeing what informercial products you don’t own. You won’t see movie trailers for movies you can’t afford to watch. You won’t be aware of all of the New! and Improved! items you don’t have the cash flow to purchase.
Exercising gives you the gift of extra energy
Face it. If you are to undertake paying off all of your debt, you’re going to need to work harder than you ever have before. Whether actual overtime or extra hours spent at home organizing what you have and making the most of it, you’ll need your entire physical being to pay off debt. Exercise refreshes and renews your body, maximizing the most of your time and energies.
Exercise might give you some inspiration
I’m a recreational runner. Running was often a metaphor to me that gave me symbols to wrap my mind around. I shared some of them in Run For Your Life and Run Some More. Fixing my eyes on a point off in the distance, setting mini-goals, staying in motion – all are needed for both running and paying off debt.
Exercise will give you a release
Paying off debt is stressful. Exercise can provide the opportunity for you to work out your stress. Let’s just say I like to sing when I run on the treadmill. I sing very loud. “I’ve got the EYE of the TIGER, dancing through the FIRE.” I turn up the music and belt it out at full blast. When I step back into my world, I’m less likely to snap at others because I have channeled any aggression I might have.
You can run. You can walk. You can ride a bike. You can play tag with your kids in the park. You can lift weights. You can play basketball. It can be an experience to share with a friend or spouse. It can provide moments of solitude. Simply find something you love to do and enjoy and then program your time to regularly exercise. It doesn’t have to cost a bundle either. I have written several Buff on a Budget pieces with money saving ideas for physical fitness. Scroll back through some of them for a few ideas for yourself.
Miss the first eleven 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
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
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!
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