Paid it off themselvesSeveral debts$109,000
Maxed Out on Five Cards, This Couple Cleared $109,000 of Debt in 50 Months
Brian and Lynn Brandow found their five credit cards maxed out while planning a family vacation. They cut up the cards, got lower rates and paid off $109,000 of debt in 50 months, one card at a time.
Video by Good Morning AmericaPublished August 30, 2019Breakdown updated September 15, 2026
“How one couple paid off thousands of dollars in credit card debt | GMA” by Good Morning America. We didn't make this video; it loads from YouTube when you press play.
Where Brian and Lynn started
Brian and Lynn Brandow of Ronkonkoma, New York, thought carrying credit cards and making minimum payments was normal. When Brian tried to plan a summer vacation, he found they had no cash savings and five credit cards that were basically maxed out. Their debt, which included those cards and a second mortgage, totaled $109,000.
What Brian and Lynn did
- 1
Brian sat Lynn down and told her they were out of options because the card companies wouldn't extend more credit.
- 2
They cut up their credit cards and got the interest rates on the cards reduced.
- 3
They made a budget and dropped extras such as satellite radio and a video game rental subscription.
- 4
Using the snowball method, they paid off one card at a time and rolled that payment into the next.
- 5
Brian kept learning from personal finance podcasts, and they finished in 50 months.
What you can learn from it
Minimum payments can feel normal
The Brandows assumed carrying balances was just part of life. A cash crunch around a family vacation showed them how little room they had.
Stop adding to the balances
Cutting up the cards meant new charges couldn't undo their progress while they paid down what they owed.
Momentum keeps people going
Brian describes each paid-off card as one fewer bill, which built motivation. The CFPB notes this smallest-balance approach shows progress quickly but can cost more than paying the highest rate first.
Ask about a lower rate
They got the rates on their cards reduced. The FTC suggests asking your credit card company to negotiate a lower interest rate and suggesting a payment plan you can afford.
Before you copy this path
GMA doesn't break down how much of the $109,000 was on cards, how much the rate cuts saved or what the family earned, so their pace may not carry over to another household.
Watch out: It needs a steady monthly budget, and nobody negotiates for you.
Build your own payoff planCommon questions
How does the debt snowball method work?
Minimum payments continue on every debt while any extra money goes to the smallest balance. Once that debt is paid, the freed-up money moves to the next smallest, according to the CFPB.
Source: consumerfinance.govCan I ask my credit card company for a lower interest rate?
Yes. The FTC suggests calling your credit card company, asking to negotiate a lower interest rate and suggesting a payment plan you can afford, though there's no promise it will agree.
Source: consumer.ftc.govSources
By DebtCheckUSAEditorial Team. This is our summary of a video we didn't make, and nobody paid us to include it. It's one person's experience, not financial, tax or legal advice. Advertiser disclosure
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