I hate this feeling of can't-do

[Kris10Leigh]

Remember to cut up the cards and close them with your providers! This is the most important step to take now that you have paid them off. Cards lying around are like drugs laying around for ex-drug addicts... its too easy to pick them up and start using again.

Good advise, but that's not our problem, actually. We got ourselves into debt with one poor purchase 11 years ago, which was our honeymoon. From there we had a run of bad luck with a house that wouldn't sell so we had two house payments for a year and then my husband lost his job. So our biggest downfall has not been having an emergency fund, which we are fixing now. The credit cards have been our emergency fund. We're not big spenders.

[cschin4]

Congrats on the payoff! Good job. However, this statement should be very concerning to you:

Thanksgiving is mostly taken care of, but odds and ends are going to have to go on the card. Christmas is going to have to go on the card.

Nothing "needs" to go onto "the card". Why would you even consider that? If you don't have money, you simply don't have money. Don't start this whole spiral all over again. What is it that you have to buy for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Eat beans and rice and string together popcorn. You can get your kids some small gifts you can pay cash for. Or, go to Goodwill and buy used stuff. Make the holidays fun by baking cookies, going to the parade, helping decorate the nursing home, etc for a memorable holiday. Tell your family that you are not buying gifts this year.