Living debt free is a strange and wondrous concept these days, the phenomenon of having credit available, using it wisely or not at all, saving religiously and planning for the future has become alien in our society. Some financial gurus will explain that living debt free means having no debt at all, but the definitions of debt free range depending on who you ask from not having any debts at all to using credit wisely and productively and controlling the debt.
Whilst the former is obviously the ideal, for the more pragmatic amongst us the latter is the best that we can realistically hope for. After all in this day and age how is anyone apart from those born with a very large silver spoon in their mouth supposed to get on the property ladder without that largest of credit agreements the mortgage. Every family who wants to lead a debt free lifestyle needs to do so by having a committed frugal household budget plan.
One has to struggle to become debt free by distinguishing between needs and wants. In such a materialistic age as ours it is easy to be caught up by the glitz and glamour of advertising campaigns to spend a small fortune that you do not have on products you will never need.
The strategies for achieving debt free status are avoiding usage of credit cards, loans and other credit to fund purchases. Debt consolidation, equity loans, credit counselling, full and final debt settlement, debt management plans, and debt acceleration plans are some of the many different debt managing programs available for those borrowers who are struggling with the heavy monthly payments towards different debts.
Whilst each one of those debt management methods is valid in its own right the surest way of avoiding the need for such remedies always think before you buy, do I need this or do I just want it. If the latter is the answer, particularly if you need credit to buy it then just leave it in the store.
Borrowers can also use the debt repayment accelerator plan to become debt free. This plan accelerates the debt repayment capacity of the borrowers on the basis of the family budget and the priority of the debts also making weekly rather than monthly payments can have an effect.
If you do have a debt problem and envy the debt free life of others i would urge you to do two things, firstly seek the advice of a professional debt management or debt counselling company. Many of these companies have very highly trained staff and can have you back on the right financial track very quickly. Secondly read back through the first few paragraphs of this article and try to adjust your mental attitude to one which will bring and keep that debt free lifestyle.
Depending on the nature of one's job and the family expenditure, one has to come up with a perfect family budget in order to have some surplus cash available for the repayment of debts, it is important that husband and wife sit together to work out and agree to the family budgets. Both the husband and wife of a family have to consult each other in deciding about which expenditure is most important and which is least important and has to cut down expenses accordingly. This will serve as a foundation for a debt free plan of a family. Credit counselling agencies help people in debt relating issues.
Play Free Life Game
Debt issue can be very overwhelming and stressful especially if your debts have reached to the level that is beyond your financial affordability to handle it. Everyday, you are praying for miracle to happen so that it can pull you out of debt and gives you a stress free life. The fact is, miracle is seldom happen in this world and if it is happen, you may not be the lucky one. So, a more reality method to handle your debt issue is: Learn how you can get out of debt so that you can earn back your stress free life.
In this world, you are not the only one who is in debt. Statistics show that almost 40% of American households are holding average of $10,000 credit card debts. The only way to get rid of your debt issue is to face it bravely and understand your options to get rid of your debt based on your debt seriousness and your current financial situation. The early you face your debt, there will be more options for you to solve your debt problem. There is always the last option to get you "free of debt", it's call bankruptcy filing. Bankruptcy filing is a destructive solution because it gives the most negative effects on your credit history and its consequences will follows your for years. Unless you have no other option after doing your debt analysis by the experts, bankruptcy filing should be avoided in all cases.
Like most of people in debt, you may try to resolve your debt by yourself. Among the most common DIY (Do It Yourself) methods are:
1. Debt Consolidation With A Secured Loan
You can try to apply for a loan with lower interest rate to payoff all your debts. If you have assets such as home, land or boat, you can pledge it to get a secure loan at a low interest rate and use it to clear your debt. One thing to be cautioned is you may lose your asset if you default the loan repayment later. Hence, you must think carefully on your repayment plan to ensure that your financial is able to support it.
2. Debt Negotiation With Creditors for Lower & Longer Repayment Period
The creditors would rather you pay back with less amount or in a longer period than sue you for bankruptcy. Hence, debt negotiation is another option to reduce your debt amount with your creditors or at least reduce the interest rate or stop the interest from running while you are paying back your debt. During the negotiation process, you can offer your repayment schedule based on your financial affordability to your creditors. Remember negotiation may not achieve a success in the first few times. You need to show your sincerity to your creditors that you intend to pay back what your owe them but because you have a financial difficulties at this moment, you are seeking their agreement to prolong your repayment period with a low monthly payment and at a lower interest rate if possible.
Both debt consolidation and debt negotiation can be DIY, but if you don't have confident enough to handle it yourself, there are companies that can provide profession services on debt consolidation and debt negotiation. Of course, you need to pay a fee for their service, but their professional expertise should be able to help you.
Consumer Credit Counseling
If you do not know what you should do to resolve your overwhelming debt problem. Then, you should consult one of consumer credit counseling agencies. A counselor will be assigned to handle your case and help you to analysis your debt issue before they propose a debt solution for you. By going through the counseling sessions, you will understand better about the available options to get rid of your debt and how soon you can enjoy a stress free life once you are debt free. The best thing about consume credit counseling is most of credit counseling services are free of charge, you just need to pay a reasonable fee if you decide to enroll into their debt management plan.
Summary
There are many ways to help you get rid of your debt and recover your debt free and stress free live. Your debt can't get away without you doing anything, what you need to do is understand your options and choose the best solution that can help to resolve your debt issue. As long as you face your debt bravely, you can soon gain back your stress free life.
Both Geoff Hibbert & Cornie Herring 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.
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