7 Ways You Can Start Digging Yourself Out of Debt

Do you have debt? Do you dread opening up your credit card statement every month? Do you gather your monthly bills, pin them up to a target board, and then throw darts at the ones you'll pay this month? If so, it is time you get your monetary priorities in order, and start digging your way out of debt.

Sure, it won't be easy. You're probably already strapped tighter than a sausage in a casing. How can I get out of debt, you might ask, when I already have every dollar that I make accounted for by some bill or I.O.U.? Well, I'm here to say that it certainly can be accomplished, given a little bit of effort and a lot of discipline. I am living proof of this principle: back in 1997-1999, while in graduate school, I made a grand total of $15,000 per year. With that money, I had to buy food, clothes, and rent in Washington, DC, get gas for my junk car (along with frequent repairs), and purchase books and other materials for my full-time classes. Luckily, my courses were paid for by my scholarship. By the time I left DC, in 1999, I had paid off what I owed on my credit cards, put a two month deposit down on an apartment, and even amassed a nice chunk of change in my savings account (which was later used for my house). In the process, I learned something about saving (and making) money:

1. Make a budget- and stick to it.

The lure of credit cards leads many to debt.

Credit: Yahoo images

Copyright: Yahoo images