The Debt Payoff Plan for People Who Hate Budgets

The minimalist plan

You need three things:

Element	What it is
One number	Your fixed monthly debt payment
One rule	No new debt
One transfer	Auto-pay the debt from a separate account

That's the entire system. No categories. No tracking. No guilt.

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How to find your number

1. List all your debts and minimum payments.
2. Add $200-$500 above the minimums.
3. That's your monthly debt payment.

If your minimums are $400 and you can afford $700, your number is $700. Pay it every month. Increase it when you can.

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How to automate it

1. Open a separate checking account.
2. Set up a direct deposit or auto-transfer so your debt money lands there.
3. Auto-pay all debts from that account.
4. Spend whatever is left in your main account.

You don't track spending. You just make sure the debt money is gone before you can touch it.

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The no-new-debt rule

This is the one rule you can't break. If you add to your debt while you're paying it down, the plan becomes a treadmill.

• Use debit cards, not credit cards.
• If you can't pay cash, don't buy it.
• Keep one emergency credit card for true emergencies only.

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The honest read

You don't have to love budgeting to get out of debt. You have to love the result enough to set up one automatic system and follow one rule.

The people who pay off debt without a budget are not magicians. They just made the important money leave their account before they could spend it.

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This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Lighten Debt is not a law firm. Results vary by individual.