My Story

I graduated with a smile, but I was buried in debt.

In 2009, I graduated from Harvard Business School feeling proud…and $90,000 in debt.

For two years, I made monthly payments and told myself I was fine. But by August 2011, I realized I was just surviving, not living. So I set a bold goal: pay it all off in ten months instead of fifteen years.

I documented the entire journey — every sacrifice, side hustle, and mindset shift — on a blog called No More Harvard Debt.

Seven months later, I was debt-free, but the lessons I learned went far beyond money.

What the journey taught me

Paying off my student loans changed everything I believed about money, freedom, and purpose. It showed me that true financial control isn’t about wealth — it’s about peace of mind and choices.

That freedom gave me the chance to slow down — to spend more time with my wife and kids, live with less stress, and focus on what matters most

Read the blog that started it all

The story began long before The DAD Plan. This is where it all started — one challenge, one goal, and one relentless drive toward freedom.

No More Harvard Debt: The Blog

Media Coverage & Recognition

I never expected the story to reach beyond my blog, but it connected with others who felt the same pressure to find a way out.

The Wall Street Journal | May 17, 2012
Wiping out $90,000 in Student Loans in 7 Months

Economists are increasingly worried that many young Americans will spend coming years buried under student debt. Joe Mihalic was determined not to be one of them.

CNN Newsroom | June 3, 2012
Interview with Joe Mihalic

CNN Newsroom featured Joe Mihalic, who erased $90,000 in student loans within seven months by selling possessions, taking roommates, and prioritizing financial freedom over lifestyle.

Forbes | August 29, 2015
How One Millennial Paid Down $90k Grad School Debt In A Year

Harvard MBA graduate Joe Mihalic tackled nearly $100K in student debt by embracing extreme frugality—selling possessions, taking roommates, and blogging his journey to financial freedom in seven months.

US News & World Report | June 4, 2012
Paying Off Nearly Six Figures of Student Debt in Seven Months

U.S. News & World Report highlighted Joe Mihalic’s journey eliminating nearly $90,000 in student loans within seven months through aggressive cost-cutting, extra income, and disciplined financial focus.

HuffPost | May 16, 2012
How to Pay Off $90,000 Student Debt in 7 Months

HuffPost profiled Joe Mihalic, a Harvard MBA graduate who erased $90,000 of student debt in seven months through radical budgeting, side income, and a mindset shift toward financial freedom.

Poets & Quants | May 15, 2012
A Harvard MBA Pays Down $101K Of Debt

Poets & Quants profiled Joe Mihalic, a Harvard MBA who eliminated $90,000 of student debt in seven months through extreme frugality, side hustles, and relentless focus on financial freedom.

The Dave Ramsey Show | July 5, 2012
Interview with Joe Mihalic

Dave Ramsey featured Joe Mihalic, a Harvard MBA who paid off $90,000 in seven months by selling possessions, slashing expenses, and adopting an obsessive focus on financial freedom.

Yahoo! News | September 5, 2012
Should you pay off your student loans quickly?

Harvard MBA Joe Mihalic erased $90,000 of student debt in seven months by slashing expenses, renting rooms, and selling possessions. His No More Harvard Debt blog inspired readers to live simply and pursue financial freedom over appearances.

These stories helped spread the message that freedom from debt isn’t just possible—it’s worth fighting for.

Let's start driving away debt together.

Learn the Battle Plan

This book lays out the exact battle plan I used to turn my finances around—shifting from a free-spending lifestyle to paying off $90,000 of student debt in just seven months.

It’s a practical, no-fluff guide based on real results.

It’s built from the ground up to help others fight their own debt head-on. The lessons are universal, the approach direct, and the goal simple: take control, stay disciplined, and win your own war on debt.

Start Reading

Readers’ Reviews: Destroy Student Debt

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    A reality check that gave me hope before it was too late.

    “I'm the person who is on the verge of bouncing all their checks, so this book was a HUGE relief! I kept reading books about what to do once the creditors started calling, but I wasn't ready to let it get to that point. I needed a reality check. This helped me put my similar situation into perspective. My goal is 6 months... Here we go.”

    -Tiffany M. Dougherty

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    More than a debt guide—it’s a no-nonsense wake-up call about why we go broke.

    “This book's a real quick read, but it's important for anyone struggling with student debt, or personal finances in general, to read. More than a simple step-by-step guide for eliminating student debt, Mihalic tackles the root causes of debt and explores the consumerism and psychological factors that lead us to get into debt in the first place. And of course, it's written in his no-nonsense, take no prisoners, "punch debt in the face" style. Great stuff.”

    -NJDad

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    A clear plan that keeps me focused—and proves paying off student loans is doable.

    “This one of the handful of books I keep by my side. I like being reminded that not only is paying pack student loans possible, but doable. I am sometimes tempted to just spend my money, and other times, I can't decide what I need to pay when. This book has a clear purpose and plan. thank Joe. I'm in a better place for having read it. Believe me, I'll be reading this book more than once, and I have already recommended it to friends who are really serious about paying student debt.”

    -Elizabeth B. Waniewski

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Goes beyond debt advice—exposes consumerism and shows how to fight back.

    “I thought this book was going to be simple re-statement of ideas and thoughts from his blog. But I was pleasantly surprised that Joe dove into the root causes of our country's consumerism and gave ideas for ways to fight back against the marketing machine that controls the media. The book is very helpful for me and I hope to employ some of the tactics he discusses in my own life. Now I just have to get my wife to read it...”

    -pkeller3

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Real advice that inspired us to tackle $157K in debt and change how we live.

    “After blowing through Joe's blog in a matter of several days, I knew I'd go through his book just as fast. It's real advice and he tells a story that we all want to hear about and follow. He inspired my husband and me to tackle $157k in student loans and to take an aboutface in how we spend our money. Joe inspires you to be aware of how you spend your money, realize how it's affected by your friends/Facebook wall/consumerism, and how to still have fun (flask it baby) all without lecturing us with boring tips on frugality. Thanks Joe!”

    -CaliforniaChecca

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Where the Journey Began

This book is a direct adaptation of the widely read No More Harvard Debt blog (nomoreharvarddebt.com), which was featured by CNN Money, The Wall Street Journal, The Chicago Tribune, The Huffington Post, Yahoo! Finance, The Dave Ramsey Show, and other major outlets.

It follows one Harvard graduate’s self-imposed challenge to find freedom from $90,000 of student debt—not over 15 years, but in just ten months.

With a mortgage, two cars, a motorcycle, and $1,300 in monthly entertainment expenses, he had no clear plan—only a commitment to make it work and document every step.

What unfolds is an honest, often humorous look at the fight for financial freedom and the lessons learned along the way.

Start Reading

Readers’ Reviews: No More Harvard Debt

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Honest, funny, and inspiring—a six-figure spender’s journey to taking control.

    "No More Harvard Debt was a well written book. It was fluid, vivid, heart-felt and up lifting. The author had a great sense of humor and he made me laugh. He also was very honest about his feelings that I could feel his embarrassment of riding a pedi-cab on the weekends to make extra money while his friends were partying in the same area (I will never look at pedi-cabs the same way again), bringing a flask to the bars, telling girls that he could not afford to take them out...this came from someone who made six figures a year and had previously spent money lavishly. The book was entertaining and I highly recommend it to read for fun or to anyone who wants to find inspiration on how to take control over their life.”

    -Amy Huynh

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    A genuine, numbers-driven, and relatable guide that makes debt freedom feel doable.

    “I stumbled upon Joe’s blog while searching for some advice on paying off my student loans. I read a few posts and found that he had not only written a full book (better than sitting scrolling through a blog) and it was free with my amazon prime account (double bonus).

    “Unlike some financial advisers, Joe makes this goal seem doable for the common person. He's a likeable guy and so, you become sucked into the book quickly and you want him to succeed as if you were him.

    “I can't recommend this book enough!”

    -Mel

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    A transparent, inspiring story of discipline, ambition, and achieving the impossible.

    “Think back to your new year's resolution, now make that goal even more unrealistic, and then be crazy enough to set out on a mission to do it, actually STICK to it, and document the journey daily.

    “There are soooo many lessons in this book, from goal setting, tracking the goal regularly, and making adjustments as necessary, to delayed gratification and overcoming social pressures. Anyone who has set a goal and followed through with it knows how long TEN months is to stick to it AND stay on track, specially when that goal does not fit into ones regular day-to-day life style and drastic measures have to be made. Definitely not an easy task.

    “This book is not just for those who want to pay off student loans or save money, but for anyone who has set their mind on any goal they want to successfully achieve. Mihalic does a absolutely phenomenal job at staying transparent throughout the book. His ambition is addicting, his discipline inspiring. To be able to be a witness to Mihalic's journey of pursuing and successfully achieving his goal is an incredible experience. Highly recommended!”

    -Sherri Babaie

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    Genuine, insightful, and impossible to put down—a must-read for anyone facing student loans.

    “Joe's writing is informative with charts, pictures, and narration. Through his writing, he is genuine and reflects on his family values in which he was raised. His blogs were like an adventure and I truly couldn't put the book down. I am sending my daughter to college this fall and she has just begun the process of student loans. This book is definitely going to be an assignment for her to read!”

    -MLK62

  • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

    An inspiring roadmap for anyone seeking freedom from student loans.

    “No More Harvard Debt is a wonderful and inspiring book. I often wonder how in the world do people ever pay off their enormous student loans. This book provides a great tool to figuring out your own path to financial freedom.”

    -CaliforniaChecca

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