Courtesy of the Brandows
Brian and Lynn Brandow.
- Brian and Lynn Brandow had a "normal" American family. They were homeowners, took vacations with their three children, and didn't discuss money.
- Whenever they had an unexpected life event, they put it on a credit card, only paying the monthly minimums. After ten years, they had almost maxed out five credit cards.
- Their money problems put a strain on their relationship. The couple began to tackle the debt, but it was rough at first.
- They began communicating with their kids and each other about money, and made a plan to cut back and pay off debts. While there were bumps in the road, they began to feel much less stress as debts got paid off. Now, their marriage is stronger.
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Brian and Lynn Brandow have been happily married for almost 20 years, but they have had their share of money disagreements over the years. Their relationship hit rock bottom after they maxed out all five of their credit cards and amassed $109,000 in debt.
Unsure of how they could ever repay it, the debt brought a lot of stress and anxiety into their marriage.
With their backs against the wall, the Brandows knew they needed to make a plan to save their family. Using the plan they made, they were able to pay off the entire balance in slightly over four years.
It was an incredible turnaround from their previous financial track record. Brandow even chronicled his family's journey to pay off the debt on his personal finance blog, Debt Discipline.