Why or how do so many people get into trouble with debt? When does it become a problem? There are so many reasons, such as job loss or, health problems, but overall it is a disconnect between income and spending, and not enough focus on financial management.
I’d like to share a few simple ways to reduce your debt and help to minimize its use in the future. If you keep it simple, you are more likely to be successful.
Stop incurring more debt: You can’t get out of debt if you are still using your credit cards. Do not increase your debt or you will never get out.
Emergency fund: By building up an emergency fund, you are less likely to take upon more debt for something unexpected. For now, it can be around $1,000 to start. Ideally, you will want to work towards 3 to 6 months worth of expenses, but it doesn’t make sense at this point to save $10,000 and simultaneously have a $10,000 credit card balance.
Budget: If you are serious about reducing your debt and improving your financial situation, you need to take the time to make a budget. You can use software, such as Excel or Quicken, but a very simple and effective way is to use envelopes. For example, if you are paid weekly by your employer and spend an average of $200 a week on groceries, then place $200 in an envelope labeled groceries. When you go food shopping, bring this envelope so that you can only spend$200 or less. This can be done with all other expenses. It is simplistic, but if it is done right it is extremely effective. My father taught me this one.
Know what you owe and prioritize: Make a list of all of the debts you owe, including credit cards, auto loans, equity loans, mortgages, student loans, etc. Now you need to work at chipping away those debts. The rational place to start is with the highest interest debt, but I don’t recommend this. You should actually try to pay off the smallest balances first because it will give a sense of accomplishment. Once the smallest is paid off, then use that payment toward the next balance. Finances are extremely psychological, as most of our financial decisions are emotional-based.
These few steps are a good place to start to manage and reduce your debt. If you are serious about debt elimination, you will not look for shortcuts, but rather ways to increase your income to pay off your debt sooner and take control. Focus and simplicity are the keys. If you need more help you can contact my office. Additionally, there is an excellent book on this topic that parallels my thoughts on debt, entitled “The Total Money Makeover” by Dave Ramsey.