Getting Rid of Debt

Almost every American has some kind of debt, whether it's students loans, a car loan, a mortgage, or plain old consumer debt that has piled up on their credit cards. It can be hard to get out of debt but it's not impossible and once you are out of debt you can put your money towards more important things like paying for your child's college education or saving for your retirement.

1. Make it automatic.
Set up a monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly transfer from your checking account to your sources of debt. If you don't have to write the check you'll never be late because your bank can make sure it's on time. I've set it up so that I have an E-bill as well as a "recurring payment". This means that I actually end up making about 4 payments a month on my credit card. They're not large payments but it means I'm paying off my card faster than I would normally.

2. Less spending, more income.
Make that your mantra. Every time you get the urge to make an impulse but, check yourself. Keep in mind the things that are really important like your child's education, your retirement, or simply your dream to travel or whatever your dream might be. But generic instead of brand name. The bottle that says Ibuprofen instead of Advil is the exact same thing. I kid you not. The same goes for food products. The second part of that mantra involves making more money. I'm pretty sure that writing for Associated Content is not your only source of income so use your primary income to cover all your expenses (including the minimum payment on your debt) and make the money coming from your Associated Content writing go straight to your debt. You might also consider getting a second job. It won't be permanent and you'll be glad you did it when your debt is paid off in half the time.