From my personnal experience, my husband and I together only made $45,000 a year but we did not have the expense of a house payment or a car payment (just my car payment). He had NO debt and I was the one with debt ($60,000 worth), so we made a deal between us that I would continue to work (bringing home $20,000 a year tops) but all of that would go towards my debt until I got it paid off. We both lived off of his income and had one baby a year for four years in a row. I was finally able to quit work and stay at home with the kids once “my” debt was taken care of. It took us about 4 1/2 years to accomplish because I never got paid during my maternity leave times and we had to save some money for a little bigger house.

Since then, he has achieved that 6 figure income that you talk about but we still live as if we were in debt and living off of the income we original start marriage with. We both drive newer automobiles but they are NOT fancy by any means (Kia Mini Van and Kia Sedan), we fund our children’s education accounts, we save money for retirement and have money set aside in a “rainy day” fund. We both have to be careful because I am a stay at home mother and my husband is self-employeed… needless to say, he does not get paid unless he has people or companies needing his business/services/products!!!

It is a doable thing to get out of debt, but you and your spouse have to be willing to go without things to do so… like my husband and I might eat out once or twice a year tops!! We have NEVER taken a vacation, we both drive the CHEAPEST automobiles that fit our needs, we limit the amount of materialistic things we give our children and ourselves. My husband has NEVER bought me a “gift” for my birthday, Christmas, special holiday or such… we always give each other a “coupon” for a FREE day to ourselves or whatever we might like. I think the only gift he has ever given me has been my diamond ring when he asked me to marry him (that could be why it is extra special to me too)!! But on the flip side… he has given me finanical security that I had NEVER had before in my life!!!

One thing I think people do that seems to set them back is when they see something on sale or with a great coupon, they get it because they “save” money. They didn’t save anything, they still spent money.

I wrote the number of weeks to go on the brim of my cap, and on the brim of my hardhat. When I got a chance to work overtime, I d look at the running total and find motivation.

Good weeks we paid off two, bad weeks we had to add. In about a year and a half we paid off all outstanding debt.

In our own mind we were richer than Donald Trump, because he could never say he owed no man.

Eight years ago when my husband and I met, I had $60,000 worth of debt. My husband had $0 in debt and had a small house completely paid for. By the two of us working together and using my income for 4 1/2 years we were able to pay off the $60,000 worth of debt I had entered the marriage with… and bought a much bigger house and have paid it off too. All the while, we have had four beautiful children ages: 6, 5, 4, & 3. Since we have paid off our bigger home in the last couple of years we have manage to acculumate a one year “rainy day” fund.

What I have realized in the past eight years is that two people can accomplish alot especially if they “work together” instead of against each other.