My wife and I have been trying to untangle ourselves from the mountain of debt with which 
college and graduate school has encumbered us. We’ve adapted some of Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover principles, but it feels like we’re in the one step forward, two steps backwards. Which brings me to Slaying the Debt Dragon. I don’t remember where I saw the book but I was intrigued. Cherie Lowe blogged about her family’s experience getting out of debt and has taken the blog and made a book.
Not only does she describe her family’s journey to being debt free, she also gives tips and tricks to squeezing every last penny. Like us, she and her husband have applied Mr. Ramsey’s theory to their finances, but reading Ms. Lowe’s experience made it seem more attainable. It’s that misery loves company mindset. It seems like there’s hope for us, since someone else was able to make it debt-free.
I really appreciated her advice on things like gift-giving, cleaning supplies, and clutter. The first thing to go when you’re trying to become debt free is extras. When you stop buying extra stuff, you sometimes feel like you’re left with nothing. But as you take stock of what remains, you realize not all of your clothes are threadbare, your books read, or your movies unbearable. When you have to concentrate on what you have and need, what’s on hand becomes more in focus.
Ms. Lowe’s advice on making your own laundry and dish washing detergent intrigues me. I like DIY projects and to be able to make my own cleaning supplies makes me feel magical. Overall though I appreciated her humor and positive outlook on what is a very tough period of time trying to remove debt. This is a good companion piece to those of you who may be trying to become debt-free.