Christine and Mike both had tough childhoods. Christine grew up poor. Her parents were on welfare and needed food stamps just to get by, but she was happy and never even knew just how broke her family was. Mike, her husband, spent some of his youth in foster care after his parents split up. But the two met, fell in love and got married with the hopes of prosperous days ahead.

Christine and Mike made a solid living together. Her work in the medical field along with his in the federal government brought them a combined salary of $100,000.

Sure, they spent plenty of money – buying expensive electronics and a vacation every year in the Caribbean. But they could cover it. At least, that’s what they thought until their credit card company called to alert them of the $20,000 debt they had amassed. Add that to their two mortgages, a car loan and a lease to pay, and their once-comfortable life together was looking like a thing of the past.

The thought of a Caribbean cruise now a distant memory, the Eatons are working on becoming debt-free for life.

Both spouses have to be involved in family finances.
Christine admits she lets Mike do all the work, but our Money Mentors tell her for their financial future, it’s time for her to get her hands dirty. Doing the family finances will need to be BOTH their jobs.

Commit to making a change.
Christine and Mike live a comfortable life, but that lifestyle needs to change. Our Money Mentors say to get out of debt, they’ll have to make some choices that are not comfortable – but they make economic sense.

Do a yard sale and generate cash.
Christine and Mike have to work together, quickly and smart to get some additional income in so they can start paying down their credit card bills.Right now they are paying the minimum on their cards and that plan will never help them get ahead.

Sell home, get cheaper housing.
Our Mentors say mortgage debt is good, but the Eatons have too much of it. Christine and Mike are given a painful remedy, but if they are to get ahead, they have to take one step backwards to move two steps forward.. Selling their home will cost them, it’s already lost its value, but our Mentors say feel the pain, it’s a necessary step in their Debt Makeover.