One of our biggest goals for 2026 is to become debt free – or at the very least make a huge dent in what we still owe. Over the past year, we’ve already managed to clear a couple of balances, and recently we paid off another one completely, which felt like a massive achievement.
At the moment, we still have a few remaining debts we’re working through, including household-related costs, repayments and credit cards. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, we’re focusing on one balance at a time using the debt snowball method — paying extra towards the smallest debt first while continuing minimum payments on the others. Once one is cleared, we’ll roll that payment amount onto the next debt, helping us build momentum much quicker.
So, how are we planning to speed up the process in 2026?
Simple: save more and spend less.
It sounds obvious, but small changes genuinely make a huge difference over time. Alongside increasing our income where possible, we’re really focusing on being more intentional with our money this year.
Saving More Wherever We Can
One of the biggest things helping us stay on track is making saving automatic and painless. Instead of trying to save huge amounts at once, we’re focusing on smaller habits that build up over time.
This includes:
- rounding up spare change through banking apps
- transferring leftover money into savings at the end of each week
- cutting unnecessary subscriptions
- using cashback apps and reward schemes
- putting any “unexpected” money straight into debt repayments
Even if it’s only an extra £10 or £20 here and there, it all adds up faster than you think.
Spending Less On The Things We Don’t Need
Over the last year, we’ve become far more aware of where our money disappears. Small impulse purchases, convenience spending and “treat” takeaways can quickly add up without you even noticing.
We’ve already cut back massively on random spending, but there are still areas we want to improve in 2026 – especially food spending and takeaway habits. Life gets busy and convenience is tempting, but we always feel better financially when we plan meals properly and stick to a budget.
We’re not aiming for perfection or never enjoying ourselves — just being more mindful overall.
Increasing Our Income
As well as saving money, we’re also trying to increase how much money we bring in each month.
This includes:
- freelance work
- blogging income
- side hustles
- selling unused items
- online surveys
- cashback apps
- marketplace flipping
Any extra income we earn outside of our normal monthly budget will go directly towards debt repayments.
One thing we’ve learned is that even small side hustles can make a real difference when you stay consistent.
Decluttering & Selling More
We’re also making a big effort to declutter the house this year. Like most families, we’ve accumulated so many things we no longer use – clothes, toys, electronics and random household items.
Instead of letting them gather dust, we’re selling what we can on platforms like:
- Vinted
- eBay
- Facebook Marketplace
Not only does it help bring in extra cash, but it also makes the house feel far less cluttered too.
Final Thoughts
Becoming debt free isn’t something that happens overnight, especially with the rising cost of living in 2026. But we’re determined to stay focused, make smarter financial choices and keep moving forward one payment at a time.
For us, it’s all about progress over perfection.
Every extra payment, every side hustle and every small saving gets us one step closer to financial freedom.
