Enamored with an extravagent lifestyle

Wow, this is a great site, and thank you for allowing me to share my story.

It all started about 3 years ago when I met my now husband. My credit score was around a 705, making about $50,000 (at age 27), and living on my own. I had one or two credit cards with low limits, and always paid on time and in full. I was usually living paycheck to paycheck, but I was happy, could afford my apartment and car, and other living expenses. I never had a lot of spare cash to buy clothes, furniture, go on trips, and the like, but I was happy and didn't know any different.

I met my husband who at age 33, was making over $100k annually. He, too, had stellar credit and had anything and everything he wanted - but was able to afford it. He was never late on his bills, had his own house, a paid off car and another car that was close to being paid off.

He proposed to me 6 months after meeting each other, and clearly, I said yes (we are now married). We were taking trips everywhere, buying new furniture for the house, I got a new vehicle, and we started planning our wedding. Basically, we were spending spending spending - I never knew life could be this "good"! I knew we had the money and if we charged it, the card would always be paid off. We had enough "discretionary" income to pay off our cards every month. I always say we "partied like rock stars on a roadie budget". I was now one of those people that felt the need to "keep up" the image

Our wedding was a low-key wedding - I think we spent around $15,000 and we paid for most of it, with a $5000 gift from my parents. My rings were around $6k (engagement ring and wedding band), which to this day, I fall in love every time I realize what they symbolize. So, it's worth the $$ we paid for it - in cash, no financing.

Fast foward 3 months after our wedding and the following things happened within a 12 month timeframe:

1) My car crapped out and I shelled $5,000 to get it fixed, only to trade it in later for my husband's now pick-up (now added car payment to our monthly bills)

2) Our dog got very sick and we shelled out $2500 to keep her alive (she's still with us though!)

3) We bought another dog (Sept 2008) and total bills for her were around $1500 (including purchase price, shots, food/toys/kennel, etc)

4) Oct 2007 I failed to make our mortgage payment ($2270) as I thought we already made it for that month, and I spent the mortgage $$ on other misc things that I did not need. This now kicked-started our demise as we were now a month in arrears on our mortage payment and a snowball effect with everything else started.

5) January 2008 - mortage increased another $500 due to the loan being an ARM

6) I got a DUI in January 2008, which has now all been resolved, but I've spent a total of $15,000.

So, as you can see, things went downhill VERY FAST. Now, my husband is forced to work as much overtime as he can just to make our regular bills. We have cut up our Credit Cards (two have been cancelled by the creditor) and no longer use them.

I have tried calling our creditors to which I received little or no assistance. My credit score is now a dismal 515 and I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel anymore. My husband has to keep his credit score up or more than likely, he will lose his job (his job requires security clearances which include background checks and financial checks every year). We are so scared that he's going to lose his job, and we'll lose everything.

I very much would love to pay off our debt, but we are so far behind and with the late fees and overlimit fees, we are drowning. I don't want to delare the big "B" word, and my husband can't declare "B" as he would lose his job.

What's a girl to do??

Thanks so much for listening to my "sob" story, but I really just want to resolve this and move forward with my life. :(