This Cleveland man going through a divorce is spending $970/month to pay off his truck — and now his ex wants him to pay another $15K of debt. Dave Ramsey responded

“This has gotta stop!” Ramsey replied, shocked by his situation.

With $65,000 in combined credit card debt, as he told Ramsey, Corey and his wife are already in a deeper hole than the average American, who has a balance of $6,088, according to the latest TransUnion data.

According to Forbes Advisor, the average cost of a divorce in the U.S. is $7,000 – yet this figure can vary. Complex divorces, involving disputes over issues like property distribution of child custody can run up tabs exceeding $100,000.

Multiple outstanding debts, monthly payments and a truck with negative equity have strained Corey’s personal finances. He admitted that he’s on the verge of financial ruin.

But that’s just the tip of the debt iceberg for the pair.

If debt is making it difficult to keep your own household finances afloat, this article offers some ways you can begin to take control of your monthly expenses.

Get your debt under control

Corey has $35,000 outstanding in debt payments, which is roughly six times higher than the national average. His wife wants him to take half of hers ($30,000), too.

Juggling multiple debts — let alone trying to tackle them during something as tumultuous as a divorce — can be overwhelming.

The silver lining is there are ways to take back control of your situation. For instance, Credible — a free online loan marketplace — can make tackling your debt easier.

When you fill in some information about yourself and your finances, Credible shows you multiple lending options to pay off your debt faster — and save a ton in interest.

Checking rates with Credible won't hurt your credit score and it’s totally free. Their online marketplace of vetted lenders provides personalized loan offers based on your needs, allowing you to pay off your debt more efficiently at a fixed rate without juggling multiple bills.

Lower your monthly costs

On top of the credit card debt, Corey’s car payments are $970 a month, which is also higher than the national average payments of $735 for new cars and $523 for used cars, as listed by LendingTree.

Ramsey also recommended getting rid of the truck. A $970 monthly payment is, according to Ramsey, “in the cray-cray zone” and simply selling the truck to a private buyer is worth the effort.

If you’re in a similar situation to Corey and feel you really can’t part with your beloved vehicle, it’s worth it to try reducing the monthly expenses that come along with it.

For example, BestMoney could help you get a better rate on your auto insurance.

BestMoney makes it easy to compare car insurance rates with just a few clicks. Just answer a few questionsabout yourself and your car and BestMoney will show you a list of insurance offers available in your area.

Once you’ve found the best insurance for you, you can put your mind at ease knowing one of your bills is as low as it can be.

Similarly, you can save on your monthly home insurance costs. OfficialHomeInsurance is an online marketplace focused on offering the lowest home insurance rates in your local area.

By answering a few personal questions, OfficialHomeInsurance will handle the task of comparing top insurers to find you the best deal available. This simplifies your search for home insurance that balances coverage and affordability, ultimately saving you money over time.

Mortgage debt

The couple also has a mortgage worth $132,000 on their house, which was recently appraised at $174,000.

Ramsey also recommends selling the house. This would allow Corey to give his soon-to-be ex-wife half the stake of that asset instead of disrupting others like his 401(k).

If you’re in a situation like Corey’s, it might be worth considering a cash-out refinance, such as the one offered by RocketMortgage.