The first thing to do is to stop running from the bill collectors and looking at your caller ID before you answer the phone. You realize you have a problem, and it is time to get yourself to a financially stable point. By facing up to your responsibilities you are sending a message to yourself that enough is enough and you're going to do something about it. They say that the first step in curing an addiction is to admit that you have an addiction. As with anything new, the first steps are the hardest.

Another thing to do is to get rid of your credit cards. If you feel it is necessary for you to keep only one, for emergency use only, you can. The reason is because of the interest charges that you pay. Credit cards charge a high rate of interest which if you continue to leave unchecked will spiral out of control, leaving you more work to do to achieve debt relief. People have said that when your credit cards are ripped up either by you or someone who cares about you, you feel as if you are losing some of your independence. Whenever you have to pay for something, you should stick to only using cash. If you do not have enough cash for a purchase, save your money until you do. This will help you avoid impulse buying.

If you notice a large portion of your money goes to paying for lunch at work or eating out, you should cut down on this. Instead of spending money on coffee in the morning and lunch, you can make a pot of coffee at home and bring it with you to work. Make your lunch at home as well. This will cut your unnecessary spending drastically, particularly if you are buying expensive coffee each day, for example if you are lucky or unlucky enough to have a Starbucks outlet at or near your place of work.

Another way for you to cut down on your spending and reduce your debt is with the food you purchase for meals. When you are shopping in the grocery store, you should consider buying a larger pack of meat that can be split into smaller portions. For example, instead of buying five single pounds of hamburger, you can buy a larger package and split it up when you get home. Prepare meals that can stretch, such as casseroles. One thing I saw a student friend of mine do was to make soup for a week and then have it everyday as a snack or a main course with some bread and different meats.

When you save money by purchasing larger packages the food can often go further. Another friend of mine is constantly on the look out for buy one get one free food items that she regularly buys. Once you are in the habit of looking at larger food packages or deals, look at your old grocery bill. Subtract your new monthly food bill from the old monthly food bill. The money you have saved can be put aside for savings or an item you want to buy. Even if you only save $5 a week, this adds up over time. This small amount can be used to keep you out of debt in the future.