I stumbled upon a cool tool today. It’s a Time Machine for emails. Sound weird? Whatever would a time machine for emails do?

The mini-app web page is very simply laid out. You fill out the details of the email address to send it to and the date you would like to be it to be sent. When that date arrives, it sends the email out. It doesn’t ask for too many details, like even who it’s from, so… How could it possibly be useful?

It’s advertised as something that could be used to remind you of an event in the future (I already use a schedule for that) or to send someone else a Happy Birthday message that you may forget later, that could be of some use, I guess.

So I gave it a few minutes of my time and thought about how it could really be useful. I came up with a few ideas, but here’s one that specifically relates to debt…

I’m really in favour of finding a buddy when you are changing anything in your life. Someone who will support you when it gets tough, yet challenge you if you start to goof off or slow down. It could be someone going through the same thing, or it could be someone who’s already done it. For myself, I prefer champions, that keeps me on track best and I don’t like to fall short in front of them.

So here’s how to use the time machine emails.

1. Set activity goals for the week or month and send emails to yourself and your buddy/champion. Use them to check yourself against.
2. Set your accomplishment goals for the year and send the emails to come out once a month to see if you are on track.
3. Set the final date that you intend to be debt free. Get reminder emails set up along the way, with benchmarks, if possible.
4. Send your future Self a congratulations email on the final date! If you don’t feel ready to do that, ask if you truly believe in your ability to reach your goal by that date.

What date can you comfortably put on that final date? This will tell you a lot. Go on, climb inside the tardis in your mind, visit that date beyond debt, enjoy the view and see the possibilities - then look at a calendar. Come back and send yourself that email!

This post appears in The 13th Money Hacks Carnival.