Get out of debt. OK. I understand it’s forboten to talk about money in public, makes you seem petty, small minded, bourgeois. But I don’t care. I’m throwing down the gauntlet to the credit card companies and their usurous 20-30% rates. No longer shall they have control over my life. I’ve set a date of 8/1/2007 to be completely out of debt. This will be tough. I’ve found some allies:

• The Motley Fool

  
  Especially their discussion boards, where you see folks like me do this every day. Everyone needs a support network.
  

• EmigrantDirect and ING

  
  .02% on my savings account? How about 3%? What if I can take a teaser 0% rate on my credit cards, pay the minimums, and make 3% on double my monthly payments to these credit vultures? Why should banks make all the money off the working man?

• The freezer
• Tour de France vacation
  
  If I can get halfway out of debt by 7/1/2006, I will go to France and watch the greatest sporting event in the world. This was a recommendation from the MF Get out of Debt seminar. Give yourself a spoonful of sugar for this bad medicine of debt elimination.

Have any other suggestions? I would love the hear them.