Episode: 381 - Why Having Fun Can Actually Help You Get Out of Debt
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Let me share a thought that might surprise you: if your plan to escape debt involves eliminating all the joy in your life, it’s likely going to fail. Not because you’re financially irresponsible or lack self-discipline, but because no one can endure misery long-term. Today, I want to delve into why incorporating fun on purpose may actually be the secret ingredient you need to help you finally pay off your debt, rather than being the obstacle holding you back.
Breaking the Cycle
Let’s talk about a phenomenon I observe frequently, particularly with newcomers to financial planning. Many people, fueled by motivation, embark on a “scorched earth” strategy: no dining out, no trips, no hobbies, no enjoyment — essentially, no life. Initially, this can feel empowering. You’re disciplined and focused. But as weeks pass and stress accumulates, that airtight budget turns suffocating.
Here’s the reality: A budget that feels punitive leads to rebellion. I can attest to this because it mirrors my initial approach when tackling our debt. I insisted on strictly no indulgences, aiming to be debt-free in 12 months. Reality check — it took 20 months. We quickly realized that such rigidity was untenable, and we were determined not to fail. Research supports that excessively strict budgets often prevent people from achieving their long-term financial goals. On the other hand, flexible budgets that incorporate enjoyment tend to be easier to stick with and produce better outcomes over time.
The Importance of Planned Fun
Interestingly, according to Bankrate surveys, around 68% of Americans forgo recreational activities like movies or dining out due to financial constraints, yet about one-third still incur debt for leisure, travel, or experiences. This indicates that the desire for enjoyment doesn’t disappear due to debt—the lack of planning for it is the issue. Unplanned fun often resurfaces later on credit cards with interest. Thus, the problem isn’t that seeking fun is irresponsible, but rather, it’s the unplanned approach to it.
Fun doesn’t need to be extravagant, expensive, or social media-worthy — it’s a personal experience. Whether it’s concert tickets, date nights, Lego sets, or a long-neglected hobby, the crucial point is finding what replenishes your spirit. Your budget should reflect your values, not impress others. Planning for genuine sources of joy curbs impulse spending later on.
Here’s an essential truth: budgeting for enjoyment doesn't hinder debt repayment. The real slowdown occurs when people quit, and that happens when they feel deprived. Permission to enjoy life within limits stops the feeling of being constantly behind and fosters a remarkable consistency. Consistency trumps intensity every time. It’s far better to pay off debt steadily over two years than sprint for two months and completely burn out.
Making Fun Part of Your Plan
Now, let’s talk action. Here’s how to weave fun into your financial journey without veering off course:
Define What Fun Means to You: Be honest about what sparks joy for you.
Incorporate a Fun Category in Your Budget: Even if it's a modest $10 or $20, start somewhere.
Treat Fun Money as a Rule, Not a Reward: When you’ve spent it, accept that and move on.
Remember, if you don’t plan for fun, you’ll still spend money — just without intention. It’s that unplanned spending that traps people in debt.
Conclusion
In wrapping up, getting out of debt isn’t about proving how much deprivation you can endure. It’s about building a life that genuinely excites you, without the constant shadow of money stress. Perfection isn’t the goal, nor is eliminating everything you love. What matters is crafting a plan that’s realistic for your life.
Resources
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Transcript
Amber:
Let me say something that might surprise you. If your plan to get out of debt requires you to cut out everything that makes life enjoyable, that plan is probably going to fail. Not because you're bad with money, not because you lack discipline, but because no one sticks to misery long term.
Announcer:
You're listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast with Brad Nelson. Brad and his co-hosts experience the anxiety of living paycheck to paycheck before learning the fundamentals of financial success. They are now on a mission to empower regular people to pay off their debt for good and enjoy happier, less stressful lives. Keep listening for inspirational interviews, tips, tricks, and practical advice to gain financial freedom.
Amber:
And today I want to talk about why having fun on purpose might actually be the thing that helps you finally get out of debt instead of the thing that holds you back. Thank you for listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast, where we help normal, everyday people like you take control of your finances and live a happier, less stressful life. I'm Amber, your host for today's episode. Myself and my husband saved and paid off over$54,000 in just 20 months and have been living debt free outside of our mortgage since 2018. Now, after listening to this episode, if you're ready to take things to the next level, you're sick of living paycheck to paycheck, you want to reduce financial stress in your own life, you want to build savings that are there for all of life's emergencies, and you finally want to pay off your annoying debt for good. Maybe you're like most people, including me at one time, you're not sure where to start. Well, we've created an incredible free resource for you here at Debt Free Dad, and I'll be sharing some details on how you can get those later on in today's episode. Let's talk about something I see often, especially when we start to see brand new people hopping into roots. Someone decides they're finally serious about money, they're motivated, they're fired up, and they go full scorched earth. No eating out, no trips, no hobbies, no fun, no life. And at first it feels empowering. You feel disciplined, you feel focused, but then a few weeks go by, life happens, stress piles up, you get tired, and suddenly the perfect budget feels suffocating. Here's the problem: a budget that feels like punishment creates rebellion. And I am testament to that because this is how I started when I started paying off my debt. And I was like telling my husband, we are not eating out, we're not doing this, we're not doing that, we're gonna have this paid off in 12 months. That is it. We are focused. Anyways, it took us 20 months, which isn't anything bad, but we realized pretty quickly that things weren't gonna work out as strictly as we planned. It just wasn't feasible, and we didn't want to fail. Now, there's research showing that overly strict budgets make people less likely to stick to their financial goals long term. With flexible budgets, the ones that allow you for some enjoyment are easier to maintain and lead to better outcomes over time. This isn't about being weak, it's about being human. Let yourself have a little fun, plan it out, budget it in. So let's look at what actually is happening with Americans and their money. According to bank rate surveys, about 68% of Americans skip recreational activities, things like concerts, movies, dining out, because they feel they can't afford them. But at the same time, about one-third of Americans still go into debt for entertainment, travel, or experiences. That tells us something important. People don't stop wanting joy just because they're in debt, they just stop planning for it. And when fun isn't planned for, it tends to show up later on a credit card with interest. So the issue isn't that fun is irresponsible, the issue is unintentional fun spending. Let's clear something up. Fun does not have to make sense to anyone else. It doesn't have to be flashy, it doesn't have to be expensive, it doesn't have to be social media worthy. Fun is personal for some people. Your budget doesn't need to impress anyone, it needs to support you, your values. When you plan for things that genuinely refill your cup, you're far less likely to emotionally spend later. Here's the part I really want you to hear. Budgeting for fun does not slow down the debt payoff. What actually slows people down is quitting. And people quit when they feel deprived. When you give yourself permission to enjoy life within limits, something powerful starts to happen. You stop resenting your budget, you stop feeling behind all the time. You build consistency, and consistency beats intensity every single time. I would much rather see someone pay off debt steadily for two years than sprint for two months and burn out completely. Trust me, I've been there. It happened to us where we were on the verge of quitting, and my husband and I just finally sat down and said, you know what? We need a vacation and we're gonna plan for it and we're gonna budget it. And it's okay if we slow down on our debt for a while. And that's exactly what we did. So let's make this actionable. Here's how to add fun without derailing your goals. Step one, decide what fun means to you, not your friends, not social media, you. Step two, add a fun category to your budget, even if it's small,$10,$20, start somewhere. Step three, treat the fun money like a rule, not a reward. When it's gone, it's gone. And that's okay. Because here's the truth if you don't plan for fun, you'll still spend just without intention. And unplanned spending is what keeps people stuck. So before we wrap up, I just want to say this getting out of debt is not about proving how miserable you can be. It's about building a life that you actually want to show up for without money stress constantly hanging over you. You don't need perfection, you don't need to cut out everything you love. You just need a simple plan that makes sense for real life. And if you're sitting there thinking, okay, I get it, but I still don't know where to start or how to put this together. That's exactly why we've created the free tools and resources we have here at Debt Free Dad. Maybe you want to break free from paycheck to paycheck. Heck, that's probably why you listen to this podcast. We've got you covered. Simplify My Money is sent every Sunday to your inbox. Simplify My Money is really your step-by-step roadmap to better financial control. You're also gonna get some easy-to-follow strategies to manage your money more effectively, like you've discovered and learned on this podcast. We're gonna help you make stress-free money decisions that help you simplify your financial life with proven tips that actually work for normal everyday people, just like you. You're gonna gain the tools and confidence to tackle your financial goals head on. You can sign up for Simplify My Money by clicking the link at the top of the show notes. Thanks for joining me on today's show, and we will see you guys on the next episode.
Announcer:
Thanks for listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast. Connect with us on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. Just search Debt Free Dad. If you found value in today's episode, please leave us a rating and review. We so appreciate it. For resources, show notes, and links mentioned in today's show, visit debtfreedad.com. Catch you next week.
