Payoff strategy: Put side hustle money toward debt, went on an all-cash budget and used a consumer credit counseling service.
Credit card debt had become a money drain for LaTisha Styles. Her wake-up call came when she was in college and was applying for a program to teach abroad.
"Mid-way through the application process, I realized that the expected salary would not allow me to pay my credit card bills. At that moment, I decided that I would no longer be a slave to debt," she says.
Styles, founder of the millennial-focused personal finance blog, YoungFinances, went on an all-cash budget and slashed expenses to conquer her debt.
"It was tough at times -- especially when I had to turn down invitations to go out because I literally did not have the cash. But ultimately, it was worth it," she says.
In order to supplement her income, Styles created a part-time business helping others with their personal finances -- teaching them what she learned the hard way.
"I took that extra money, and the salary that I earned from my full-time job and created a plan to pay off my debt in three years," she says.