Episode 450: How A Government Shutdown Sparked Her Debt-Free Revolution & $200K Debt Payoff w/ Nika Booth

Oct 29, 2025

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In this powerful and transparent episode of Journey to Launch, I sit down with Nika Booth, award-winning financial coach, content creator, and founder of Debt Free Gonna Be, to unpack how she paid off more than $200,000 in debt while refusing to sacrifice joy along the way.

From student loans and credit card balances to IRS debt and government furloughs, Nika shares the raw truth behind her financial journey, the highs, the setbacks, and the emotional lessons that reshaped her mindset about money, self-worth, and freedom.

She opens up about her early money mistakes, growing up in a household where finances weren't discussed, and how the 2019 federal shutdown became the wake-up call that sparked her debt-free mission. Nika also reveals what it really felt like to finally see her student loan balance hit $0, and how she's now helping others find hope, healing, and fun in their own money journeys.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

How Nika Booth paid off over $200K in debt from credit cards to student loans, without sacrificing fun or joy
The pivotal 2019 federal shutdown that sparked her debt-free journey and reshaped her money mindset
What it really felt like to finally see her student loan balance hit $0 through Public Service Loan Forgiveness
How she turned Debt Free Gonna Be from a personal goal into a thriving community helping thousands manage money with confidence

Other related blog posts/links mentioned in this episode:

Free Shutdown Resource List
Crush Your Credit Card Debt Course
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