I am not a debt consolidator but what I am is a person who has been through just about every debt imaginable but I have come to the reality that money does not grow on trees. I have successfully gotten out of debt and would like to pass on my finding to others so that they can get out of debt or avoid getting into debt in the first place.
Your paycheck is what helps to avoid getting into debt
Your paycheck is a nice thing to have since you can purchase items with it or you can save for the future. Your paycheck is what helps you to stay among the people who commute to work and it helps to pay those bills and live in a home. Some might take their paycheck for granted by splurging a bit too much or putting off bills thinking that they can pay them with the next paycheck but your paycheck is there for a reason and you need to get your priorities straight.
Pay me first and I can avoid getting into debt
This is something that you need to tell yourself every time you get your paycheck. Pay yourself first before you pay anything else. I don't mean for you to give yourself an allowance to splurge on items but instead you should take out a small 10% of what you make and put it into a savings account. The 10% is to not be spent but to be used as a nest egg for hard times. 10% may not seem like much but over time it will grow just like everything else in your life.
Pay your bills and avoid getting into debt
Paying your bills should always come second when you get your paycheck. Pay your bills that you have. These bill will include utility bills, car payments, and insurance. These are the three main things that you need to be able to afford yourself and where you live. The utilities bills should also mark your rent or house payment.
Downsize to avoid getting into debt
I know that luxury cars are all the talk of the town but so is debt. If you can't afford your basic bills then what makes you think that you will be able to afford your car payment? If you need to you can always get a nicer car later in your future when you are able to afford it or you can take an extra 5% of your paycheck and stock it away into a savings account so that you can save up towards a car. Another thing that you need to consider with your car is if it is worthy of you. Your car is worthy of you if you don't have to spend your entire paycheck just to pay for the gas and if it is a well running car. You need a dependable car and it doesn't really matter what it looks like.
Everything is an option these days such as having extras on your bills. If you have cable or a telephone, maybe it is time to downsize them. There are a lot of people who now have cell phones instead of home phones or vise versa; this is an option that you might want to consider. Libraries now offer free internet access although it is not on a secure server you can still use it and cut out your internet bill. Renting movies can be cheaper than having to pay for cable since you have to have the money to rent the movies but the cable bill will always come. If you don't have the extra money then you can't purchase extras.
Don't put off bills and your can avoid getting into debt
Putting off bills should be your first no-no. Putting off bills does nothing but sends you into more debt or puts you into debt since you will have to pay late fees and maybe even reconnection fees.
Don't take out a loan even if it is a credit starter
Many people take out loans for three reasons; they need the money to pay bills or debts, the like the extra money to blow or they want the loan to build their credit. All of the reasons behind taking out a loan can be tempting but it is also a quick way to put you into debt. If you don't have the money to repay these loans then you shouldn't take them out.
What if you lost your job?
You might think that your job is secure today but what happens if the business files bankrupt or you are injured? Would you be able to afford to live if something major happened? An important part to remember about avoiding being in debt is that something could happen. There isn't much that you can do if something happens but that 10% that you put away at the beginning of this article could come back to rescue you in a time like this.
Always think before you spend and always understand that nothing is free no matter how good it sounds. An oxymoron is a free credit card that you must pay for on interest rates or a free bank account that charges you overdraft fees.
Published by Rosa Hayes
Rosa is a full time student at OCCC with a major in political science. She is currently the author of many articles on parenting, life skills, family, and careers as well as many other things. View profile
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3 Comments
Post a CommentHi Rosa! Can I put this article of yours in my blogsite? I will put your name as source also...the article would be very helpful to my readers also...
great tips here!
Very important tips here Rosa- it is too easy to fall into the debt trap.