Beauty to Beater: The Trade That’s Driving Our Debt Down

October 8, 2025

So… we did a thing.

We officially made a change I never thought we would, all in the name of Project Money! This competition has pushed us to step way outside our comfort zone to truly change our financial standing. Meeting regularly with our financial coach and having such a supportive community cheering us on has kept us focused, motivated, and determined to hit our goals.

At the beginning of Project Money, when we were brainstorming ways to reduce our debt, we jokingly said, “What if we sold Marco’s truck and got a beater?” It seemed laughable at the time, no way would we actually be disciplined enough to do something like that!

Then, about a month ago, I wrote in a blog post that the idea was “on the table,” but even then, it still felt far-fetched. We wouldn’t really sell it… right? Well, an opportunity fell into our lap, and when the universe throws something in your lap, it's best that you listen.

Our neighbor, a few houses down, was selling their older car. It’s a basic model, no bells or whistles, it even has crank windows! Talk about a downgrade. But the deal was too good to ignore. Once we took it for a test drive, we realized it was actually a solid, reliable car.

So we did it. We brought it home.

In that moment, Marco decided he was ready to part with his truck. Honestly, it wasn’t the right vehicle for us anyway. We bought it before finding out we were having twins, and since it’s not a full-size truck, fitting all the car seats in the back was a tight squeeze. Even though it was Marco’s dream truck, the first nice vehicle he’d ever owned, he decided that being financially free and focusing on our family’s well-being mattered more than what we drive.

Because at the end of the day, family and peace of mind are worth more than any fancy ride.

So yes, we did it! We bought a beater! By the next blog post, the truck will be sold, and we’ll be that much closer to being out of debt. Freeing up that $500 monthly truck payment will feel life-changing, and we plan to snowball that money toward our HELOC to pay it off even faster.

Crazy things are happening in the best way! We’re on a roll, motivated, and who knows what we’ll do next to not only win this competition but, more importantly, build a strong, financially stable future. One step (and one car trade) closer to debt-free living!

We know not everyone can sell their car, and that’s okay! But if your car payment is stressing you out, reach out to a Summit financial coach. They can help you explore options to lower your payment or restructure your finances. Or go online and check out their auto loan resources to see how they can help you find the best fit for your situation.

Stay tuned, we’ve got more surprises up our sleeve for the next post!

– Dawn & Marco