Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After

by Cherie Lowe

Are your finances getting out of control? Have you made mistakes with your money? Are you in more debt than you’d like to admit?

Cherie Lowe has been there. She and her family found themselves $127,482.30 in debt (did your jaw drop?). They hadn’t bought a yacht, blown it on designer clothes, or purchased a mansion. The small, everyday expenses of living just added up―until suddenly, the Lowes were being threatened by one dragon of a debt.

But through hard work and with God’s help, Cherie’s family vanquished this foe, one bill at a time. And you can too! In Slaying the Debt Dragon , Cherie shares how her war on debt made her financially free, strengthened her marriage, taught her children valuable money-management skills, and brought her whole family closer to God and one another. As you read her battle tales, you’ll be armed with the weapons you need to fight your own financial foes. With God, all things are possible―and your inspired happily ever after can begin today.

Genres: Nonfiction, Finance, Money, Adult

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

Cherie Lowe is an expert voice on personal finance, writing from her Queen of Free blog. Her work has been featured in RELEVANT, Christianity Today, Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family, and MOPS International’s Hello Dearest. She is also a columnist for the Daily Journal (Franklin, IN) and appears weekly on WTHR (Indianapolis NBC affiliate). She holds a degree in history from Asbury University. Visit Cherie at queenoffree.net.

Reviews

[Brian Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the greatest book on personal finance I've ever read. Granted, my wife wrote it, my picture's on the cover, and it's in part my story - so I'll stipulate that personal bias can't exactly be removed. However, I can affirm its veracity and Cherie's awesomeness.

Note: I read the unedited Advance Reader Copy. It's available for pre-order and will be on shelves January 2, 2015.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

$127,482.30 of debt excluding mortgage is not a joke. However this family did not just file for bankruptcy but managed to pay it off in a little under four years! How amazing is that! Their story has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Yahoo Finance, Redbook magazine, AOL Daily Finance, and more.

In the process the debt gained a name - dragon, and to make it fun the whole family referred to themselves as royalty: mom - the queen, dad - the king, daughters - princesses. And mom was not just any queen but the queen of everything free. She started taking notes of their journey on her blog www.QueenOfFree.net. Today she still shares good couponing options, parenting tips and free printables.

This book is invaluable for people who feel trapped in debt and the tunnel seems to be too long and dark. Cheryl Lowe give a good idea on how she did it herself, what expenses she cut, sacrifices she made. The book is packed with all psychological things that will encourage you along the way. It includes the list of inspirational music and reading list as well as a discussion guide. It costs only $14.99 and is a worthy investment that will make you free! The only thing you need to do after reading it is to actually apply what you've learned.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cherie Lowe writes with such openness and honesty that one cannot help but be inspired by her family's story of paying off their debt. She is down to earth and real about sharing their struggles along with their successes and her encouragement is genuine.

I've heard Cherie speak and reading this book is exactly like listening to her talk or sitting down and having a conversation with her. She doesn't sugar coat the reality of the challenges involved with changing a lifestyle to pay off debt but she makes you feel like you CAN do this.

Cherie offers many practical tips that her family used when they were on their debt slaying journey and illustrates them with examples of how they put them into practice. There are also other families highlighted throughout the book who also paid off large amounts of debt.

This is not a dry personal finance book but instead one of inspiration and reality. Cherie and her husband, Brian, have a strong marriage and a strong foundation in faith but both of these were tested throughout their debt slaying journey. There were bumps in the road, major setbacks, and times of doubt and darkness but the Lowe family stuck with their debt slaying plan and came out the other side victorious.

As Cherie says, "Paying off debt isn’t complex, it’s just not easy."

Find great free resources at slayingthedebtdragon.com and queenoffree.net

[Amanda Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

It really should be 4.5 stars. I thought this book was a great resource for anyone who is trying to get out of debt. I am trying to pay off some of our remaining debt and it had some strategies that I hadn't considered. It was a quick and easy read, and I finished it with a renewed commitment to clipping coupons.

[emily elling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slaying the Debt Dragon is an incredibly inspiring and enjoyable read, regardless of if you're in deep debt or just want to become a better steward of your money. The pages are filled with humbling stories and antidotes from Cherie and Brian's financial journey out of debt, as well as tons of practical application.

[Netty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring, funny and down to earth

So much shared in this book. Good thoughts, tips, and encouraging. Inspirational. Looking forward to the journey knowing someone has been there and conquered.

[Patty Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful and Inspiring! This personal story is shared with passion and purpose - and will lead many to freedom! Thank you.

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was looking for some simplicity/minimalism inspiration but this was just way too religious and preachy, with some kind of reference to God or the Bible on almost every page. Not much meaty content either, just a lot of waffle and prayer.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We’re new to our debt free journey and I’ve just been trying so hard to fill my head with as much knowledge as I can. A little disappointed that it was very similar to the Total Money Makeover, but did have some newer suggestions that I appreciated about groceries and about our children on the journey.

[Rudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is perfect for parents with kids trying to pay off all your debt. Has many great little tips to make this tall task enjoyable.

[Mariejkt · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Slaying the Debt Dragon" by Cherie Lowe is a book on how the author's family got out of debt. If the author looks familiar to you then you might read her blog Queen of Free. I will be honest I had not heard of her blog until this book so I came into this book very blind to her and her husband's debt story. Which I think was a good thing but now I am going to check out her blog. Now also if you are familiar with the Dave Ramsey program getting out of debt then you will be very familiar with the steps they used. I am very familiar with the Dave Ramsey program so it was nice to read how an a family did their steps in a book form other than a quick debt free scream story. This book was very fun and interesting to read not a dull get out of debt book. Not only is about their story but it also has tips and stories from other people. This book is one of the best get out of debt books I have read for tips as its not just tips or a business plan type book but of the fun story of one families story. I want you to read the book for yourself it was a very good book to read. I highly recommend this book.

I was given this book by Tyndale Publishers and was not required to give a positive review.

[Amy E Patton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read countless books about money management and debt. They all say the same thing: To lose the debt, you must spend less. It's the equivalent of the dieter's mantra: eat less. exercise more. And it's usually about as palpable as that cabbage soup Weight Watchers encourages everyone to make on their first day of healthy eating.

Cherie Lowe however, brings her wit, heart, and know-how to the table and spices things up in her excellent book, Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happy Ever After.

Although Cherie tells the practical ins and outs of how her family paid off over $127,000 in debt, she focuses more on the heart of the matter than the how. In doing so, she meets her readers exactly where other financial books leave them hanging. She shows them how to build the emotional and mental foundation to survive the arduous task of slaying debt dragons with both grace and joy.

I highly recommend Slaying the Debt Dragon to anyone considering conquering debt or in the process of defeating it once and for all. Readers will find encouragement and motivation to stay the course so they too can savor the joy that is financial freedom.

[Elizabeth Geyer]

"Slaying the Debt Dragon" by Cherie Lowe

Are you drowning in a mountain of bills, struggling with financial issues, then this is the book for you. We are not alone in this battle, there is a way out.

After taking a deeper look at their debt of over 120,00.00; Cherie Lowe was in shock and over whelmed by it. Cherie and her family did not go out and just spend the money on expansive items, it was regular everyday things that raked up the debt.

Thinking it would take forever to pay all of their debt off, but by placing their trust in God and lots of hard work they paid it off in a shorter time than expected.

Cherie shows us how they fought back and was able win the battle with debt in her book. She was able to not just pay it off, but also strengthed her marriage and her family in the long run. She arms us with the tools needed to fight our own debt dragon.

This book is must read for all out there struggling!!!

Thank you to Tyndale for providing this book for an honest review!!!

[Angie Six · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you are hoping to get a handle on your finances, in the midst of paying down your debt, or on the other side and living a debt-free life, you can find hope and inspiration in Cherie Lowe's "Slaying the Debt Dragon." Cherie recounts her own family's story of paying off more than $127,000 of debt in just under four years. Cherie's message is one of hope, that no matter what your circumstances or how much you make, you can take charge of your financial life and live on what you make. She offers tips, practical advice, and most importantly, encouragement. I've walked this journey as well, and I would recommend this book to others who want to live debt-free.

[Erinnnnnnnnnnn M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I've read just about everything Dave Ramsey has ever written. And a lot of Suze Orman's material too. We've started and rebooted our debt elimination process many times following derailment and unforeseen circumstances. So I thought I'd check out this book as well.
I loved Lowe's style of writing. I don't think there's anything in here that I haven't seen before. But the way she described the process is more accessible, inspiring, and just real. I especially enjoy that she's coming from the perspective of a mom with little kids and seems to really get "it".
I'd highly recommend this book to families starting their journey to becoming debt free.

[Kim Woodward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading "Slaying the Debt Dragon" today and it is amazing! I am recommending it to everyone I know. I love the practical tips in the book and I also have started reading Cherie's blog (www.queenoffree.net). The book provides action steps as well as a lot of encouragement, including testimonies and scripture. It also includes great discussion questions and recommended reading lists and playlists to empower you to slay your own debt dragon. The book is written in a very friendly tone - it felt like the author was having coffee in the same room with me as I was reading it. There is something in this book that anyone who uses money can relate to!

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found a few good tips, although I don't think I could live like they did for the 4 years it took them to pay everything off. Kudos for them for doing it. The book was a bit too religious for me, but what bothered me was that so many of these "pay off our debt" stories include a parent that stays at home. Later that parent goes out and gets a job for the extra money or the other parent works 3 jobs. My husband and I already work full-time and I guess we'd rather spend what little time we have together than having one more job to go to.

I have no doubt that plans like this work and hopefully I can use some of their tricks, but I guess I'm not willing to get out of debt as bad as they were.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love this book! It's like the author wrote everything I've been thinking about and gave me all the solutions to our financial problems. If you are tired of living under the bondage of debt and never having enough money to treat your family and give to others, this is the book to read. She gives very practical ideas for getting out of debt and much encouragement for the journey, which can be hard and sometimes long. But it obviously is worth it! I appreciate the wisdom and the personal stories in this book. Definitely highly recommended! Thanks to the author for a great book.

[Mary Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://trustychucks.com/2014/12/weeke...

[Jeramiah Paylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought the book overall was very good and a lot of great tips and info on how to do budgeting and what not. For me it was a little too spiritual and the use of God but that is just my opinion.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ehhhh, I would just recommend you read a Dave Ramsey book over this book. This book is essentially one family's Dave Ramsey success story. The author was more religious than I realized she would be. I thought I would enjoy that aspect, but overtime, it felt a little forced and just too preachy for my faith life. Despite this, I'm happy for the author and her family. This is an inspiring story, but the book only occasionally presents original ideas. I probably could have just skimmed her website rather than read this book (even though it's short, it took me forever to read because I kept not wanting to pick it up). I'm thrilled to be done with it since it was becoming a burden. I would not recommend this book to a peer.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherie and her husband's debt slaying methods are based off Dave Ramsey's protocol. Their first step was to change W2 withholdings, which added an additional $100/month, but eliminated their refund in the spring. Cherie keeps the tone light & funny, while her protocol is easy to read & helpful.

I'm already plenty frugal (my husband rolls his eyes) and can budget really well (now he's bent over laughing), but enjoy reading these genres to see if any new ideas enlighten me. Sure enough, I've decided to start making my own laundry detergent. Pretty excited about it.

There's a heavy relationship/marriage component to Cherie's point-of-view, which reminded me of a conversation I had with my husband a few months ago:

Me: (proudly) I have no credit card debt!

Husband: That's because you put it all on my card.

Me:

Husband:

.

[Patti]

I enjoyed reading this book. Being debt -free and frugal is important to me. I saw this book at the library and picked it to give me reminders while on the journey. Cherie Lowe is very encouraging and her debt battle is astounding. She gives excellent advice. My husband and I are lucky to have never had the debt she has had but it is because we followed the tips she advises. I wanted a “refresher course” since I am newly retired and she did not disappoint. I am already using some of her grocery tips to use food we already have (because inflation is eating into our funds). Read the book - you will be glad you did!

[Bonnie G. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was not expecting God to be mentioned on almost every page- scripture is often quoted and the worst sin (haha) is how bad of a debt advice book this is. A free form blog book adaptation where there is no definitive tactic or strategy except perhaps reading and listening to other better, concise finance books! A real disappoint and a real dis-service to anyone looking for real advice or solutions other than "being ready" and God helping you out :/

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

What starts off like many other financial freedom books quickly takes a sharp turn into VERY Christian territory with a lot of scripture. I'll admit I was a bit disconnected from this book by the end. I identify as a Christian, but you start losing me once you bash me over the head with NIV excerpts.

Would recommend Lauren Greutman's 'Recovering Spender' instead. Unless you're talking to a huge Dave Ramsay fan-- this book will likely enchant them.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bills, Bills, Bills. I am not referring to a room full of men named William, but rather to the mountains of debt most Americans find themselves drowning under these days. The statistics are staggering as to how much the weight of debt rests on the shoulders of the average family to include college loans, credit cards, car loans, department store credit cards, and mortgage debt. Is living with the burden of debt really how God desires us to operate? Is there a way out and a method to take a hacksaw to the shackles of debt most all of us find ourselves chained to? Cherie Lowe in her very helpful book Slaying the Debt Dragon shares that piles of debt is not God’s methodology for handling money and yes there is a way out from under the crushing burden of debt.

Paying off $127,000 of debt in four years. Sound like a pipedream? It seemed that way to Cherie Lowe and her husband Brian. Much like most people these days, they thought that incurring debt and making payments into eternity was just the way life was supposed to be lived. After coming to grips with the giant hole they had dug themselves into, they decided to make a change in their approach to money that would forever change their lives. After buckling down and after four years of hard work and major adjustments in their lifestyle, that $127,000 dragon of a debt was slain, never to return.

Now many might look at the story Cherie Lowe shares in this book and think to themselves, “I do not have nearly that much debt and thus I can handle things just fine.” To some degree that was the approach my wife and I had for many years. We by no means have $127,000 of debt; however, we do have a number of “ankle-biter” bills we have accumulated that just seem to never go away. We decided last year it was time for a change and we set forth on our own debt slaying journey, much like the Lowes did and have shared in this excellent book.

The concepts regarding how to tackle debt that are noted by Cherie Lowe are very reminiscent of what one would find in books by Dave Ramsey or Larry Burkett. In fact, Cherie Lowe pays homage and rightly so to both of those men for their financial insight and assistance in helping Cherie and her husband pay off their debt in a purposeful and timely manner. What is different between the books by Dave Ramsey and Larry Burkett and the information shared in Slaying the Debt Dragon is Cherie Lowe outlines a number of family oriented principles for finance.

For instance, she notes the importance of involving your children in the debt slaying process so they have a better understanding of why the family is ceasing going out to eat every night or why that new electronic device or toy purchase will have to wait until the budget allows for such an expenditure. Cherie Lowe rightly notes, “Your belt tightening will provide your children with many real-life lessons that can help them avoid your financial missteps and blunders.” She outlines a number of ways children can be involved in the family budget such as meal planning, grocery shopping, and finding ways to stay-vacation that are fun while not breaking the budget or incurring additional debt for the thrill of the moment.

I also appreciated the fact Cherie Lowe shared that getting out of debt is not all about piling up money for a rainy day. While ridding yourself of the dragon (or whatever name you call the debt you will rid yourself of) does allow for more financial breathing room and flexibility to enjoy life, getting out from under this burden also allows believers to do that which God desires of His people to be about doing, namely assisting the less fortunate and those in need. Far too many people are so encumbered by debt they have no ability to be giving.

Throughout this helpful book, Cherie Lowe shares the stories of fellow debt slayers including why those families decided to embark on their debt destroying journey, what surprised them about paying off their debt, the challenges they faced, how they celebrated when the debt was paid off, any encouragement and advice they have for the reader, and how paying off their debt impacted their marriage. I was truly amazed at the amount of debt that had been paid off and it gave me encouragement and an extra push and sense of urgency for my own family to complete our debt removal journey, something we anticipate taking place late summer of this year. Maybe we will call into Dave Ramsey’s show and declare “We are debt free”!

I highly recommend and encourage everyone to read this book. Whether our debt is small or seemingly insurmountable, you need to start on your debt slaying journey today. Why wait or put it off? By reading this book you will find yourself challenged, motivated, and encouraged. The paradigm shift in our life that will take place as you embark on your journey may be painful at times and people may think you are crazy, but as Cherie Lowe has so wonderfully outlined in this book, it is well worth the effort.

I received this book for free from Tyndale for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Lisa Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm finally Budgeting

For years I've tried budgeting and failed miserably. This book gives practical advice on how to budget and pay off debt. I've started using the advice and started a budget I can actually stick with. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to manage their finances better.

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Well written. I think it’d be a good companion book for Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover. He gives the steps and she has helpful advice like getting your spouse on board with it and practical things to cut back on.

[Patty Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read about Dave Ramsey’s snowball method to pay off debt. In this book, Cherie Lowe will show how to make it work for you. Paying off debt is about emotion, not math. Read this book!

[Krystle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring for any size debt

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am ready to slay my own debt dragon! I loved Cherie's quips and stories and am excited to try her strategies!