Nothing in life was working out the way I wanted it to.

I thought, Holy moly, I have to get it together.

The only way to do that, in her mind, was to aggressively pay it all off.

She looked to personal finance websites and blogs that preached a minimalist money lifestyle, likethe Frugalwoods.

For the next year, I lived super frugally, I cut everything out, she says.

She wants to help other people reach their money goals.

Heres how she did it.

How did you manage day-to-day living expenses while aggressively paying down your debt?

My expenses were fairly low to begin with, and I just kept them there.

Its about sticking to the plan.

Did you have slip ups when you were paying off your debt?

How did you get back on track?

Being debt free was more important to me than anything else.

I wanted it so badly I could taste it.

I put my everything into achieving it, and I didnt have any slip ups on my end.

It was more important to me to become debt-free than it was to travel, or to eat out.

Why carry around $18,000?

Did you have help from anyone?

No regular financial help, but I had a lot of emotional support from my friends and my boyfriend.

(Who Im still with.)

You really push side hustles.

What were the odd jobs you worked?

I also did totally random stuff: I waited in line for $100 bucks once for a guy.

What do you say to people who dont think they have marketable skills in that way?

Take a look at the list of things I did!

Ideally your side hustle moves you forward in your career, or adds new skills.

But if it just brings in extra cash, thats fine too!

Theres always an odd job that needs doing.

What are your financial goals now?

Short term: start maxing out my 401(k).

(Ive maxed out my IRA for the last three years.)

Long term: financial independence.

Whats the secret to saving or pursuing some other financial goal?

You have to want it more than you want the thing thats in front of your face.

You dont have to be as hardcore as I was, but you do have to be consistent.

Whats the best money advice youve ever received?

Different savings accounts for different financial goals.

Your down payment fund should be different from your emergency fund.

The first step is always to face the numbers.

You cant create change if you dont know the situation.

So sit down and without judgement, look at your situation.

Then figure out what you want to change, and from there create a more detailed plan.