A financially independent couple shares 3 money rules that helped them pay off debt and build wealth

Brittany and Kelan Kline are the cofounders of The Savvy Couple.

Kelan Kline Kelan and Brittany Kline built The Savvy Couple blog into a seven-figure online business success.

They achieved a $1 million net worth by balancing income growth with controlled lifestyle spending.

"We make a plan for our money every month," Kelan said.

For Kelan and Brittany Kline, improving their finances came down to a simple idea: widen the gap between what they earned and what they spent.

The couple, who once worked traditional jobs as a jail deputy and elementary school teacher, were newly married and carrying roughly $40,000 in student-loan debt when they began rethinking their finances .

They attacked both sides of the equation.

On the income side, they built The Savvy Couple , a personal-finance blog that eventually grew into a seven-figure online business .

On the spending side, they focused on keeping their lifestyle relatively stable as their income increased.

The couple said their household net worth — including the estimated value of their businesses, investments, and primary residence — surpassed $1 million in 2020.

Business Insider reviewed a screenshot from their Rocket Money account showing a seven-figure net worth.

Here are three principles they said helped them spend less without feeling permanently deprived.

1.

Think about what a purchase costs in time One of the biggest shifts for the Klines was mental.