Debt Dumpers 2026

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As I shared earlier this month, we did buy a new car. First payment goes out on February 9. She is fun but that payment hurts after not having one for several years Paying $60 extra toward the principal and hope the increase that amount as time goes on.

The lease on my husband's car (which is technically meant for both of us but I never drive it) runs out in August of this year but we have always assumed we'll extend it for 6 months that the dealership allowed for. We only got a leased car because my husband was in an accident in 2023 that totaled his 2010 car (long since paid off) and the interest rates at that time made no sense to buy another car vs lease. I'm not exactly looking forward to potentially looking at a car again. My car is an old beater of a car.

Did you find the interest rates decently favorable for you? Not asking you to disclose the rate but just how you felt about it.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

I went to Academy tonight after dinner because DW is taking part in a youth event at church (DNow for any of you familiar with it). I don't ever shop for clothes, shoes, anything like that. For example, I've had the same 3 pairs of jeans for 8 years, the same polos, button downs and tee shirts for just about that long (minus the ones we've gotten for or at Disney). And I haven't bought new tennis shoes in probably 12+ years (my father-in -law was a coach, and he'd order me a pair of coach's shoes when he did his orders).

But I went to Academy because I had a gift card I'd gotten for Christmas, and OH MY! I thought I'd get a new pair of shoes since my blue ones have a hole in them. I didn't. The prices on stuff were outrageous. Tennis shoes were $100+ for Nikes, and I don't think I saw a pair for under $60. For a pair of shoes. Levi jeans were $60, and don't get me started on Nike, Under Armor and Addidas polos. Like $40-$50 for one polo. I don't know how anyone can afford to go shopping, especially if they have multiple kids. I hear people talking about shopping for the start of school, and now I see why they're freaking out.

Anyway, I bought a new Texas Rangers polo. It was originally $70, but it was marked down to $54.99. And it was on a rack that said take an additional 50% off price. So I got it for $27 and some change. So I was able to get that and two 2-pound dumbbells for my walking I've started doing.

 

[afan]

I went to Academy tonight after dinner because DW is taking part in a youth event at church (DNow for any of you familiar with it). I don't ever shop for clothes, shoes, anything like that. For example, I've had the same 3 pairs of jeans for 8 years, the same polos, button downs and tee shirts for just about that long (minus the ones we've gotten for or at Disney). And I haven't bought new tennis shoes in probably 12+ years (my father-in -law was a coach, and he'd order me a pair of coach's shoes when he did his orders).

But I went to Academy because I had a gift card I'd gotten for Christmas, and OH MY! I thought I'd get a new pair of shoes since my blue ones have a hole in them. I didn't. The prices on stuff were outrageous. Tennis shoes were $100+ for Nikes, and I don't think I saw a pair for under $60. For a pair of shoes. Levi jeans were $60, and don't get me started on Nike, Under Armor and Addidas polos. Like $40-$50 for one polo. I don't know how anyone can afford to go shopping, especially if they have multiple kids. I hear people talking about shopping for the start of school, and now I see why they're freaking out.

Anyway, I bought a new Texas Rangers polo. It was originally $70, but it was marked down to $54.99. And it was on a rack that said take an additional 50% off price. So I got it for $27 and some change. So I was able to get that and two 2-pound dumbbells for my walking I've started doing.

You shop sales like you did or outlet stores, tj maxx, Marshall's, target, walmart etc. Academy wouldn't be a place I'd go for any of the things you are looking for.

 

[Tygerlilly]

I don't know how anyone can afford to go shopping, especially if they have multiple kids.

Thrift stores, resale shops, outlet malls, TJ Maxx/Ross, and just watching for end of season sales. That's how I do it. I find the best deals on shoes at TJ Maxx and Ross usually.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I shop at Kohls when I have a 30 or 40% off coupon. They can't be applied to Levi's so I use my Kohls cash to buy them for dh. Most of my pants I paid $19.99 there. I usually buy sneakers at asics.com when they're on sale and I buy something on clearance. If you belong to their free loyalty club you get free shipping and free returns. I'm on my feet all day at work so I refuse to buy cheap junk.

Dh follows a website, I think it's called Brad's Deals which emails him various things that can be bought with huge savings. Most of it is stuff we don't need or wouldn't use but sometimes it's awesome. He sent me a link in December for Walmart with Levi's for $15. I thought they might be knockoffs but they were not being sold by a 3rd party seller so I gave it a shot and bought 3 pairs for each of my sons. They were great. Dh always says the best way to save money is to not be loyal to any particular brand and also he likes to buy stuff at a time when he doesn't truly need it. So he always has his next pair of sneakers and work boots still in the box in his closet and never shops with urgency. (Except when our oven died, lol.)

We also do this when our coffeepot dies. We always have a spare in our closet because a coffeepot never dies at 2pm on a Saturday. It's always at 5am on a work day. So once our spare enters service, we start shopping around for a new spare and can do so leisurely over the next several months and wait for a great deal.

 

[Twilghtsprkle]

The last few polos I bought DH are from Costco. All $10-15 each. And if you ever manage to catch their end of season clearance they can have some great deals. Have gotten hoodies for the teens for $5 each.