The talk around every table and in every pub across America is the current recession and how we can get out of debt. Everyone has some form of debt. If you own a car or a house, then you likely have debt. And if you’ve gone further than that and have run up a huge amount of debt on your credit cards, then you are certainly part of the “worse off” bunch. But never fear, there are many ways you can climb out of debt legally and without the use of get rich quick schemes.
The first thing someone must to do get out of debt is figure out where all the money is going. Putting together a budget is just about the best thing you can do. With a budget, you will start to see where that money is going and then begin to take some action steps to avoid making purchases that will harm you negatively.
And speaking of making purchases! Have you ever been in a store, saw something you liked and then purchased in within minutes without even thinking? You should put rules on your spending habits. For anything that costs more than $100 dollars, you should wait a day before actually making the purchase. By the time the 24 hrs is over, you may have decided that you really didn’t need the product in the first place. This will keep you from making automatic purchases and essentially keep you from binge shopping!
Once you see where your money is going and where you are spending it frivolously, then spend some time knocking out all the little extras that are really costing you. Do you really need those extra cable movie channels? Do you really need a cell phone and a land line? Do you really need to eat out every night? Probably not! So eliminating these things from your budget will go a long way in stabilizing your spending habits and your bank balance.
The next thing to look at when trying to balance your account is to find ways to consolidate. If you have a lot of credit cards that are careening out of control, then you should look for opportunities to consolidate those. A debt consolidation company may help. Or, if you own your own home, then you may be able to take a second mortgage out to pay down those high interest credit cards. Just remember, once you pay those cards off don’t sneak any purchases on them!
After you’ve gotten your bank balance under control, then find ways to use your skills to make additional money aside from your day job. Can you do something online that will bring in some supplemental cash? Can you give knitting lessons or write resumes for people? There are a number of things you can do to pick up some extra work and start turning your negative budget in to a positive one.
With a little grit and some budgeting skills, anyone can turn their situation around. It doesn’t take as much actual work as people thing. Sometimes doing nothing—i.e. not buying anything—is the best habit to pick up. The less you think you need, the less time you will spend shopping.
Author Resource:
Suzie O’Connor is the owner of http://ChickenHousesPlus.com which carries a variety of fertile chicken eggs for hatching. This site also has extensive library to help customers raise happy, healthy chickens. The company is located in sunny Florida and can be reached at 866/579-1347.