Credit Card Debt

I spoke with a referral yesterday who was looking for some help, esp. with their credit card debt. Now, these are not my ideal referrals, as I really can only advise and work with people that have cash flow to SAVE and INVEST with me, not that needs to go to cc debt. But I like helping people, so I listened and this was the situation:
$30,000 of credit card debt on several cards ranging from 7-30% interest rates, not quite sure of exact rates or balances ( first sign there is a major problem)
age: 29 and 35
accumulated over time ( careless 20's? sound familiar?) and a new home purchase last year meaning all new furniture.
Mainly making minimum payments.

First off, it boggles my mind that people can rack up such cc debt and actually sleep at night? I'd probably go crazy. Oh and they were leaving for vacation next week! Vacation, really? You should be eating peanuts with that much debt, but I'm trying not to judge here.

Sooo how do you get yourself out of this one?

This is my simple 12 step get of of cc debt plan:

Step 1: ADMIT YOU HAVE A PROBLEM- overspending, shopping to make yourself feel better, not knowing how to say no to your spouse etc. etc.
Step 2: REALIZE THIS WILL BE VERY HARD AND WILL BE A COMPLETE LIFESTYLE CHANGE- You will have to learn to say "NO!"
NO YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE THAT VACATION THIS YEAR, CONTINUE YOUR NORDSTROM SHOPPING, BUY YOUR KIDS POINTLESS TOYS THAT THEY WONT EVEN REMEMBER or EAT OUT AS MUCH
Step 3: CHANGE YOUR HABITS, the first step to getting out of credit card debt is to STOP using your credit cards- cut them up. Store them in a safe. Put them out of your reach! However, you don't want to actually close the cards, keeping your available credit line open is what improves your credit score
Step 4: Sit down with yourself and/or your spouse and get out all of the cc statements for EVERY card. Add up all the debt. Look at what the interest rate is on each card. Then, really kill yourself and add up the amount of interest you are paying each year to make the credit card companies profitable, not yourself. If you're still not sick, calculate how long it would take you to pay off the cards, if you continue with your current payments.
Step 5: Call all of your credit card companies and ask for a lower interest rate. Yes, just simply ask. The worse they can say is NO.
This may take several calls, haggling, talking to the manager, BUT the credit card company would rather work with you then lose your business. Tell them you have an offer to transfer your balance to a competitor card with a 0% rate, that you are considering this if they won't lower your rate.
Step 6: Start paying attention to those 0% credit card offers in the mail. They weren't coming for a while, but they've started again. Example, if you have $10,000 at a 13% card, transferring that $10,000 to 0% can help you get that balance paid off faster!! Pay attention to when the 0% offer expires and set up a payment plan to get the balance paid off by then. When you do balance transfers, it does not hurt your credit, as long as you leave the 1st credit card open. For example, if you have $10k on a $10k limit card, and now transfer to a new 0% card, and leave the old card open, instead of your credit report showing you have $0 available credit, you now have $10,000 available credit that you aren't using, by leaving the first card open and not using it anymore- great way to improve your credit score!
Step 7: Once you have negotiated your rates and transferred the balances, also start paying more towards your highest rate card. This should be paid off first.
Step 8: Set realistic goals for your payment plan. 1 year may not be realistic. This may take 2-3 years, but you can do it! Put yourself on a budget.
Step 9: Also try to put money into your savings account too. This way you don't run into a debt spiral- you're putting all your cash flow towards the debt, but then inevitablely something comes up- your car breaks down, the a/c stops working etc. If you don't have any cash put aside, boom it goes right back on the cc card and you could be back to square one.
Step 10: Reward yourself when you get a card paid off-that is awesome!! Don't get all extravagant, but do something nice and simple for yourself. Put a big Congratulations! sign on your fridge or treat your spouse to a massage or simple dinner at home.
Step 11: Track your progress. Sit down once a month and see how you are progressing towards the goals you set. If you aren't on track, don't get discouraged. Identify why you are behind, set new goals and try try try again!
Step 12: Once you have reached your goal, start putting your money to work for YOU. Redirect the cash flow you were putting towards credit card payments to building up 6 months of expenses for emergencies, funding your 401k at work, starting a Roth IRA or setting up a college plan!