Debt Dumpers 2026

[DanceDisney23]

I agree-we are a minimum of 30 minutes drive from ANY grocery store, 60 to Walmart and stuff is still plenty cold/fully frozen. when we first started doing Walmart curbside pickup I hesitated to get any cold/frozen items but then I gave it a try and found that if I time it to do my pickup AFTER I do my in-store shopping the cold/frozen are colder than than if I had been walking around the store with them in my cart.

When I go to stores that are 30+ minutes away, I bring an insulated bag with me. In the warmer months, I put an ice pack in the bag. I never had any issues with bringing home frozen or refrigerated food.

 

[DisneyHardin]

How much of that is the value of the car vs the fees?

I'm not sure what the fees are - I don't think they are too much of the total though.

 

[Nettlelondon]

I am maxing out the value of my gym membership these days! I have done 5 classes in the last week, although one of them was a sound bath (so lie down on a yoga mat under a blanket and relax to lovely sounds).

Between two of the classes I have a 2 hours gap that I spend in the on site coffee shop drinking my free hot drink - that I get from the gym for visiting 3 times in a week.

The gym membership is half price thanks to my health insurance & comes with weekly rewards (including a free hot drink which I use when I take my mum grocery shopping) and monthly rewards of Amazon vouchers! Every little helps.

I know I could save money by not paying gym membership & exercising for free at home but I know myself and that just wouldn't happen. No free online YouTube watching is going to say "Nettle, I know you can do XYZ, stop slacking", or at least not at the point that I am slacking!

 

[Tygerlilly]

It’s very time consuming when your kids are in a competitive or travel sport.

Competitive gymnastics 3x a week from 4:30-6 and now softball has started 2x a week (for now) from 5:30-6:40. One of those days overlaps so we're literally going here and there from 4:30 to 6:40. The kids eat a snack around 3:30 and then dinner is around 7/7:30.
Can't wait for kiddo #3 to start with his sports.

 

[royeheat]

No to both. But thanks. I'm trying to make progress. It's a slow process. I want to get out of debt immediately. But I realize I didn't get into the mess overnight, so I'm not going to get out of it overnight either.

No to both. But thanks. I'm trying to make progress. It's a slow process. I want to get out of debt immediately. But I realize I didn't get into the mess overnight, so I'm not going to get out of it overnight either.

It took you “x” amount of years to get into debt so it will take you “x” amount and then some years to get out.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

That’s rough but if the kids want it bad enough they’ll find a way to get through it.
Our niece that got the gymnastics scholarship would train from 3pm -9pm after school, then do homework, and all day Saturdays.
Once, when she had a concussion and doctor orders were to rest, she begged her mom to take her to the gym, promising that she would only do some light stretching. When my SIL returned later to pick her up, she walked in to see her daughter doing a wild flip off the end of the balance beam. She couldn’t stand to stay away from it.

At least it kept her out of the 14 & pregnant crowd.

 

[DanceDisney23]

Competitive gymnastics 3x a week from 4:30-6 and now softball has started 2x a week (for now) from 5:30-6:40. One of those days overlaps so we're literally going here and there from 4:30 to 6:40. The kids eat a snack around 3:30 and then dinner is around 7/7:30.
Can't wait for kiddo #3 to start with his sports.

I’m glad I have an only child. I don’t know how people with multiple children do it. Kudos to you!

DH works rotating night shifts, so he is not always able to step in.

I’m typing this as I sit in the parking lot at dance after picking DD up from middle school track, with a brief stop at home to let the dog out and grab the dance bag.

 

[barkley]

Competitive gymnastics 3x a week from 4:30-6 and now softball has started 2x a week (for now) from 5:30-6:40. One of those days overlaps so we're literally going here and there from 4:30 to 6:40. The kids eat a snack around 3:30 and then dinner is around 7/7:30.
Can't wait for kiddo #3 to start with his sports.

crockpot-one of the greatest inventions ever. we lived by the crockpot and bread maker for many years (and lots of large batch cooking/freezing on the weekends). i'm just thankful my kid's activities were on schoolgrounds and they had a late bus that dropped off in fairly reasonable proximity to our house. kudos to those of you have have to run them hither and yon (esp. with current gas prices).

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

crockpot-one of the greatest inventions ever. we lived by the crockpot and bread maker for many years (and lots of large batch cooking/freezing on the weekends). i'm just thankful my kid's activities were on schoolgrounds and they had a late bus that dropped off in fairly reasonable proximity to our house. kudos to those of you have have to run them hither and yon (esp. with current gas prices).

Back when I was a sports editor, I'd have sports 4 out of the 5 nights during the week. And I'd work on Saturday at the office to catch up. I was working like 60 hours a week. It was crazy. And so it made it hard to figure out meals because most nights I wouldn't get done with sports until 9:30-10. And I wasn't going to eat beforehand because I had to be there at 6:30. So there were lots of late night bowls of cereal or drive throughs.

But now that we're on a more normal schedule, we can meal plan and such. We love using the crockpots on the weekends when we're home. Not big on leaving them on during the day when we're not there. And we do cook and put leftovers in the fridge, not the feezer and eat on the next day or 2 then toss out. Great way to make food last.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

It took you “x” amount of years to get into debt so it will take you “x” amount and then some years to get out.

I was in debt most of my adult life with some kind of cc or another until I found the Debt Dumpers thread at age 46, so roughly 28 years of adult life in cc debt. It took me 15 months to pay them off.
If you're very motivated, it won't take nearly as long to get out of it as it does to be/stay in debt.

It's a lot like gaining some weight. Ten pounds is noticeable but not so horrible that you find it urgent to immediately get rid of it. Then you get used to it. If you don't get it under control, and you keep gaining it gets to be a real problem and then it's urgent to get rid of it. I have found that paying off debt is way easier than losing weight.

 

[Tygerlilly]

Listed some outgrown kids clothing on Facebook and made $34 so far. I figure I'll list some stuff for a dollar or two each and the whatever doesn't sell in a week I'll donate. Wash and repeat for literally all the clutter in my house. I'm putting all the money from what I sell into my 100 envelope challenge to use towards middle kiddos 10th Birthday Disney trip. Just a nice easy way to save over 5k without thinking about it, in addition to the regular scheduled savings amounts I'm putting away.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Listed some outgrown kids clothing on Facebook and made $34 so far. I figure I'll list some stuff for a dollar or two each and the whatever doesn't sell in a week I'll donate. Wash and repeat for literally all the clutter in my house. I'm putting all the money from what I sell into my 100 envelope challenge to use towards middle kiddos 10th Birthday Disney trip. Just a nice easy way to save over 5k without thinking about it, in addition to the regular scheduled savings amounts I'm putting away.

That's so awesome. I've listed a few things. But nothing has drawn any interest. But I'd like to sell some stuff on Marketplace. THat's money I can use to pay down debt.

 

[piglet1979]

When both kids were in HS it was crazy for us in the fall. Both played HS soccer and Marching Band. At one point I would drop DS off at soccer, then pick him up and Drop off DD at soccer, Drop DS off at band practice, wait for DD's soccer practice to end then take her to band. Band practice ended at 9. It was just a constant running back and forth all because the boys and girls soccer team could not figure out how to share a soccer field and practice together. I also don't think the coaches liked each other.

DH stayed home and made dinner so it was ready as soon as we would get home. He has always been the one to clean and cook (he hated the run around) and I was the one driving the kids everywhere. It worked well for us then. Now that both kids are in college, I don't know what to do with myself anymore. I have way too much time on my hands that I have not had in 20 years.

 

[mmbrad02]

I saved some $$ today. When we started this Disneyland adventure, I was planning to stay the Best Western hotel across the street - but honestly prefer a more hotel style and anyway, ended up deciding to splurge for the Disneyland hotel. Then my daughter saw video's for Pixar Place hotel, and we moved our reservation there (first cost savings, though minimal ). Then I decided to look offsite but further than across the street. For about 2 days we were booked at the Hampton Inn Convention Center. THEN I decided I didn't want to rely on the Toy Story parking lot shuttle....

So DH and I narrowed it down between the Anaheim Hotel and the Hilton Garden Inn (on Manchester). He wanted the first one for proximity to the parks. I wanted the latter because it looks nice and I could get the Corporate rate through work, which made the price almost identical. He truly said he could do either of those - he agreed he didn't want to rely on the shuttle.

So anyway, we are now booked at the Hilton Garden Inn and the price difference between that and Pixar Place is $1,113.80. Woo hoo. Then my wheels started turning that hey, that's about the total of the Premier Pass for the three of us... but I've talked myself out of that. I might use some of our "savings" for one of the dinner/show options or a dessert party though.

 

[Tygerlilly]

Well, our second vehicle has officially . We've spent quite a bit of time trying to keep it going, but it's to the point now that it's just not worth it. It won't run and needs a decent amount of work and DH is over working on it constantly. So, we're looking into places that take non-working vehicles and fix them up for people in need. I asked in a FB group for recs and got 10 messages saying "I'd love to have it, I have no money to get one and need a car!" Which is super annoying because I mentioned 3 times that it doesn't currently run and will require work, which isn't going to be cheap. I feel bad, but I really don't want to give it to an individual because I just know it's going to be a lot to fix.

 

[afan]

Well, our second vehicle has officially . We've spent quite a bit of time trying to keep it going, but it's to the point now that it's just not worth it. It won't run and needs a decent amount of work and DH is over working on it constantly. So, we're looking into places that take non-working vehicles and fix them up for people in need. I asked in a FB group for recs and got 10 messages saying "I'd love to have it, I have no money to get one and need a car!" Which is super annoying because I mentioned 3 times that it doesn't currently run and will require work, which isn't going to be cheap. I feel bad, but I really don't want to give it to an individual because I just know it's going to be a lot to fix.

Do any of the local schools have an auto program? They may take cars.

 

[barkley]

Well, our second vehicle has officially . We've spent quite a bit of time trying to keep it going, but it's to the point now that it's just not worth it. It won't run and needs a decent amount of work and DH is over working on it constantly. So, we're looking into places that take non-working vehicles and fix them up for people in need. I asked in a FB group for recs and got 10 messages saying "I'd love to have it, I have no money to get one and need a car!" Which is super annoying because I mentioned 3 times that it doesn't currently run and will require work, which isn't going to be cheap. I feel bad, but I really don't want to give it to an individual because I just know it's going to be a lot to fix.

'wheels for wishes' which benefits make a wish has nationwide locations that accept and will haul away non operable vehicles-you can pull up your local group on their website (they have VERY GOOD reviews). habitat for humanity and several vets groups also accept them. if you go with a legit group they will take care of (and pay for) any transferring of title BUT check your state's DMV/DOL to see if you also have to fill out a separate form. using a legal charity will also result in a getting paperwork for tax deductability.