Debt is strangely in fashion. It’s been normalized by society, accepted as inevitable, and even deemed necessary for the landmark events in our lives.
Credit providers promise you the world, making you feel as though freedom is at your fingertips while conveniently forgetting to tell you that the devil is in the details.
If you’re tired of being detained by debt and are determined to detach yourself from it for good, read on to find out how.
1. The Process of Elimination
One of the best debt solutions is to watch your finances like a hawk. You’ll have to be forensic in your methods. Go through each and every expense, no matter how big or small, and eliminate every luxury. Survival should be the only thing on your mind right now.
People happily treat themselves to costly pleasures even when they have a mountain of debt towering over them. The good news is that there are many ways to entertain yourself for free.
2. Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Having multiple streams of income can help you lighten the burden. Get a part-time job, do some freelancing, take overtime at work – any little boost will do wonders in the long run.
The most important thing is to ensure that the extra income you generate from your side hustles goes towards paying off what you owe. Spending the money on frivolous exploits will render your efforts useless.
3. Budget Like Nobody’s Business
Record your spending and make a list of all your bills and obligations to identify areas where you’ve overspent. As you go about the process of elimination, you’ll soon see what you can change to save money.
A budget can be a major wake-up call, and facing your finances is a surefire way to deal with them, whether or not you’re ready for the painful dose of reality.
4. Talk it Out
Another way to wiggle free from debt is to negotiate with your creditors. It’s actually possible to ask that your debt be lowered a bit in order for you to pay it, and there are companies that offer debt-settlement services (for a fee).
You might be uncomfortable hiring a middleman, but these are experienced professionals who know what they’re doing. Many of them have been helping people like you for years, and they can enlighten you with a different perspective while coming up with unique solutions.
5. Enough is Enough
Surely you’ve learned your lesson by now. It doesn’t help to add one debt on top of another – at the end of the day, it will all catch up to you. If you can’t afford something, you can’t afford it, period. If it’s a luxury, it can wait. Your survival, however, is something you can’t postpone.
It’s important to understand that borrowing more money means adding a hefty burden onto what you already owe. It’s like punching another hole into an already sinking boat – you’re not doing yourself any favors.
Dealing with debt is difficult. It can take a toll on the mind knowing that you’re working towards paying something off all the time, and knowing that you can never take a day off for fear of plummeting deeper into debt.
The worst part is holding onto your hard-earned money for a few seconds and passing it on to someone who probably needs it less than you do. To defeat debt for good, you have to make it your primary goal in life. Put your all into it with help from the strategies listed above.
