OP,
1. Congrats! I know that sounds strange, but seriously coming to grips with the problem is really the first step.
2. Take what others say with a grain of salt! Opinions are like...well, you know..and everyone has one. Here is what I did and while I'm not out of debt yet, I've gone from $20k in CC debt to $4k in less than a year and we don't make a ton.
3. Is your DH/DW/SO/DP on board? I would say this was the next hardest step! You can't do it alone (unless you're single!).
4. Talk everything over and figure out where to save where you can. Trying your hardest to pay down debt while wasting money other places is silly. Remember, the more money you have at the end of the month, the more that can be paid down on debt.
5. Here is a great excel spreadsheet!
http://www.vertex42.com/Calculators/debt-reduction-calculator.html
This was the best tool I used this year and it is free! The thing I love about this worksheet is that it allows you to specify the order in which you want the debts paid. I found this VERY useful. For example, you can choose to go with the smallest debt to largest debt, or do your own specific order. I liked this a lot because it allowed me to list a low CC first, then even though my student loan had a smaller balance, I listed it later since it was low interest and TAX deductible. So, you have flexibility on the order you choose. Also, there is room for "snowflakes" such as a tax return, overtime, etc. so you can see how putting $1000 extra from your tax return will impact your goal.
6. Set a goal and stick to it. People may not agree with Ramsey's plan, but whether you do it or not, I think everyone agrees you need to do something. I can't tell you how good it feels to be so close to my goal!!! Your financial life depends on it!
Good Luck!
