Among other things:

• They made debt payoff a priority, although most continued to save for retirement as well.
• They kept their basic living expenses as low as possible.
• They looked for creative ways to speed up their debt repayment, and some took extra work.

(Cards, for example, volunteered for overtime and took a second job. Wilkinson, a lawyer, moonlighted as a package loader on a FedEx loading dock.)

Your situation might be different from theirs in the details. But if you're facing a big debt hole, you might find their stories offer inspiration and ideas you can use.

He's done this on a base salary of $60,000 by volunteering for overtime, picking up a second job and trimming expenses wherever possible. To keep his living costs down, Cards:

• Opts for basic TV service -- no premium channels.
• Chooses a dial-up Internet connection ($9.95 a month) over high-speed service.
• Buys food in bulk to last for months.
• Takes his lunch to work.
• Makes a budget for the holidays, birthdays, etc., and sticks to it.
• Applies "extra" paychecks to debt (a biweekly pay schedule had provided a third check two months a year).
• Applies any bonuses toward his debt.
• Sets the thermostat in winter to 63 degrees.
• Sets the air conditioner to 79.
• Buys compact fluorescent light bulbs to reduce electric bills.
• Takes out $25 in "walking around" cash each week. When it's gone, he doesn't spend more.
• Keeps the credit cards at home.
• Shops with a list and buys only what's on the list, and avoids looking at anything else, including sale items.
• Keeps his car tuned up to avoid bigger expenses.
• Doesn't keep up with the Joneses. He says he doesn't care what they drive, where they vacation or what they wear.
• Avoids buying coffee or food "on the go" but instead eats at home whenever possible.
• Stays away from vending machines at work.
• Doesn't play the lottery.
• Buys broken bags of mulch and fertilizer at deep discounts.
• When shopping for appliances, buys last year's model.
• Budgets vacations and looks for coupons wherever possible.

[source]

I'm happy to see that I'm already doing some of the things Card is doing. What really gives me hope is most of these people are making it happen on a regular old salary.