Second thing, Save up a few hundred bucks in case you hit an emergency - washing machine packs in, that sort of thing - so you don’t have to put anything on the cards.

Third - make a budget and work out how much you can put to your debts every month. Call that figure X.

Fourth - make a list of your debts with the account with the highest/worst interest rate on top and going down.

Pay minimums on all the debts except the one at the top, at which you throw all the rest of X. Keep doing that until the first card is paid off.

Then move onto the second card but DO NOT DROP THE AMOUNT OF X. Pay minimums to all the card except the new top one and so on and so.

This is called “the snowball method” because as the cards/debts get paid off, the amount available to the next card down gets bigger and bigger. It ensures you pay the debts methodically and in a manner which ensures you pay as little interest as possible.

When all the debts are paid off, start putting X in a savings account you can use to pay for the new truck. Once you do that, not only do you end up with either the full amount or a decent down payment but you also get used to budgeting for a substantial payment every month, except now X is the truck payment.

I do know that he stresses either selling or cutting way back on lets say cable, cell phones and other gadgets until the debt is gone. There has to be something you can do to either cut out an expense and apply that money to the credit debt, or work an extra day and do the same. Also write down every penny you spend for a month and see where you are spending. I know you can do it. The essentials are a home, food, elect. and water. After that is where you can begin to cut back. Good luck!

After you get most of the debt paid off, you should have no problem being approved for your new truck.

You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders.

Good luck.

First of all, $13,000 between the two of you is not too bad to be fretted over. Make paying off your debt your priority.

If this is on multiple credit cards, start by paying of the loan/debt with the lowest APR, and once it’s paid off, tackle the next lowest. You can do it. In the mean time, do not make any new purchases that will require a credit card.
In other words, no cash, no buy!

I’m doing it, and you can too. Good luck!

All you can do is pay more than the minimum. That way it will bring your balance down faster and you will pay less interest.

Pay the max you can towards it each month and just pay it down quickly.

Give both of you a set amount for spending money, take it out in cash and once it’s gone you can’t do any luxury spending until the next paycheck. That includes trips to Starbucks, movies, restaurants, etc…

$13,000 isn’t that much but you don’t want to waste your money on interest. Set a goal for getting the credit cards paid off and see what you can give each month to it. Maybe you can swing $300 a month for it. I don’t know. Good luck.

eventually you will have everything paid off and then put that money into SAVINGS! and get a nest egg and emergency fund going