Hi! I’m Kate, the face behind KateFi.com—a blog all about making life easier and more affordable.

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How I Paid Off My Credit Card Debt Without Cutting Out Starbucks

I was $9,200 in credit card debt, living paycheck to paycheck, and somehow still couldn’t give up my oat milk lattes. Every “debt payoff” tip I read told me to cancel everything fun — but I knew there had to be a better way.

Turns out, there was. And it didn’t involve giving up coffee, selling my couch, or eating instant noodles for 12 months straight.

Here are the five moves I made — including the one that slashed my debt payments almost in half — without sacrificing my life in the process.

💳 1. CuraDebt – The Call That Changed Everything

This was my turning point. CuraDebt helps people with $5,000+ in credit card or personal loan debt lower their monthly payments, often by up to 50% before fees.

I scheduled a free consultation. They walked me through everything, negotiated with creditors, and offered a plan that actually felt doable. It saved me hundreds each month — without judgment or pressure.

💡 Take the free debt assessment (you don’t pay unless it helps)

💬 2. SocialPaid – I Started Getting Paid to Reply to DMs

To pay off debt faster, I added a new stream of income — from my phone. SocialPaid matched me with a $28/hour job helping brands manage social media.

It took less than 5 minutes to apply. No degree, no Zoom calls. Just commenting, messaging, and scheduling posts — mostly on Instagram and TikTok.

📱 Take the quiz and find your ideal social job

🖊️ 3. WritingJobs – Paid Me to Be a Word Nerd

I picked up a few writing gigs for fun money. WritingJobs pays for quick projects like product descriptions, reviews, and mini blog posts. Some took less than 30 minutes and paid $20+ each.

I did a couple on weekends and used that cash to make extra payments (or treat myself guilt-free).

✍️ Sign up and start earning with your words

📱 4. ChatJobs – Side Income Without Talking to Anyone

If you’d rather not write or post, try this. ChatJobs connects you to companies that hire people to reply to messages and customer questions through chat.

No phone calls. No awkward convos. Just paid message support gigs from home.

💬 Browse open chat support roles here

🎮 5. FreeCash – Quick Wins That Covered My Coffee Budget

Whenever I needed a little buffer, I’d log into FreeCash. You get paid instantly to try new apps, play games, or do quick surveys. My average payout? $15/day when I used it casually.

They gave me $5 just for signing up, which — no lie — funded my Starbucks that same day.

🎁 Grab your free $5 and start earning now

You Don’t Have to Cut Out Everything You Love