Where this was said
Lee in New York: Live Debt-Free Scream After 18 Months of Sacrifice
At 1:48:39 · chapter starts 1:44:50
Lee's call is pure emotion: 18 months of sleeping on a futon, skipping pedicures, surviving on boiled eggs and instant oatmeal, working two restaurant jobs, and fending off friends who called her crazy — all to pay off $38,000 in debt. Today she's making her final $1,092.53 payment to Citibank. Live. On the air. Except her Face ID won't cooperate under the pressure. Dave and George count her down anyway, she screams 'I'm debt-free!', and the studio confetti falls. Her net worth: negative $40,000 eighteen months ago, nearly $200,000 today. She has an IRA, a 401(k), a financial advisor, and life insurance. Dave's parting message: 'You changed your life. We just got to observe it.'
Lee started with a negative $40,000 net worth, slept on a futon, gave up pedicures, worked two restaurant jobs making $81K–$93K, and paid off $38,000 in 18 months. On air she pushed the button to kill her last Citibank card. Today her net worth is nearly $200,000. The crowd telling her she was crazy was wrong.
A 54-year-old woman working two restaurant jobs paid off $38K in 18 months, sleeping on a futon and skipping pedicures, while surrounded by people calling her crazy.
In 18 months, a 54-year-old single woman working two restaurant jobs turned a -$40K net worth into nearly $200K through disciplined debt payoff.
