Getting out of debt is a dream for every person who is in debt.
Although we all have some form of debt, it can become overwhelming when you feel like you have no disposable income after you have repaid all your debts.
The most important thing to remember is that any form of debt should always be managed. There are certain things you can do – and not do – in order to help you repay your debt quickly and effectively. Here are some tips to help you live debt-free:
Manage your debt
The first step to becoming debt-free is to ensure that you manage all the debt that you do have. It is important that you are informed when it comes to all the debt you have, amounts outstanding, amount repaid, interest incurred etc. This includes everything from personal loans to store accounts and credit cards.
This allows you to know exactly where you stand and what needs to be done to get rid of the debt you do have. If you have a realistic idea of how much debt you actually have, you might reconsider incurring more debt or you might realise that you manage your debt correctly.
Create a budget
It is important that you set up a realistic budget that includes your monthly income and all your expenses. This way you will know how much money you have left after all your expenses have been subtracted.
When you create a budget you need to be very realistic regarding not only your income but also your expenses. When people list their expenses, they often forget to add things like the coffee they get when at Starbucks every morning on their way to work.
If your daily Starbucks costs about $5, you could end up paying $100 every month on Starbucks alone so make sure that you include all your expenses – even the smallest things.
Therefore, when creating a budget, make sure you include ALL your expenses. It is also a great opportunity to get an idea of what and where you could save money.
Pay more towards your debt
When you budget you will hopefully end up discovering that you have a few unnecessary expenses that you can cut back on.
If you end up having some extra money, you should definitely put it towards repaying your debt sooner. When deciding what debt to repay first, select those with the highest interest rates first as they cost you the most.
If you follow these tips and you are responsible for your debt, you will be able to repay it in no time and soon be able to live a debt-free life.
