Anyone have starting-over in midlife success stories?

[Mongoose]

I posted a case study awhile back and I guess the best I could say is we're managing to stay afloat. It would be nice to hear from some folks who started over with new jobs and made it at least to the path to FI...not necessarily all the way to FI or ER.

DH is working at big box store and making $1300 a month. That is 45 hours a week (overtime pay included). I am supposed to have a part-time lab job soon on a 6 month contract that will hopefully get us up to just enough to cover our expenses (around $2700 per month including debt repayment of $520). We have ~13k on cc debt and a moderate mortgage (payments included). We still have our 14k emergency fund despite making no more than $1300 per month since August. We sold a bunch of stuff!

DH has been at this job just over 3 months and has mostly completed management training. They may move him up when an opening comes up (have said they are planning on it but I'm cynical). For various reasons related to ethics and burnout, neither of us are interested in re-entering our previous fields. The business we started to allow us to work for ourselves is progressing and we are adding services at the request of clients. Ideally it will continue to grow to the point where it is paying us both good salaries.

It is difficult to envision getting from where we are to a legitimate path to FI (say a savings rate of 20+% and the annoying cc debt gone). The MMM post on starting over was very inspirational to DH. Anyone else crawl out of the debt/money hemorrhage hole by starting over at rock bottom pay? I wonder what our chances are if we don't achieve our goals for our business?

[OmahaSteph]

In the same boat. I was a SAHM, then got divorced. Found a great job I loved, started to get on my feet, and then my company closed. Had to relocate across the country, got taken by a crooked lawyer, had to take my ex to court (represented myself and won!) and now I have a really solid job, but the single mom thing is tough. I'm in debt, but it's not horrible.

I think the takeaway is that anything is possible with enough determination, discipline and hustle. Keep your eye on the prize and I'm sure you'll get there!