Not long time ago, I was indebted to the tune of over $40,000 with no savings in the bank and funds for my retirement accounts. Then, I learned the tricks on how to get out of debt fast.
Paying off debt is no joke.
When I was buried in debt, I got married and, eventually, had our first baby. There was too much pressure to straighten my life financially for my budding family and me.
Fast forward by 2.5 years; my life has completely changed as I eliminated all of my debt. Yes, free from debt.
Also, I have saved at least $70,000.
Oh, did I say that during those years, I was the only one working?
Just a fact: According to the Federal Reserve's latest release, the average American household carries around $137,000 in debt.
The story of failure
I was about to graduate from the MBA program when the subprime mortgage catastrophe occurred. I had a couple of interviews lined up from some of the big banking companies in the US.
But they got all canceled.
After graduation, I attempted to apply but ended up not getting a job. It was during that time when my sisters and I built our own business.
The money was good in the beginning. But our business started to tank a year later.
As a result, the business was bleeding money…. a lot of money.
I attempted to revive the company, but all my efforts failed.
In 2013 or 2014, we decided to close the business to prevent from incurring more debt. Though we shut down our business, we were swimming in a sea of debt.
I can’t remember how much was the debt, but my share was around $40,000.
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How To Get Out of Debt Fast
Paying off debt is not for the faint of heart. But we found our way out. Here's how to pay off debt fast based on our experience.
Note: When I say “I”, I mean me and my wife.
1. Figured out how much I owed.
I knew I owed a lot, but didn't exactly know how much or to what extent.
Here's what I did:
I took a look at my credit report for FREE from Credit Sesame. For someone who wanted to know how to get out of debt, this was a must.
It gave me a free credit score.
It laid out my credit history to exactly show how much money I owed and to whom. It even showed me what's causing my credit score to tank.
Here's the result:
The information I got was the one piece I needed to do before making any financial moves.
If you don't know where to start or how much you owe, Credit Sesame is a great option to use.
Click here to use Credit Sesame for FREE to see what's in your credit.
2. Consolidated our debts.
Dealing with multiple credit cards can be exhausting especially when you don't have a lot of money to pay for those cards.
That's our situation before until we took on a personal loan through Upstart.
Some say taking another debt on to pay another is like robbing Peter to help Paul.
This time it's different.
We got a 4.99% APR from Upstart while our credit cards' rates' were between 20.99% and 29.99%.
Upstart paid off our debt. In turn, we paid Upstart a monthly set amount that we're comfortable of.
We saved over $6,350 in interest and penalty over the life of the loan.
Click here to use what a personal loan can do for you. This is how to get out of debt fast.
3. Made money from side hustles based on what I was already doing.
“How To Get Out Of Debt” savings meter: $11,000.00
As a stay-home wife, my wife took surveys (and I did too when I had time). Between Survey Junkie and Survey Club, she made over $4,000. Not bad for spending a couple of minutes here and there to share her opinions.
If you want to make extra money without leaving home or doing something extraordinary, taking surveys is a good choice.
As with me:
Since we lived in an apartment complex, I helped out tenants to move out or move in and got paid to do that. I also refinished pieces of furniture and sold them for profit.
Between taking surveys, helping out tenants, and refinishing products, we made close to $11,000.
Register here for Survey Club l Register here for Survey Junkie
4. Used money saving and making apps.
“How To Get Out Of Debt” savings meter: $3,100.00
We're open to anything back then to pay off our debt. That's exactly what we did.
True, paying it off with apps isn't your typical debt strategy. In our case, these apps worked.
How?
Since we were using our cell phones, we found a way to make the most out of it by using money-making apps.
While we only made small amounts of money monthly from these apps, this money added up and became big enough to make a big difference in paying off our debt.
Here are some of the apps we used that made us money:
- Trim – cut our everyday expenses like groceries and utilities
- Swagbucks – helped us make money by browsing the internet, playing games, reading news, and everything else under the sun
- eBates – gave out some of the highest cashback offers for just about any companies or online retailers.
5. Got into a meal plan.
“How To Get Out Of Debt” savings meter: $6,000.00
Getting into a tight meal plan was tough but doable and necessary.
Because I wasn't making much, we cooked meals and didn't go out to eat. We bought ingredients on sale and froze a lot of the perishable ones.
We also followed a meal plan called PlateJoy. Overall, we brought our grocery bill from $350/mo to $150/mo – savings of $200/mo.
We cut down our meals costs to around $2.
Believe it or not:
Food expense is the third biggest expense of Americans.
If you're looking to cut your debt quickly, focus on cutting your food expense is a good start.
Start your 100% risk-free trial membership here with the PlateJoy Plan.
6. Made payment arrangement with creditors.
“How To Get Out Of Debt” savings meter: $1,200.00
Penalty, interest, and other fees made me want to puke (seriously).
They're those things that made my family's life worse. We were paying a lot on our debt but that money didn't go to the principal.
I got tired of the situation and wanted to start and finish paying off our debt.
I requested payment arrangements with my creditors.
Fortunately, they agreed. The arrangements included penalty waivers and a monthly set amount I needed to pay them.
Because the penalties were waived, I was only responsible for paying the principal and interest payments.
That's when I decided to get a personal loan to consolidate my debt.
7. Make big changes in expenses.
“How To Get Out Of Debt” savings meter: $2,820.00
To pay off debt means to cut down on expenses and put the savings towards… paying off debt.
That's exactly what my wife and I did.
Here's the kicker:
We went to the bare minimum and put almost every penny towards our debt.
We also went on using Trim – a personal finance app that analyzes spending, finds subscriptions to cancel, negotiates bills, etc.
Trim saved us over $2,500.
Up to this date, Trim has saved us close to $6,000 – all came from subscriptions cancellations and bill negotiations.
Here's the reality:
We thought we couldn't cut our expenses further, but Trim came in and slashed them even more.
Click here to start using Trim for FREE.
8. Got a higher paying job.
“How To Get Out Of Debt” savings meter: $8,500.00
After applying for over 435 jobs and 23 job interviews, I took a job promotion near the D.C. area.
Yes, I remember those numbers.
Every month for the first six months, we saved about 45% of our net income, and the rest went to debt and monthly living expenses.
Here's what I did next:
After the 6th month, we increased our savings to 46%, decreased our expenses by 1%, and left the debt payment amount the same.
Every month, we would increase our savings rate and reduce our expenses until we couldn’t cut our expenses anymore.
Look:
Back then, when I had a salary raise, I kept the net increase (i.e., income after taxes), which was the difference between my old and new paycheck, between investments and savings.
Up to now, keeping the net increase every time I get a bonus or a raise has been our saving strategy.
Overall, we paid roughly $8,000 using my salary. We saved around $20,000 through frugal living for 2.5 years.
9. Changed banks.
“How To Get Out Of Debt” savings meter: $1,200.00
We changed banks to avoid paying those pesky monthly fees that really didn't do us any good.
I used to earn 0.06% APY on my savings account. But really, I was on the negative many times because of all the fees I had to pay.
We ditched our old banks and switched to CIT Bank. Since 2013ish, we have earned 1.55% APY per year, which is over 25 times the national average of 0.06%.
The reality is:
It's free money for us. The interest money we got easily paid half of our grocery bill monthly. Since there's no monthly fee with CIT Bank, we felt like having it was a double win for us.
The truth is banks should help you make money, and that's why CIT Bank is a great option.
Click here to open an account with CIT Bank.
10. Invested in the stock market.
“How To Get Out Of Debt” savings meter: $60,000.00
I am passionate about investing, that is, stock market investing.
While paying off debt, I started investing in mutual funds. I started with a $100 monthly investment and put in additional when I had extra money.
In 2013, my investment return was around 23.65%. In 2014, my return was 16.12%.
The returns I got from the stock market increased of my family’s retirement funds and a college fund for my daughter. Thus, allowing us to save a lot in a few years.
Two and a half years later, our investment's value increased to over $60,000.
People told me to focus on paying our debt first. I didn't agree. In short, I made the right decision.
Related tip: If you want to invest in the stock market but don't know where to start and/or how to begin, Acorns is a great option. You can invest as little as $0.01 and your money will automatically be invested in over 7,000 bonds and stocks. Click here to start using Acorns.
Final thoughts:
I think what my wife and I did in the first two years was extreme frugality.
We stayed away from even the littlest things that my wife and I call luxury like eating out, buying dresses, buying toys for my daughter, watching movies, just to name a few.
We decided to provide ourselves with needs and ultimately stayed away from the wants.
It was hard especially when we wanted to buy something for our daughter but didn’t want to shell out some few dollars.
This was the sacrifice we wanted to go through in exchange for a better future. That future has come. We have been debt-free since January of this year. All the challenges and struggles are all in the past.
The lessons they’ve given us will always be with us and will be our guide to whatever decisions we will make in the future.
My family has never been in a better situation than we are now. If there’s one thing that came out from this phase of our lives, it is that we’ve become even closer as a family.
That makes everything that we’ve gone through all worth it.
Is paying off debt important to you? Do you think these the tricks I discussed will help you learn how to get out of debt fast?
Wow, what a story, I was glued to the screen.
435 applications, gosh that must have been tough.
Love the themes you have identified.
Sky is the limit now!
Yes. I remember that number because when I received a job offer, I looked back at all the applications I made and found that it was 435. It was tough but I told myself that nobody could help me except myself. So, I push through and made every effort I could to make it happen. Then, it happened and I got a better job.
This was a GOOD afternoon read. Thanks for sharing these tips.
Fatima | http://www.blogsbyfa.com
You’re welcome.
This is an incredibly inspiring post Allan!
The first point you made was about attitude, and not anything related to your financials. I agree that attitude makes up most of what we get in life because attitude and effort are the two main things we can control.
Would you say you learned more from the MBA or the failed business? Either way, you now have a lot of real life experiences to draw on as you move forward in your pursuits.
Keep up the great work and I’m sure the next 2.5 years will be just as good.
Thanks.
I think the MBA provided me the foundation to learn a business and having a business allowed me to learn lessons that I will use again and again. Having said this, I believe both the MBA and lessons learned from this business will help me become a better person, decision maker.
OMG that’s a post. The situation in Italy is a bit different at the moment, I can hardly save 200 Euro a month right now! Thanks for sharing your experience!
You’re welcome. I hope you like my post.
Luckily we are not in any such debt but a lot of your story matches mine. Being in separate countries, getting married, emigration/moving costs, buying a home, starting a family all on one income. The debt may bot be there for us but the pressure to keep our heads above water in the future is. I agree whole heartedly with your point about attitude. An optimistic attitude is the be all and end all here. Without it you won’t even begin to reform let alone succeed.
I think attitude is a key to moving forward and to start making things better.
Very inspiring story. My story is very similar to yours. I had a mountain of student loan debt with no savings, and now I’m in a comfortable situation thanks to similar techniques. Keeping my eye out for the right job offers and a lot of belt tightening.
Good to know that you are way better off now. Yes, a right job opportunity and a right mindset on tightening the belt can go a long way to saving and paying off debt.
Wonderful story and congratulations! Have you loosened the purse strings at all? Living a little and enjoying life a little more?
Yes. I have loosened up. We choose to sacrifice first so we can have a relax, better life in the future. Again, the future has come and today is what the future I was referring.
Very inspiring story. Now the challenge is to save and invest $35k a year. If you can sustain this progress, the skies the limit come retirement time. Nice job.
That is right. The goal now is to invest that savings into investments that can help my family be in the best shape when we retire.
It must be really hard to be in so much debt but if you really try then you can make positive changes x
That is absolutely 100% true.
Your story is very positive and can definitely inspire a lot of people.
I don’t have any debt so I don’t know how it feels to have the pressure to pay back a debt but I agree you need to have a positive attitude!!
Thank you. It’s good that you don’t have debt. Keep it the way it is.
I have also started to tightened the belt because I need to save money for my travels. I don’t have a lot of debt, just under £1000 at the bank, but that is easy payable. That is my source of finance for expensive plane tickets. I have to have it because in a year from now, when I’ll apply for my mortgage, I will need to show how good my credit score is. I usually save money for short term goals, which are my trips, as that’s what makes me happy.
I think when you have a goal and a sense of direction, you can achieve whatever it is that you want. That’s exactly what I think you are doing now. Keep up the good work.
Well done on being debt free for 2.5 years, you have come a long way since your business tanked but well done for taking the initiative to create your own path
Thank you.
Wow great job! Also, thanks for all these tips that you shared with us. Definitely useful!
Thank you for finding it useful.
Sitting down and writing 435 application shows how committed you are in your life. You wanted to succeed and you have made it. This is quite a good learning experience for me and my young family.
Yes, commitment has always been my great strength. I realized during that time that if I quit, I would be subjecting my family to hardship. This thought came to my mind several times and I didn’t want that to happen. So, I persevered even when companies are turning me down left and right.
It’s a good feeling that you find my story a good learning experience for you and your family.
very rarely you come across such amazing success stories like the phoenix rising from its own ashes. I admire your exemplary grit and perseverance.
Thank you.
Congrats on being debt free! I know that must be a wonderful feeling!
Yes. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. Thanks for reading.
Ok, that is quite impressive. I’m working so hard in managing our income goal being living debt free and have our house paid off, so for me your posts are so inspirational
Thanks for finding it inspirational. This is the purpose of me making this blog posts. I like to inspire other through my thoughts and personal experiences.
wonderful story. it was very inspiring. Thanks for sharing..
Thanks.
This is so great, Allan! I love that this wasn’t some call to a get rich quick scheme but an inspiring post about determination, hard work and sacrifice! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading. It feels good that people find my story worth reading.
This is such a great post. Although I’m guilty of saving too much and not enjoying life. I’ve vowed to spend more!
Ami xxx
Thanks for reading.
Your story doesn’t add up. Paying off 40k in debt and saving 70k in 30 months based on your numbers doesn’t work. Even if you were making 75k that is roughly 130k net during that time. 70+40=110k giving you 20k to live on or $150 a week.
There are several sources for the total of 110K. It wasn’t just the paycheck I got but also the side hustles I did. Plus, I invested my money, which I had stock market returns in double digits for two years.
I had several side jobs, which I indicated on the blog post. I did bookkeeping on the side. I helped people move their stuff. I sold refinished furniture. These are just some of the side jobs I had to do to pay off my debt and saved.
It almost adds up using conservative numbers. I gave a higher income and I gave the investment returns up-front. He must have worked part time to get the additional $3.8k/year, which should have been mentioned since it’s significantly larger than the $300-350/year from helping with tax returns and flipping furniture.
Debt: $40,000
Main Income: $60,000
Savings: $30,000 @ 50%/year
Side income (help tenants): $1,000/year
Side income (tax returns): $300/year
Side income (furniture): $350/year
1st year investment: ($30,000 + $1,000 + $300 + $350) x 1.2365 = $39,135
2nd year investment: ($39,135 + $30,000 + $1,000 + $300 + $350) x 1.1612 = $82,195
1/2 year income: $15,825
Total 2.5 year savings: $98,020
(Unmentioned side income): $3868/year
Interestingly, he would still be debt-free and have a savings of $53,735 (not considering any debt interest) if he did zero side work. But maybe the extra time would make a normal person more likely to spend.
All in all, congrats! I’m envious of your work ethic.
Thanks and yes, there are side hustles that I did on the side. That’s the part-time portion.
Very inspiring post. Getting out of debt is a difficult. Any advises are very welcome. Thanks a lot. Very good reading.
Thank you so much.
i have a little debt to pay off and i know that i need a better attitude on it.
It’s good thinking. Keep it up and make it happen.
Such an amazing story! You did a great job, i think we can all learn something from you.
Thank you.
My husband and I just started to work on our debt. Your story is quite impressive. Although I don’t think we will be able to tighten out belt that much, I am a fan of using coupons and we do both have hobbies that offer a little extra income. We are going to be diligent about applying that savings to our debt!
Each situation is different. I believe that you will always do well when you have a goal and stick with it. Thanks for finding my story impressive. Good luck on paying that debt off. You guys can and will do it.
Wow that is incredible! Well done you seriously. We don’t even earn half of what you were saving in month! I would not mind having that much money going in the savers every month, the things we could do with that type of money.
Thank you. It was one of the most difficult times of my life but I succeeded in what I wanted to do. I think with perseverance, patience, and some luck, you would be able to save more in the long run.
That is amazing how much you were able to save each month. That takes a lot of self-discipline and patience to wait for things you wanted during those couple of years. And perseverance on applying for so many jobs and going through all the interviews to get the right one for you. Very inspirational!
Yes. I was able to accomplish this arduous tasking because of my perseverance to get out of debt and discipline. My discipline gave me the strength to focus on what was at hand. It was easy to give up but I knew that if I did that, my debt would hunt me for a very long time. So, I decided to pay it off fast.
WOW! I know quite a few people who could benefit from this post, me included. I don’t have much debt besides my mortgage and 1 credit card which isn’t a lot but I do need to control my spending. I have a bit of money in savings but think I really need to start saving more. Might implement a few of what you did and see the changes for myself.
Please share this when you have time. Thanks.
This is an inspiring story. Since a kid, I’ve always been afraid of incurring debts. I also keeps tab on my savings. Yet, there are circumstances, like a depreciating health of a family member, that can cause havoc to one’s finances. I’ve also looked into investing a portion of my money while keeping something for emergency. I learn a lot from your post.Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you reading my post. I know where you are coming. I’ve been there and it is never an easy situation to be in. Investing a portion of your money and keeping some for emergency are good strategies. That’s what I have did in the past 2.5 years.
This is such an inspirational article! I am happy for you – great results – and I wish you to have a debt free life 😉 Also, great tips in the articles linked in this one;)
Thank you.
Great story Allan. It’s amazing what you had to go through. I can relate to you on that end.
I admire the fact that when times were tough, you kept your head up. It’s definitely not easy. I know there are times when you’re just down but you don’t let that overtake you.
I guess it’s because you had a strong and firm “WHY” which is your family. They were the reason why you were motivated to make things work out.
I’m glad to hear that things have drastically changed for the better for you guys. You sure have an amazing story.
On the side note, one thing that pops in my mind as I read your story is you can do consulting work. Your story is strong enough to change and touch lives. People will want to know how to save more and become debt free. You can cash in on that if you’re willing to learn the skills that will make it happen for you.
Wish you and your family the best.
PJ
I’ve never thought of consulting job. Thanks for giving that idea to me.
Your story is so inspiring! Life is like a roller coaster, it has its ups and downs but we should never give up, no matter how hard the situation is and find a way to move on! You did a really great job!
Thanks. I learned so much from this experience. The best think I learned is to never give up.
Inspiring post indeed. Clipping coupons are a good idea indeed when it comes to savings..
Coupons are among the best inventions of our generation. I don’t know if I can save as much as I can without coupons.
Getting into debt is something I do not want to happen to me and my family. But this fear has limited my courage to invest in prime real estate. I do not want to be in debt for the rest of my life.
I understand. Sometimes, the risks are greater than the rewards that you just need to walk away with the opportunities that are in front of you. Same thing goes with real estate.
This is inspirational. 435 job applications! I am in awe. Your hardwork paid off. Congratulations!
Thank you. Shocking as it is, these applications served as a proof that patience can go a long way.
Your financial tips are quite valuable to me. Can tell you can breath a sigh of relief being debt free. Congrats!
Thank you.
wow inspiring story! it just shows anyone can do it. just got to make some sacrifices and it will be worth it
Yes. Sacrifice is sometimes needed to achieve what you want in life.
Attitude is the most important! We are currently paying off our debt, preparing for a life change, and planning our future. I appreciate your post and advice! Very timely
You are right on that.
Man, that is amazing! I have nothing but admiration for you and your wife. You did more than well and I couldn’t help but feel proud for what you’ve accomplished! I hope you continue to save in the following years and secure a bright future for your kids! Congratulations on being debt free!
Thank you very much. I never thought we would get pass this debt stage but we need with determination, discipline, and dedication.
Congratulations on debt free and a great post sharing your experience, it might help others as well.
Thanks. That is the whole point of creating and publishing this post. I love for my story to help people realize that things can get better with discipline, action, luck, and time.
Great! must learn from you. If we really want to do something, we will do it!
Yes. Perseverance, determination, and discipline can make things happen even when things are hard to accomplish.
I THINK GETTING THE RIGHT JOB IS IMPORTANT THOUGH IT WOULD ALSO BE IMPORTANT ON HOW YOU SAVE YOUR FUNDS. I THINK IF YOU TIGHTEN UP AND SAVE SAY 20% OF YOUR INCOME, YOU’LL DEFINITELY BE BETTER OFF.
That’s exactly what happened to me. I found a better job and saved tremendously. These two combined along with other activities I’ve done in the past 2.5 have contributed to paying off the debt and saving money for my family.
These are saving techniques that everyone needs to know! Definitely great advice 😀
Thanks for reading.
We are paying off a student loan this year! Soon we will be free!!
Good luck. Congrats on making such big step.
This was an incredible read. I seriously took down some notes! thanks for sharing!
Oh, thank you very much. Hope you get to use them the next time.
Wow what an incredible story. That must have been so tough to stick to so well done you for getting to your goal of being debt free! Having that sum in the bank must be such a load off your mind.
When I finished paying off my debt and looked into my savings, I felt relieved and happy that such painful phase in my life is over.
wow this is amazing ..I really need help in this area..so I am so happy to read this..thanks for sharing!! Your insight was amazing!
Valerie
Fashion and Travel
Thanks for finding my post amazing. I appreciate your comment.
Wow what an incredible read. Congratulations and thank you for sharing your saving techniques. I lived in DC for a 2 years and the cost of living is a little insane.
Thank you. Yes, DC is such an expensive place.
Great post! I’ve never been in such a situation before, but I know a lot of people that have. It is not an easy situation to get out of, especially when you are unwilling to give up the non-essentials in life. You sound like you had your priorities straight though and stayed focused on the goal you were achieving. Well done!
Yes. I was and am still focused. I believe that it’s one of the reasons that I was able to pay off my debt and saved money at the same time.
Great read! You definitely have a lot of determination and strength to achieve such great goals. There are definitely take-aways here for anyone trying to save.
Thanks. This is the reason that I made this post. I like other people to see that there are ways to get out of an unfortunate situation. May this enlighten some people who are in the experience as I was.
I always love your tips. For us,it seems like every time we get ahead, something happens. For example, in the past 6 months we have had to replace our roof and completely redo our rental property (floors, counters, paint etc.) because our tenant destroyed it. It gets so frustrating. Granted it is a blessing that we had saved the money and were able to pay for it, but it seems like we can never get ahead!
It seems like things happen when we least expected them. We go through these changes with or without preparation. The best thing we can always do is be prepared for the unknowns. My family decided to tackle our problem right away because we knew many things will happen to and we didn’t want this debt problem to mix with any other challenges we will face later on.
Lan,
It’s really amazing what you can accomplish when you set your sights and focus on a chosen goal. I look forward to the day my family joins you and your family in the debt-freedom crowd. Thank you for sharing your truly inspirational story!
I think everything is doable when you put your mind into it. It may be hard it the beginning but things can better and feel easier to do with time, practice, discipline, and perseverance.
inspiring! i’m also a little bit of debt and feel overwhelmed. but after reading this i feel so much better about my situation. i now believe i can pay it off!
I love so many things about this testimonial. The first, he paid himself first regardless of being in debt. So many people can’t make sense of building a cushion before getting to of debt, but it’s so important to prevent you from going further into debt. The second is his go-getter attitude. Many become overwhelmed by their debt and it leads to inaction. By creating a plan and keeping an upbeat tool, he was able to improve his financial outlook. That’s the smartest way to go if you need to defeat debt!
Yes, you hit the nail on that. I wanted to save just because something happened and I needed money. Since I was paying my debt, I didn’t want to borrow again to pay for any necessities that came my way.
I agree that attitude is essential to starting your journey to get out of debt. Without starting there, you cannot overcome such a feat (financial or otherwise).
Such an amazing post!! I definitely needed to read this. Sharing with my friends
Allan – this is so awesome. Kudos to you for making tremendous strides! I have debt that I’d like to see go away in the next year. I will definitely utilize this post as motivation. Thank you!
Thanks. I hope you achieve your goal of getting rid of your debt by next year. Good luck and if you need any advice, please feel free to message me. I may not be a financial advisor but I can tell you other personal stories of mine on paying debt.
That’s a great success story.
You mentioned that you went to get your MBA. How did you manage to graduate without having any debt?
I’ve seen a lot of interest around graduate degrees and if they are worth it. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the value you got from it vs what you paid.
-FiFever
I saved enough and got a partial scholarship, which helped me avoid getting student loans.
Congrats to the author! That’s awesome!
Great article – I love that this article is “Real.” Recently I read one about someone making a 6 figure income (as a single person w/ no kids) and “struggling” to save and pay off her debt. Hard to relate with numbers like that! I like that your story actually feels realistic to my situation and has tips that could actually help me!
Thank you. While I was writing this article, I couldn’t help but smile on what my family has gone through. I smile because we were able to make it through and become a stronger family as a result.