My tips are
#1 Stop buying anything with credit.
#2 Pick the interest rate and pay extra on those payments.
#3 Cut out the small things....pack your lunch, walk where you can, turn up the A/C.......
I agree with Renee, The best way I know how to get out of debt is stop using credit. You could also start a debt reduction plan. Find out what bills you will be working on 1st. Then look at ways you can come up with extra $$$ from your everyday life. Pack Lunch, Drink more Water, Look at Cable bill do you really need all of the extras? Look at phone bille do you need those extras or could you eliminate long distance and use phone cards. Go to the library instead of buying those books. Walk or bicylce instead of gym memberships. Look for activites in the community the are free for entertainment Any place that you could come up with extra$$$ and use that towards paying down your debt. I am still working on saving money I keep using any extra towards remodeling the house or paying off debt.
the snowball method? It's not my idea but I LOVE it and it's working for myself and dh. We are almost completely out of debt, having been working at it using this method for nearly 3 yrs. now. What you do is you add up all of your debt. You take it and look at it as 1 lump sum, not 14 individual debts or whatever. You start paying on the one that has the highest interest, my suggestion would be to cut down the credit card debt first. THEN you keep on making the same amount of payments, rolling the payments from the credit card debt over on to the next one, say your car payment. When you pay the car off you do the same on the house, or another one. You look at your monthly debt payments as one "payment" not as little ones because as you start to payoff and roll over payments or snowball them, the debt gets paid down very quickly. If you will stick to this, most people can be completely out of debt in 2-4 yrs. It's amazing! We will have paid off about $90,000 when Feb. comes around. Good luck! Be diligent. It works!
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"Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy" *John Denver*
Great Job, PrairieRose!!!! We did the snowball plan too! The first of each month we now pay ourselves a "car payment" which goes into savings. Next time, hopefully, we will be able to pay cash for our next car. DH got a good used car last fall and we had the money for it!
If you really can't concept the idea of cutting your credit cards up...freeze them! (I didn't do this (but it was suggested) I just no longer carry the cards where they are easy to reach)
This way you only use them when they must be. Less use, lower bill!;-)
We find it is hard to pay off a debt by cutting things in "everyday life". So often, those little things just go back into the budget and it is hard to see that they are making a difference. Yes, it may be easier to pay the bill, but it seems like it hardly puts a dent in it.
My DH takes on side jobs and we throw all the money from those towards our debts & upcoming non-budget expenses. I have done this a few times, too, but I don't have as much time for this as he does. If you've got a little extra time, or a marketable skill, or a hobby/craft then you might try this.
I once heard a debt counselor on TV talking to a family that was in debt and really stressing about it. The father told the debt counselor he didn't want to take a 2nd job (part time) because he wouldn't be with his family as much. The counselor pointed out the the debt stress was causing more of a problem than the job would, and that once he paid off his debts he would be back with his children, and he'd be setting a good example for them.
It certainly feels more rewarding to be able to throw a big chunk of change at a debt and watch it get eaten away, or disappear!!
I used to owe a bit on my credit cards. It seemed like they would never get paid off. I bought The Tightwad Gazette and that really helped me. For me, paying off the little credit cards first really helped a lot. I put everything I could on my cards. Then CUT THEM UP!
The second part of my plan was an emergency fund. I had none. Since Jan. dh and I have been putting in $100 each and every month into a fund. I think this is the first new year's resolution that I have ever kept. I am so happy I did this. You never know when something could happen and it is nice to have some cash to fall back on.
Hi Sew4heaven, The snowball effect is when you take all of your debt (creit cards and loans) Place them in order of the interest rate. Some put it in the order of amount owed. Then chose which way you want to pay down debt. Either debt with highest interst rate or item owed the most on. Once this is done Figure out your budget. Make min payments on all item except that debt you have chosen. The debt you have chosen will get a paymeny of as much as you can afford to put down on it. Take a look at your household expenses can you cut them some how and place that $$ on your debt. Is there any way to earn extra money. If so put the on your debt. The snowball effect comes in this way. Once the intial debt you have choosen is paid off, instead of thinking of it as extra money you take and place all of the money on the next debt on your list. Continue youon as before and once that debt is paid off place that full payment on the next. I used this method and it worked out well for me. One suggestion is that you put a little money aside so to speak for a rainey day. That way is something happens you won't need to use CC to get through it. That was my mistake. If you need any other help or have questions let me know.
more income 
