Hearing other people's debt free stories can be so inspiring. Listening to them share their journey can really give you a push in the right direction.

However, a few weeks ago someone left me a YouTube comment stating their discouragement:

"I listen to Dave Ramsey and I hear people do their debt free screams and they all have six-figure incomes. My family nowhere near that."

I nodded my head in understanding as I read that comment. For so long I felt the same way. I would hear people call in the Dave Ramsey show to do their debt free screams and they would state their debt at $90,000 and their income at $150,000.

While my family's debt was never that high, neither was our income.

But then I heard about this couple. They paid off close to $10,000 in SIX MONTHS making just $28,000 a year. Okay, for those of you (like me) who are mathematically challenged, that is about a third of their annual income in must six months.

I immediately shared this on Facebook in the hopes it would encourage and inspire.

No, you DON'T have to have a six-figure income to pay off debt. But you might need a little encouragement.

1. Understand it will take time.

Sure, it will take you longer. But your debt wasn't amassed all at once so it's going to take you more than a day, a month or even a year to get out from under the mountain of debt.

2. Make a plan.

You need a budget. Let me say it again, you need a budget. If you've never made one before, start here.

Without a plan your money won't know where to go. I say this all the time, but it remains true. You probably won't have a perfect budget the first time. You will forget to add something you will spend too much on groceries, etc.

3. Set some goals.

This is key. For example, decide you will have your smallest debt paid off in three months and then work like dogs to make that happen.

Set some smaller goals you can obtain quickly like paying cash for all your Christmas gifts; and some long-term goals that might take longer like paying off your home early.

It's amazing the power goals can have on you when you're working to become financially free.

You can do it. I am telling you, you can do it. Don't give up and don't get discouraged.

What about you? Are you working to pay off debt on a smaller income?

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