I know what you’re thinking?  How in the world did you accrue $127,000+ in debt?!  Are you complete idiots?  And while the answer might be yes, do know that we never lived a flamboyant lifestyle that would land us in the company of Robin Leech.  Our debt came from miscellaneous sources – over $80K was in student loans {hello, graduate school}, $16,500 was in credit card debt {the Target VISA came to the rescue everytime we had an emergency or a random want}, $12,000 of car debt {a pretty modest car in the eyes of most}, a $7,000 gap loan when we were both unemployed, $1600 for furniture, plenty of medical bills from delivering a baby and 10 months later the same child having tubes placed in her ears, a root canal for me, and a few minor miscellaneous debts here and there.  Oh and not even included in that number are the braces that we cash flowed along with household expenses like a new water heater and car repairs.

And here’s the thing, even if you think we’re complete idiots for taking on that much debt, I know we’re not alone.  I have received way too many e-mails from others saying, “I thought we were the only ones.”  We weren’t alone and neither are you.  So if you’re wondering how you can begin to dig your way out of debt, here are 3 Quick Tips for Beginning Your Own Debt Slaying Journey:

• Get a Handle on What You Make and What You Spend.  Believe it or not, most people don’t know how much they make or spend.  And if you want to get out of debt, you need to spend less than you make {like way less}.  If it sounds overly simple, it is.  To monitor your spending, spend naturally for 30 days, collecting your receipts in an envelope.  Don’t spend like a miser attempting to set your budget on unrealistic expectations.  AND don’t spend like a “Real Housewife” from any city, just so you can give yourself a ridiculous shoe budget.

• Read Good Books and Talk to Money Smart People.  I hate to be rude, but there are a whole lot of people out there who are much, much, much smarter than you.  I’m sure your high school teachers thought you had great potential, but if you’re in debt up to your eyeballs, you took a few wrong turns.  I cannot overstate the influence The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey had on the quality and direction of our lives.  You can check it out at the library so you don’t have to begin your journey in the hole.  Or find someone who doesn’t have heaps of debt and manages their money well and ask them what they did.  Do NOT ask people who can’t handle their lives or finances for advice.  You’ll end up in the same place they are.

• Make Gradual Changes to Scale Back Your Lifestyle.  If you go whole hog for anything in this life, you’re going to fall off the wagon and F-A-I-L.  Whether it’s a fitness or nutrition plan, how you discipline your kids, or even the way you manage clutter, if you bite off more than you can chew, you’re setting yourself up for failure.  There were plenty of lifestyle reductions that we made in Year 4 that we would have scoffed in Month 1 or even Year 1.  So it all begins with one small change made for at least 30 days and then another small change added to it after that {rinse, repeat for 46 more months for us at least}.  The funny thing is, the more success you have, the more sacrifices you’ll be willing to make.

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For More ways to save and successfully pay off debt, read:

• 4 Keys to Getting Out of Debt
• 4 More Keys to Getting Out of Debt
• 6 Ways to Keep Your Marriage Healthy While Paying Off Debt
• 4 Ways to Save Money While Doing Your Laundry
• 5 Quick Ways to Save on Your Grocery Bill {WITHOUT Coupons}