Instead of just looking at ways to cut your expenses, also consider ways to raise your income.  When was the last time you evaluated your withholding allowances?  You know... how much tax is being sucked out of your paycheck...

If you were issued a tax refund this year, you should consider changing your tax withholdings.  Get your employer to give you a new W-4 form and set your exemptions higher than they currently are.  I'd recommend starting with an increase of only 1 so you don't end up owing taxes later.  Your current pay stub should tell you what your current exemptions are.

We just did this for my husband's job and he is now bringing home more money every other week.  Another case of "every little bit helps."

Since I own my own business I am also ultimately responsible for my own taxes.  One thing that I have done in years past which has really helped is to put aside my tax money into a very conservative mutual fund.  When it comes time to pay my taxes, I have usually earned a decent amount of extra money with can be used at that point to pay down debt.

If you change your allowances, be sure that you do have money saved for taxes.  Owing money on a credit card is bad, but owing Uncle Sam is really bad.  He's one creditor who doesn't have a lot of mercy.

mdaoust wrote:

... but owing Uncle Sam is really bad.  He's one creditor who doesn't have a lot of mercy.

LOL!  Ain't that a fact! 

IT does become alot easiar to bring in more money than it is to cut your cost. If you have extra money to spare then it will make it so much easiar to pay off your debt.

IF alot of us had some extra money we would be able to pay off our debt but that i find is the problem.

I think it is a good idea to get a refund back.  It is money in a lump some that you can use to pay off that debt. It would be way to easy to spend the money  If you end up with just a few extra dollars a month.