50 Ways to Get Out of Debt

1. Realize that you are in debt.
2. Eat out less. Cooking at home can save a tremendous amount of money.
3. Pass the Starbucks. Brew your own coffee in the mornings. This can save you anywhere from $30 and up each month and even more if you like the "foo-foo" drinks that cost $5 each!
4. Pay all of your bills. Don't neglect your bills. It will come back to haunt you just like Michael Meyers does in Halloween!
5. Pay all of your bills on time. Just one late bill payment can dig you deeper and hurt your credit.
6. Create a budget that works for you. Not everyone should have the same budget. Sit down and write out your monthly expenses and monthly take-home income. Tailor a budget that works well for you and your financial situation.
7. Get everyone involved including family members. The more support, the more likely you will stay on track.
8. Don't dig the whole deeper. Don't charge things that you could pay cash for and don't take loans for non-essential items.
9. Pay more than the minimum balance. Even if it's $10 extra, this can greatly reduce the time it takes to pay off a bill or loan.
10. Prioritize your debts. Pay off high-interest debt first and work your way down to the low-interest debts you have.
11. Trade in your high interest credit cards for lower rates. You can start your research with the current bank you use for your checking account.
12. Call your lender and ask for a lower rate on your credit card. You don't know unless you try. Often, all it takes is a quick phone call to lower your interest rate with a loan or credit card provider.
13. Use your savings to pay off high-interest debt. Why pay 22% interest when you have money sitting in your savings. Your savings account is probably not getting a 22% return to make you break even.
14. Get a part-time job. Extra cash never hurts. If you have some spare time, find a second job and use the money you make from the second job to pay off high-interest debt first. This can dramatically decrease the time it takes to pay down your debt.
15. Ask your employer if they have extra work for extra money.
16. Look for sales when shopping. Look through the local ads before going grocery shopping or back to school shopping. There are always sales.
17. Find free activities to keep yourself occupied. Parks and museums are just a few ideas that are usually free. Do a google search for free activities in your area.
18. Negotiate. Almost anything these days can be negotiated whether it's purchasing a new vehicle or tickets to a sporting event. Haggle like a pro!
19. Rent a movie instead of going to the theater. $3 rental movies compared to the rising prices of going to a movie theater and paying anywhere from $5-$10 per ticket.
20. Get direct deposit. This can often save in bank fees plus you save a trip to the bank which will in turn save on gas!
21. Transfer high interest credit card balances to a card with lower rates. If you have a credit card with a low rate, transfer your high rate credit cards to the lower cards.
22. Instead of investing your money, pay down your debt first. Why get a 6% return on an investment when you have to pay a 22% credit card rate. You are losing money, not gaining.
23. Check your credit score for inaccuracies. Many times, credit reports have errors. Check your report and if you see any errors, fix immediately to help raise your credit score which is used when applying for credit. The higher your credit score, the lower interest rates you will get and the more money you can save.
24. Don't live over your means. Don't live like a rockstar if you don't have Bon Jovi's salary! Simple as that.
25. Read.....learn all you can about debt and becoming debt free. Education is a key factor in reducing debt and living a financially healthy life.
26. Don't assume bankruptcy is your only option. Weigh out all of your options before filing for bankruptcy. Often, there are better solutions.
27. Use cash instead of that credit card.
28. Start a side business. Do you have a skill that is unused? Use it to make a little money. Can you knit? Knit blankets and sell them to local vendors. Can you build websites? Create websites for small to medium size businesses for extra income.
29. Use coupons. Clip coupons from the Sunday paper.
30. Go to a state school or community college. Private schools are expensive. You can often get an equal education from a state school while paying only a fraction of the private school tuition.
31. Get basic cable. Who needs all of those worthless channels that play the same old movies everynight? How many times can one watch Mrs. Doubtfire!!!
32. Just use a cell phone. Do you really need your landline? Get rid of it to save $30-$40 a month.
33. Make enough food for lunch leftovers. Leftovers will save you from having to go out to lunch and spend $5-8 a day. Add that number up over the year.
34. When you do eat out, find a restuarant that has 1/2 price night. 1/2 price drinks, entrees or appetizers are common at many restuarants.
35. You don't really need that Porshe 911. Get the Camry. It will last a long time!
36. Don't get an SUV or a gas hog. With gas prices soaring, look into hybrid cars and cars that get great gas mileage.
37. Find a cheaper place to live. If you live in NYC, Boston, Chicago or Los Angeles, consider relocating to a cheaper location. I did and it makes a huge difference.
38. Make goals. Let me rephrase. Make goals and stick to them. It's easy to make a goal, the tough part is actually achieving it. If you do achive your goals, it will make you push harder to achieve the next round of goals that you create.
39. Shop at CostCo. Buy bulk.
40. Exercise...it will keep your stress level down and also keep your body healthy so you can stay out of the hospital and doctor's office.
41. Reward yourself. No accomplishment should be unawarded. If you achieve a goal, treat yourself to dinner or a ballgame.
42. Skip vacation this year or take a shorter trip. Vacations can be expensive. Use the money to pay off high-interest debt. When your debt is paid down, treat yourself to that tropical paradise.
43. Don't buy the book...get a library card. How often do you re-read a book? Check it out at the library, read it, return it and get a new book. Books are great, but they are better dust collectors that purchases.
44. Walk to work. If you live in a big city and are close to work, walk. Good exercise and saves on gas.
45. Carpool. Split the cost of the commute with people you work with or close to you.
46. Eat more vegetables. Go to a local farmer's market and stock up on veges. This can be a cheap source of nutrition for your family.
47. Buy used. Often you can find used products that are still in mint condition. Shop around before purchasing that new Bose Home Theater!
48. Sell unused items on eBay or Amazon for extra money.
49. Periodically, adjust your budget and financial goals to fit your current situation.
50. Keep educating yourself.

You don't have to give up everything. If you do only a few of the debt reduction tips
above, you can help your financial situation out tremendously. It's all about creating good financial habits and sticking to them.

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