If you are up to your eyeballs in debt, you are probably looking for some straight-forward useful information on how to fix it. We have put together a short list of tips that are basically the complete idiot’s guide to getting out of debt. 

Educate Yourself 

This may seem obvious, but a lot of people who find themselves in debt don’t actively seek out information on the issue. Or they look on the internet for a minute and decide that is sufficient. If you are having debt problems, go you’re the library or bookstore and find books on the subject. Look up budgets, debt, credit scores, and anything that relates to your situation. Arming yourself with a bunch of information is your best bet for getting out of debt and staying debt free. 

Organize Your Bills 

You need to know exactly how much debt you have gotten yourself into before you can make a plan on how you are going to fix it. Clearly lay out what your minimum payments are every month and who they are owed to. Figure out what your collective payments are each month along with how much debt you have total. 

Make a Budget and Stick to It 

Once you have all of this figured out you can make a budget. Getting out of debt requires that you make a budget that covers all areas of your life. This way you don’t overspend anywhere and cut yourself short on paying your bills. Make sure you stick to this budget to keep from getting into further financial trouble. 

Get Rid of High Interest 

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If you discover that you have extra money at the end of the month, which you should, use some of that money to pay extra on your debt. Pay off the credit with the highest interest rates first so that you aren’t wasting money on interest. This can save you a lot of money in the long run. 

Cut Back on Spending 

This won’t be fun, but any complete idiot’s guide to getting out of debt will tell you that cutting most of your spending is going to be required. You got yourself into a bad situation, and now you need to redirect your money to get yourself out of it. 

Diversify Your Income 

If you can start bringing some extra income into the house it will be easier to pay extra on your debt each month. Now this may not mean going and getting another “job.” This could be something small and easy such as babysitting on the weekends instead of going out with friends or diving into a hobby in your spare time, then selling what you make. It may not seem like much, but even a couple hundred dollars extra a month can take debt out quickly. If you look online and in the newspaper you can probably find a lot of people who just need odd jobs done for a little cash. 

By laying out some plans for getting out of debt and sticking to them you will start seeing progress quickly. It won’t be fun, but every time you pay off a credit line, you will be able to breathe easier.

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