I'm paying down the CC debt as much as I can each month. I have not added to it. I'm transferring around to 0%/$0 fees while I work on it. I could PIF as I have the money in savings, but as a single mom, that is my safety net. So while it's 0% interest, I'll be hanging onto the cash flow (the ex lost his job this fall and while I'm pretty certain I'd be able to find something if I did, flying solo, I really need the safety net).
Selling the $300k house is NOT an option. 1- likely still upside down on it. It's one of the reasons I kept it in the divorce. We would have paid out $20-30k. We refied the year before the divorce and took out all equity. We paid down some debt and then put in a new furnace, floors, etc. 2- $300k is close to the cheapest house in our area. My Ex moved into a condo .5 mile away. His condo was $150k, but his monthly payment after assoc fees is only like $200 cheaper. Apartments are $2500+/mo. My mortgage is $1700. The house ain't going, LOL. Plus we are staying close to each other in order to make this divorce as easy as can be for the kiddos. They ride the same bus, same school, etc.
I have the shortest commute I've ever had. It's about 15 min drive.
I know the car payment is always the suggested thing to go when looking at budgets. But in the Metro Detroit area....car/lease payment is just part of life. The good news is I DO get a discount, LOL. The way I look at it, the payment offsets any costs I have with upkeep as I'm ALWAYS under warranty on the cars I drive. I just know that for example, tires on my Jeep would have been $1k. I pay $290/mo right now. For that I get piece of mind that I don't have to worry about unexpected costs. Yes, I know that those who drive used normally have some kinda savings for those expenses.
I've cut our cable cost and cell phones. I've dumped my gym membership and my lawn service. I use coupons when I can, cut back tremendously on eating out, etc. I need to price shop our insurance more seriously but when I did earlier this fall, I have a pretty decent rate. My BF jokes if I can get $1 for something, I'm listing it and selling it on FB or ebay. I need to get more serious about doing that and purging the house, but so far this fall I've made a couple hundred selling off my son's old hockey skates, my daughter's hunter boots, snowboard boots, snow pants, etc. I list any/all clothes I can on Poshmark or take to the local consignment. If there is a penny to be made off something, I try to get it. I then use that money to either buy the new item, or offset costs (like Christmas).
And for your last one.....BUT teaching SUCKS! LOL. Kidding/not kidding.