Five Ways to Reduce Debt

By Michael Louis

With the new year just around the corner, one of your New Years resolutions will likely be to take better control over your debt and reduce debt to help achieve the financial stability you have been wanting. However, in order to reduce debt and begin living that life, you need to know exactly what it will take. This is where this article will come in extremely handy. We are about to provide you with the five ways you can reduce debt this coming new year and start enjoying your financial freedom.

Trust me these tips will work; I have personally used and implemented each one and am now enjoying a more secure lifestyle than ever before. So, let’s get started shall we.

Reduce Debt Tip #1 – Decrease your spending

This is a very important step to implementing the rest of the tips in this article, hence it being the first tip. The first thing you should do is immediately stop all the excess spending. This means hold off on big-ticket purchases and reduce the amount you spend on a daily basis. Take your lunch to work, forget take out. Do you really need that new massager? How about that gym membership? Could you deal with working out at home, instead of paying a hefty price for special equipment?

Reduce Debt Tip #2 – Understand Your Debt

Make a list of all the debt you currently have. In order to reduce debt, you have to know what you have. Be honest about it, make a list of everything you pay each month, all credit cards, loans (secured and unsecured), mortgage or rent payments, car payments, and the like.

Reduce Debt Tip #3 – Goal Setting

Once way to eliminate your debt is to set a goal. This goal should be achievable, but at the same time, something you actually have to reach for. For example, set a large goal to have all your debt paid off within a three-year period. Then set some smaller goals that will help you in achieving that big goal. For example, a certain debt will be paid off by this date or you will save this much each paycheck to meet that goal, and so on.

Reduce Debt Tip #4 – Do not pay the minimum

This is where people tend to get into trouble. By paying the minimum on your credit cards, you are not really helping yourself. The simple fact is that your payment is first applied to any interest you have accrued, and then whatever is left is applied to the principle balance. This is really no way to reduce your debt. Pay more with each payment double it if you can. This may mean cutting back in other areas of spending.

Reduce Debt Tip #5 – Tracking and Budgeting

Track your spending in a journal every day for one month. This will help you in understanding where you spend, how much, and where you can cut back. You will have better control over your financial affairs by knowing where your money is going. Then create a workable budget. Outline your expenses for payments, utilities, fuel, transportation, medical care, household necessities, and food. You will likely have to cut back on some things; it will be hard, but very necessary.

Michael Louis is always looking for ways to save and manage money. Did you find these tips useful? You can learn more tips on how to reduce debt with debt negotiation, learn how at 123reducedebt.com