How I did it: We never ever carried credit card debt until we bought a house. At that point, the house plus a car payment and the cost of day care and other ongoing expenses meant our outgo was more than our income. This is when we began not to pay off our credit cards. Though we knew it was for a finite time it was scary. Once our son grew older and began attending public school, and we got raises, our income/outgo ratio started working the right way and we whittled away at the debt. It took longer than we thought it would, but we finally managed it!

Lessons & tips: Common sense: Put any money toward paying it off that you can. Avoid buying anything you don't need. If you have a rewards card that offers cash back, take the cash and use it to pay down the amount you owe.

Resources: Just self-discipline and our own earnings!

Jul 17, 03:56AM PDT | 0 comments | 3 cheers