I want to begin paying down my debt. When I got into debt and began borrowing, my income also began to slip. I then had only 400 a month income, nothing from anything else. I’m 53 yrs old and nearly lost my house.

I’ve asked for nothing in the way of help, told every creditor that I intend to pay and everything went to their lawyers, but now I’m working a 2nd job so I’ve got enough money to pay my house bill, gas in car, food, water/sewer and PG and E or an my telephone . Do I pay the least large bill first or should I just plunk a few bucks into a jar until it grows so I can pay one debt, then do it to the next, and then to the next and so on.

I nearly died in 2009 but I feel pretty good now. There is nothing more for me to cut out of my budget. I don’t drink or do drugs or go shopping for anything personal. I haven’t for years now. I want to be debt-free. Bankruptcy isn’t an option because the debts I have were due to my agreement with those that gave me credit, my choice. Everyone tells me to file, but with the cost of what bankruptcy is, I could pay off one of my largest debts. It’s not on the table.