Trying to get out of debt without a well thought out plan is like trying to find your way through a city that you’ve never been in before without a map.
There are certain steps that everyone must take if they want to get out of debt and stay out of debt.
First it’s important to get a true, accurate picture of your finances. You must figure out exactly how much you owe, what your minimum monthly payments are, and what your fixed monthly expenses are – including mortgage, electricity, car payments, transportation, rent, student loans, groceries, and any other necessities. Be sure to allow for clothing, entertainment, gifts – don’t be lavish, but don’t ignore that spending category completely.
Also allow for a little bit of savings. Even if you can only set aside $50 a month, it’s better than nothing and it gets you in the savings habit.
Then, figure out how much money you have coming in every month. There’s certainly a chance that you may owe more than you earn. If this is the case, you have two choices: find a way to earn more money, most likely by working a second job part-time for a while; or negotiate with your creditors to get lower monthly payments. It is possible that you may need to consult with a non-profit credit counseling agency. Make sure that they truly are a non-profit agency before you consult with them however.
Also make sure that you figure out how long it will take you to repay all of your debts and that there is an end in sight. It will motivate you to actually repay your debts and to know the date that you will be debt free; this is one of the most important parts of your debt planning process.