In this issue of The Payoff Challenge:
Community Debt Payoff Snapshot
Submit your debt payoff totals for this week!
Dollar Designator: A simple envelope system budget app
Weekly Action: Sign up for a research study
My Home Payoff Update
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Community Debt Payoff Snapshot
We crossed $50k total debt paid off since January 1st! Congrats to the everyone who’s participated in that big number! And also congrats to everyone who paid off debt this week. Let’s put this into a fun comparison.
We paid off a total of $3316 last week! This is how much a used Mercedes-Benz C-Class C 300 costs in Central Ohio. Yeah I actually found this for the sake of the newsletter.
$829 was the average paid off, which is how much a used 2020 GMC Savana 2500 work van costs in Central Ohio. Eh, I’m sticking with the car theme this week. There’s no way there’s not something wrong with this van, though. It’s only got 135k miles.
$829 is also the equivalent of 225 gallons of chocolate milk. That’s a ton of chocolate milk. No, literally, it’s almost 2000 lbs. 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!
Sponsorship
FINALLY, a SIMPLE Budget App
Based on the envelope system, Dollar Designator makes it incredibly easy to spend and save within your means.
This is a budget app I had a direct hand in bringing to you all, so I’m really excited about it. You can try it completely risk free (no credit card required). And we have a crazy deal for the premium tier of the app.
Intro Offer:
The first 100 to sign up will get over 50% off their first full year of premium (only $24.95). Again, when you sign up, you’ll get a 60-day free trial which doesn’t require a credit or debit card.
Caleb’s Actionable Strategy
Sign Up for a Research Study
This is actually something I did in college and made some good side money doing it.
Action: This week, check your local university to see what kinds of paid research opportunities there are.
When I was doing this, I would to taste test studies. They’d take only 10-15 minutes for $20. There was another I did where we spent about 30 minutes answering questions about advertising and were given a $50 Visa gift card as payment.
Obviously don’t spend a ton of time going somewhere to earn only $20 if it’s going to cost you far more in time and fuel. But if it fits into your life, check out some research studies that pay for your participation!
Member Spotlight
I Want To Celebrate Your Wins!
But I need your help to do it. Get featured here for your wins!
Any amount of debt payoff is worth celebrating here in the member spotlight.
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 (less than a year left).
311 days left
Mortgage Balance on January 1st, 2026: $70,000
Current Mortgage Balance: $55,299.73 (▼$1,316.85 since last week)
Balance paid off since start of challenge: $14,700.27
Source: Paycheck, savings, interest, an Escrow surplus payment, Etsy poster sales, selling scrap metal, a bicycle, a TV cabinet, and a laptop
*This includes monthly principal payments as well as additional payments.
Current Mortgage Balance
This was a crazzzzy week. Our mortgage company informed us that we had more money in our Escrow account (for taxes and insurance) than we needed, so they sent us a check for $1,316.85. So we put the full check on the principal balance! That may be our biggest extra payment yet this year.
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
