Share your G.O.O.D. success story!

[stretchmark]

I don't have one yet but could use the inspiration.

Please tell your getting out of debt success story including how long it took and just what you had to do to do it.

Thanks.

[stretchmark]

Anyone?

[bamboogrrrl]

Maybe I can jump in? Dh and I have always lived below our means (mostly paying off our credit cards, no student loans, no car payments - we drive older Volvos), but a few years ago, he started acting kinda strange. Like something was really bothering him. He said nothing and I couldn't figure it out. He finally fessed up. Turns out his business (he's self-employed with a small business) was $7k in debt. Ouch! So I took over the books for the business and in about a year (maybe a little longer) of black belt frugality, we paid off that debt. Began to track all expenses and see where we could cut back. There's nothing quite like tracking expenses to see the dumb things we spent money on.

We don't have cable (our TV is for movies only), no cell phones, no new cars, little new furniture (both sets of parents downsized and we got lots of stuff). We don't shop for fun. I get all movies from the library. I'm vigilant about tracking our expenses. Books and music continue to be my purchase downfalls. Dh just turned 50 this year, so I'm really trying to get us as financially healthy as possible so he doesn't have to work forever. My sights are now set on paying off our mortgage - we refi-ed to a 15 year mortgage last year, and have already paid down to 12 years. DH is completely uninterested in financial stuff, but trusts me to handle it - not optimum, but at least I can channel our money toward paying off the last of our debt.

There are many books out there that helped me on this journey:
How to Retire at 35 - Paul Terhorst
Your Money or Your life - Jose Dominguez & Vickie Robin
The Tightwad Gazette - Amy D.
The Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey
Suze Orman at first, but now she irritates me

Hope that helps a little! Join us over on the GOOD thread...

[stretchmark]

That does help.

I do belong to the GOOD thread.

Maybe you could say just how you cut back and where.

[goodcents]

I paid off $18,000 worth of back taxes and credit card debt in about two years.

What changed?

My whole lifestyle.

I got married and had a baby. No more single and in new york city expensive living for me.

No cabs.
No drinking (I converted to Islam during that period so that really helped. But alcohol is SOOO Expensive!)
No travel jaunts on a whim, AND on credit with single friends.
No new clothes (except for a few maternity)
I had someone to split bills with (rent, phone, meals etc became a shared expense with me and my dh).
I switched to online banking. Everytime I saw a scrap of money around I made an online payment to a debtor. I am not kiddinng - like $10 payments and all - I was consistent and persistent!

It was such a relief and IT CAN BE DONE!