"Now what do we do?"

"Make an extra mortgage payment?" "Can we do that?" "I think so...let's call the bank."  Six months ago, that conversation would have been unthinkable in our house. It's an actual recap of a conversation Paul and I had recently. We've paid off our credit cards, eliminated our car payment, and are poised to pay off the student loan – after 12 years! In June, when Project Money started, we knew there were changes we could make, but we truly did not dream that we would be able to eliminate all of our debt – except the mortgage – during the competition. Nonetheless, here we are, six months later, and that dream has become a reality.

When we look at the numbers for the four contestants, they are staggering. If we weren't in the game, we'd be thinking that there's no way we could ever come close; that the numbers aren't real. But, we are here to tell you, they are real, in black and white.

Anyone not already following a tight budget can do what the four of us have done. If you need help creating a budget, use Summit's on-line tools to get started. Ask for help at your local branch. Then, stick with it. Seeing results is ongoing motivation, but be sure to build additional rewards into your budget.

Don't get me wrong, it's not all easy. We have put off a few repairs and expenditures until next year, and we sold our family SUV, opting to drive older, paid off sedans. We will probably revise the budget to be about 10 percent less restrictive in the future. But even if our debt reduction were half of what it was, it's still impressive. The positive impact on our family and future is priceless. That's really something to be thankful for.