In 2005 after moving, our total debt (except the mortage) was over $30,000.  Around December 2005 a coworker loaned me his copy of The Total Money Makeover with the stipulation that I sign inside the front cover after reading it.  I read it in less than a week and I/we had an awakening in our personal finances.

Within a month we had switched my 2003 Honda Element for a 2000 Honda Accord (dropped $2400 debt right there plus the mileage is better), paid off our van, and sold *stuff* on Ebay to knock out more debt.  A year later we had knocked $18,000 off our total debt, and what was left was at 6% fixed instead of a variable rate home equity line of credit.

Now, 13.5 months into our journey, we are under $10,000 left and expect to be debt-free except the mortage by the end of 2007.  The next steps will be to fully fund our emergency fund (3-6 months' worth of expenses), push our retirement savings up to 15% if possible, and save for college funds for our kids, then pay off the mortgage faster too!