4 yrs ago I was in a similar boat, I'd always made decent money, but was widowed and broke from her spending, funeral, etc. When it looked like the present wife and I were going to make a go at it, she was shocked at my bills and the way I had ignored them. She set up a budget and asked "Who owes you money?" Turns out there was a big list, so she got on the phone and started collecting. She also asked what I could sell, so I went to a gun show, sold off a lot of good stuff, started selling vehicles. Astounded me what I could actually raise on short notice. She negotiated with the debtors, and the bills started going away. When I could see what she was accomplishing, it was easier to come up with more money. I started working almost as much in the off hours as the on, but when you have a goal and it is getting closer to reality, you get the burn!
The wife set up a 5-yr plan to be out of debt, at that time we owed on 3 houses. I also took a job with a 40% pay cut. In 3 1/2 yrs we were out of debt. We don't take credit for it, God blessed us, we just took advantage of it.
You can do it, too. The most crucial thing for us is it was a mutual goal. Go after it hard, make extra money any way you can and slam it on the small, high-intrest bills first. Talk with your wife about how it will be to be out of debt, visualise it, write your goals down and post it on the refrigerator.
If we (one awful smart motivated women & a meathead man not afraid to work) can do it why can't you?
Last edited by weaselsRus; 10/23/08.
