My Family Secrets To Paying Off Our $6,900 Credit Card Debt

I'm happy to share our family secrets to living simply and being able to find money to pay off our credit card debt.

Step 1 Start with keeping a one month budget so you can track your spending and see where you're spending your money.
Here's what mine looked like:
Rent, SRP, Verizon, Health Insurance, Geiko Insurance, Cox Cable, Credit Cards, Groceries, Gas Restaurants, Movies, Dvd Rentals

Step 2 Make a list of everthing you spend money on in a month:
Shampoo, Toothpaste, Deodorant, Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Laundry Detergent, Baking Soda, Vinegar, Dish Soap, Trash Bags, Coffee, Chocolate Syrup, After Shave, Lipton Tea, Sugar, Hair Color, Bread, Butter

Step 3 Total your monthly expenses. This will give you your Monthly Budget and will let you know where you can cut your spending and immediately find extra money. Left over money means more to pay off debt and more to add to savings.

Step 4 Cut Spending
Example: Cut back on grocery budget. Buy on weekly sales. Check newspaper adds, Shop 99 Cent Store and Dollar Tree, Cut daily Starbucks making Lattes @ Home, Date Night, Happy Hour, find cheap things to do Alicia's Deals on Facebook or use coupons. Creative ways to have fun with family. 3 Free Tacos @ Taco Bell when Diamondbacks win (with only the price of a drink $1.79) Customer Appreciation Day @ Joes Barbeque Free Meal Cow Appreciation Day @ Chick fil A dress like a cow for a FREE meal. Cut cable bill by buying router and modem. Will save $25.00 a month on my bill. Bought Water Filter so now save $30.00 amonth on reverse osmosis water, plus gas, & my back not having to carry in water bottles. Updated our cell phones for free and joined Family Plan on Verizon cutting our cell phone bill.

Step 5 Write down you monthly income then subtact your adjusted cut expenses.
This will help you find extra money that you can use to throw at your debt. It's very hard to BUDGET = no fun but if you do make the effort you will find extra money (that's exciting) and see paying off credit cards is do able = stess relief! Building wealth = making sure your expenses are less than your income. Albert Einstein said: "A problem cannot be resolved at the same level of thinking that got you where you are today."

Because of finding ways to live simply and applying these steps my family will be credit card debt free in October 2014! Have you found ways to cut your expenses?