Welcome to DebtFreeAdventure.com where we exercise our mission of helping people borrow, pay off debt, save, give, and live their mission. My wife Betsy and I began our debt free adventure on January 1st, 2009 and have never looked back. Now we have a team of writers dedicated to helping you get control of your finances using biblical principles.
Join the community, check out the DFA blog, read more about us, or contact us with questions.
Use these resources to gain control of your finances and win with money.
Borrow
Lending Club – When we were first getting things under control we used Lending Club to consolidate all of our high interest debt into one lower interest loan. I advise you do the same. Lending Club is a peer to peer lending company who connects people who need money with people who have money, all without the need for a bank!
Prosper – Another reputable peer to peer lending site I trust. You can consolidate your high interest debt with Prosper by getting a low interest loan to pay off your other debts giving yourself one monthly payment rather than a bunch of individual debt payments. It’s easier to manage and will save you money.
PeerForm – Don’t let bad credit stop you from getting a P2P loan. PeerForm allows borrowers with credit scores as low as 600 to apply for a personal loan. Plus, you can still enjoy the low-interest rate that P2P lending offers. However, PeerForm does charge a 5% late fee which is steep. If you go with PeerForm, make sure to stay current with your loan and you’ll be better off than with a traditional subprime loan.
Pay off debt
Lower My Bills – LowerMyBills.com a premier, free online service for consumers to compare low rates on monthly bills and reduce the cost of living. They offers savings across multiple categories, including debt consolidation, home loans, credit cards, auto and health insurance, and long-distance and wireless services. I highly recommend using their free service to get out of debt and save!
You Need A Budget – YNAB is the budgeting software tool I use to keep track of both my personal and business finances. I’ve always scratched my head at people who don’t want to spend $60 on a budgeting program that will likely help them save hundreds each month, but they have no problem dropping $60 on going out to dinner every Friday night! I encourage you to stop making excuses for not buying a budgeting program and just go buy one; it could easily be the best $60 you spend this year.
Debt Goal – If you need help organizing payments and determining which debt to pay first… check out DebtGoal. Before turning to a debt relief company, give the DebtGoal service a shot. They are a solid DIY middle ground between self service debt management and full service debt management.
Mint.com – If you could benefit from a free online tool to manage your personal finances and budget your money then you’ll want to take a look at Mint.com, it is completely free, gives you a thorough overview of your financial situation, and connects to all your financial accounts automatically.
Save
Free Credit Score – Before attempting to consolidate your debt or applying for a new bank account you should find out your credit score – without having to pay for it! I use and recommend Credit Sesame over any other service because they give you a free credit score without needing your credit card. Read my full Credit Sesame review for more info.
Capital One 360 – Save money by opening a high interest savings account with Capital One 360. If you’re in the market I also suggest you open a checking account with them, Betsy and I have banked with Capital One 360 for years now and have nothing but positive things to say about them. Easily create multiple accounts for each savings goal and take advantage of their competitive interest rates to earn more.
Ally Bank – Another solid banking option to save money is Ally Bank. They charge absolutely zero ATM fees and even reimburse you when other banks try to charge a fee. They also have very competitive interest rates and excellent online and smartphone interfaces for ease of use. You can open both a savings account and a checking account with Ally.
Betterment – Earn $25 instantly by opening an investment account with them today. Betterment makes investing in low cost index funds easy peasy and was created to help the beginner invest wisely and with confidence simply by using their risk tolerance. They walk you through the process and get you up and investing within 15 minutes. Read my full Betterment review for more info or open an account with them today.
Give
Read about my testimony to the tithe and consider always giving at least the first 10% of your gross income back to the Lord. You can do this by giving to your church, by funding a Christian education for a niece or nephew, or any number of other ways.
You can also tithe with your time. Giving your time to help others and to further the kingdom of God is one of the highest callings we can strive for and provides an internal peace no prescription drug could ever deliver!
Live your mission
We often write about ways to discover the gifts God has blessed you with and encourage you to embrace those gifts by tying them together with your work and your mission in life! We want to be the stewards who use our gifts for increase rather than the foolish steward who buries his gifts for fear of losing them.
I have also been doing 30 day missions to train my mind to embrace simplicity and resourcefulness while learning to turn away from consumerism and wantonness. You can follow along with my missions or start little mini missions of your own.
Join the community and stay connected
Join the community, check out the DFA blog, read more about us, or contact us with any questions.