Being smart with your money isn’t just something you should do; it’s something you must do. Far too many people live paycheck to paycheck and, as a result, don’t get to enjoy life. You have one life to live and if you have tons of debt, you’re wasting your time on this planet.
How Easy Debt Accumulates
It’s too easy to accumulate debt. You start off with a simple car loan and then you’re good credit promotes credit card companies to send offers. At first, you think, ok I need a few just in case, and then before you know it you have a handful of credit cards all with balances. The problem is that most people don’t use money wisely. They get a credit line and immediately find a reason to use it. Now you owe out more money than you can pay back in a month, and this is where you start to sink. Now you have interest accumulating on all your credit cards, making it almost impossible to pay them off anytime soon.
Ways to Bring in Extra Money
If you’re in over your head and can’t afford to pay your household expenses and your outstanding debt, you will need to bring in extra money. You can sell things on sites such as eBay, look for a part-time job, or even start your own business. If you have a talent, a specific skill or a good idea for a business, you can start out slowly, and in the not too distant future, maybe even leave your day job behind. Thankfully, there are many reputable banks and lenders willing to provide a business loan to help fund your small business.
Your Credit Score
Sadly, having too much debt doesn’t only consume most, if not all, of your disposable cash; it also causes your credit score to thrust into a downward spiral. So now you have too much debt and an undesirable credit score too. Unfortunately, anything you do from this point will cost you more. You move into an apartment, more money. You need utilities turned on, more money. Applying for a new credit card, you got it, more money.
Tackling Debt
There is no quick fix to debt. It’s a slow process that requires patience and perseverance. However, there are several ways to get it under control. First, stop spending money on things you don’t need and learn to live on a budget. If you have many credit cards, make the minimum payment on all but one, the one with the highest interest rate. Once you pay that one off, move onto the next one with the highest interest rate and so on.
Changing Your Spending Habits
Poor spending habits can lead you down a road of financial ruins. The good news is that it’s never too late to change your spending habits. There are needs and wants, and the needs always supersede the wants. Needs are something that’s necessary, whereas wants are things you desire. In order to remain solvent with your money and achieve financial success, you must put your wants on a wait-list.
This doesn’t mean you can’t acquire them, just that you will need to save for them. When you establish a savings account or an emergency fund it forces you to take a portion of what you make each paycheck and put it away. This is the first step in learning how to save. When you reach the amount of money you need to purchase the desired item two things happen, you appreciate it and you don’t pay one extra cent for it. You actually own it outright, no interest, and no additional fees.
Debt is something that most people have. However, when it starts to control you and your ability to live, it’s time to get it under control.