People assume you need a big income to homestead. You need low fixed costs. We paid off 100 percent of our consumer debt first, and it changed every number that came after, including whether we could buy the land at all.
The payoff order
Highest-rate balances first, smallest balances for momentum second, pick the method you will actually stick with. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau breaks down both approaches: the highest-interest method saves the most money, while the snowball method keeps you motivated. The interest math favors rate, human psychology favors momentum.
Why it matters for land
Every dollar of monthly debt payment is a dollar a lender counts against you and a dollar you cannot put toward carrying the property. Clearing it did more for our buying power than a raise ever would. If you are starting from scratch mid-career, that is exactly the story behind who I am.