Woman explains how the 'no buy' method helped her pay off $19000 debt easily

When the balance in our bank account goes to almost zero at the end of the month, we feel that we could've managed our spending better. But once we receive the 'salary credited' message, we go back to being avid spenders. In the long run, unplanned spending behaviors might lead to poor financial management with barely any savings left. To get us out of this misery, Angela Szot, who goes by @vomitgrocery on TikTok, shares a million-dollar tip that has worked quite well for her in becoming debt-free. Her simple yet effective trick went viral online and people are too curious to learn her method.

Szot began her video by introducing herself and mentioning that she had been on a 'debt-free, no-buy' journey throughout 2023. With a method as easy as the ABCs, she managed to pay off her debt, which was more than $190,000. "I am not a smart finance girly. I don't know how to use spreadsheets," she explained before revealing the trick. Showing the two-dollar notebook that she bought from Walmart, Szot called it her 'lifesaver.' "I dedicate three pages to a month," explained the woman, adding, "The first page is just all of my bills, my paydays, the hours I get paid and my total debt and savings. Anytime I pay off something, I give it a checkmark." It was as simple as that.

Her second page was a crucial compilation of all her spending, which she had categorized into 'Okay,' 'No,' 'Need,' Interest' and 'Self.' Asking the users to make any categories that they wanted to, Szot explained, "Anytime I make a purchase, I write down what the total was and I just put it into whatever category I think it fits in." Finally, her third page is a sum of all the expenses from each category for the whole month, including her bills and necessary expenses.

Szot had another exclusive page for the end of the year, which sums up her year-round expenses in each category and the debt she had paid off. "At the end of December, I will be able to find out all the money I spent on every single category I put into. Every single dollar I spend will have a category. I can't wait," she concluded. What Szot elucidates is not so beyond one's grasp but an effortless habit that can be kicked off with just a cheap notebook. In a world driven by credit cards and EMIs, Szot's technique can be life-changing, as it helps save thousands of dollars.

People were too excited to try out this no-buy method and also bombarded Szot with hundreds of questions and affirmations. "I have a lot of debt I need to pay off and this is so helpful to see and makes me feel so much less hopeless," commented @paige.egiap.paige. "I'm so happy for you. I'm a notebook girl too. Physically writing it down feels more impactful to me!" wrote @revolvingdoork. "I’ve been doing this for years, mostly because I was a poor student for 14 years and still do this. Great way to practice mindful and intentional spending," wrote @aprofasho_.