I wasn't interested in having any more children and I felt it was a responsible thing to do ... I include it here because I always half-expect people to lambast me for the decisions I've made, so it's an indication that I've taken steps to ensure that my situation doesn't become worse... Not that "becoming worse" would change much. $160,000 debt that I can't ever pay off or $500,000 debt that I can't ever pay off... the end result is me dying in debt and likely on the street. But that's my option unless I find a way to change the dynamic in a really dramatic way.