In this issue of The Payoff Challenge:
Total paid off in April
Community Debt Payoff Snapshot
Submit your debt payoff totals for this week!
Weekly Action: Work One Extra Saturday per Month
Money News: Americans Struggling to Make Financial Progress in 2026
My Home Payoff Update
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It has been 20 weeks already! And now our numbers have caught up so I can show the total paid off in April 2026.
Love it. Alright, let’s get into this week’s payoff snapshot.
Community Debt Payoff Snapshot
Congrats to the everyone who paid off some debt this week! Let’s put this into a fun comparison.
We paid off a total of $518 last week! That’s like our entire grocery budget. Well, until the last two months. Groceries have been brutal lately and we’ve had to bump that line item.
$172 was the average paid off, which is like the amount you’d save by making coffee at home every day for a month instead of stopping at your local cafe. No shade. I do love coffee shops. They just pricy.
$172 is also the equivalent of 47 gallons of chocolate milk.
Numbers only move if people act—which brings us to this week’s check-in!
Weekly Check In!
How Much Did You Pay Off This Week?
⏱ Takes under 60 seconds. Any amount. Any debt.
This isn’t about how big the number is—it’s about progress. If you haven’t made a payment yet, consider this your nudge to go make one right now. Missed a week? Just submit the total since your last entry.
Submissions will be included in future week’s Snapshots!
Caleb’s Actionable Strategy
Work One Saturday This Month
If you’re looking to pay off some debt quickly, ask yourself “What’s possible if I work one extra day per month?”
Action: This week, come up with some ways you could earn extra money with one extra day of work per month.
Here’s some ideas:
Work another day at your current job. Ask for another shift or some overtime you can do on a Saturday.
Get a gig job like Ubering or Shipting groceries that will allow you to pick one day that you’ll only focus on that.
Ask friends or family if there’s a task they need done that you could do for some extra cash like cleaning, painting, staining etc.
Start a side gig you know you’re good at. It could be cleaning someone’s house, woodworking, hauling, landscaping (especially in the spring), whatever.
After you figure out about how much extra you could put towards debt per month, use this debt-payoff calculator to show how much sooner that little change can make your debt-free date!
Just a single day of extra work can make a huge difference on your speed of payoff! Just imagine an extra two, three, or four days of work a month.
Member Spotlight
I Want To Celebrate Your Wins!
But I can’t do that if you don’t tell me about it. So fill out this short form about the debt you’ve paid off and your current wins!
Any amount of debt payoff is worth celebrating here in the member spotlight.
Personal Financial News
American’s Struggling to Make Financial Progress in 2026
It’s sad but true, 2026 has proven to be a challenge for many Americans looking to make some progress on their finances. According to Yahoo Finance, over 50% have plans that have been pushed off due to cost of living and unexpected expenses.
Your take-away: In a year that’s tough for financial goals, it’s even more important to make a plan for your money.
The article goes over how to reign in spending, address recurring expenses, and modify your budget by checking it regularly. Plus, of course, addressing debt. Overall some great points and worth the read if you find yourself in this group of Americans. Read more here.
Caleb’s Challenge Update
Progress We Made Towards Our Payoff
Goal: Pay off our remaining mortgage ($70k) by our 10-year anniversary on June 17, 2027.
395 days left
Mortgage Balance on January 1st, 2026: $70,000
Current Mortgage Balance: $62,210.90 (▼$200 since last week)
Balance paid off since start of challenge: $7789.10
Source: Paycheck, savings, interest, Etsy poster sales, selling scrap metal, bicycle, TV cabinet
*This includes monthly principal payments as well as additional payments.
Current Mortgage Balance
Nothing crazy this week, we just put some savings toward our principal. Maaan, only a couple months (hopefully less) before we drop below the $60k mark.
Refer a friend and receive my quick-start guide for saving money TODAY on your existing expenses.
That’s it for this week! I already can’t wait for next couple week’s editions as we start getting numbers to include. If you have any feedback, respond to this email or drop me a line at [email protected].
Till next week!
Caleb
