You will find your life improves significantly when you eliminate all of your debts and you will be able to start saving for your retirement, vacations, or even a down payment on a home.
There are so many good places to spend money that will invest in your future and make your life better that it really is silly to get mixed up in the credit card situation where you have to pay thousands of dollars and have nothing to show for it. Believe it or not, but the average American owes more than $10,000 in credit card debt.
That truly is hard to imagine, but it is the truth. And, the reason people have to pay so much is because they feel like they need to live to a certain standard. The result is a high debt load, imposing interest rates, and monthly payments that are too expensive to pay.
Luckily, you can live debt free and get yourself back on the road to financial security. Of course, it will take some time and a great deal of commitment but if you truly want to live a life where you don't owe anyone money you will be able to do so.
This comes at a cost upfront, but down the road when you don't owe a single penny to anyone you will see that it was completely worth it.
First of all, you will want to start by making a list of all of your outstanding amount. Include student loans, mortgages, credit cards, cars, and the like, then come up with a big round number of how much money you owe.
Then, figure out how much money you can possibly afford to spend each month. Stop saving for a little while and start paying off all your arrears.
You will find that you will be able to save more in the long run by following this method and it is completely worthwhile. If you have a budget of all your bills that you absolutely must pay each month and compare that to your income then you will be able to come up with a nice round number to pay each month towards what you owe.
Many people find they are able to afford payments up to $1000 a month when they cut back on expenses like food and entertainment. You won't find this cutting back particularly fun, but when you are completely debt free you will find that it was completely worth it.
Now, the key here is to continue your frugal lifestyle after you are completely out of arrears. Instead of paying a large monthly payment to what you owe you can then choose to invest it or save it for the future.
This means that you can then beef up your savings for a rainy day. Sure, you may want to free up some of that amount for dining out and entertainment, but the important thing is to not go back to spending money on credit cards.
Live Your Life Free
You have probably heard the phrase, "you never have enough of what you don't need." Keep it in mind the next time you feel the need to charge a non-essential item, such as another pair of shoes or expensive entertainment. It may be that this is not really a need but a "want," and the impulse purchase temporarily satisfies some unmet emotional need, which has nothing to do with the purchase.
Why do we debt? Compulsive spending and debting are like an addiction, as a person will continue the behavior in spite of negative consequences. For some, shopping is used as a distraction, a way to feel good about ourselves, to manage our feelings and even to avoid pain.
Money can only solve money problems. If you stop and honestly look at what is going on, perhaps you will see that what you really need is not the new outfit or the expensive meal but something as simple as connecting with others or spending time on a hobby that can fill a much deeper need. But before you start exploring this, let's look at what debting does to our lives.
America has become a nation of debtors, encouraged in large part by the credit card companies. Debting keeps us in vagueness and denial about the amount of money we are spending. You need to have a clear picture of how much money is coming in...and where it's going.
Some facts:
A person spends 23% more when they use plastic, than when paying cash. We cannot get ahead by continuing to incur more debt.
A $3500 charge on your credit card at 18% interest paying the minimum amount will take 40 years to pay off and cost you $9,431 in interest.
50% of the people who file for bankruptcy do so more than once.
Department stores make more money on the interest they charge you than on the merchandise they sell you. Take back your financial power!
1. Commit to paying off debt
2. Save for those unexpected expenses, as they will occur
3. Establish a spending plan; track your income and expenditures
4. Learn the difference between a need and a want, and how to get them met without spending money you don't have
5. Negotiate with your creditors, if necessary, to pay off debt. This can feel daunting but it can be done.
Both Ajeet Khurana & Shelley Bayol are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Ajeet Khurana has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Home Improvement How to and Credit Cards. If you are already in debt or feel that you do have a chance of being in debt then check us for ,. Ajeet Khurana's top article generates over 1220000 views. to your Favourites.
Shelley Bayol has sinced written about articles on various topics from Personal Finance, Mortgage and Personal Finance. Shelley Bayol became a Financial Recovery Counselor after her own relationship with money drove her to over $25,000 in credit card debt. Little by little, she paid off her credit cards, stopped spending impulsively and gained peace of mind and ser. Shelley Bayol's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
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