Meet the Widlunds

The Widlunds' budget includes many unessential expenses—"fat" that can be trimmed during their debt diet. Marnie estimates that the family spends about $150 a week on take-out and another $200 each weekend on entertainment.

Marnie's obsession with crafts is also digging them deeper into debt. Marnie admits she buys on impulse, a habit that resulted in her owning $1,000 worth of beads and $1,500 worth of scrap-booking supplies. "I feel really guilty about spending the money on [crafts]," Marnie says, "but, at the same time, you cannot always just focus on everything horrible in your life."