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You might be overwhelmed by the amount of debt that you owe your creditors and want to get out of it as soon as possible. If you haven’t paid debt after a year, then you might be placed in a vulnerable position financially.
Having a debt affects all your financial decisions. Getting out of debt is your only option to gain financial freedom and stability. However, repaying debt requires a lot of work and strategy. Listed below are six ways to help you get out of debt faster.
Re-examine your expenses
Assess your monthly fees to know what is wrong with your current spending habits. According to a study, more than half of Americans spend more than what they earn and use loans to bridge the gap. Most of these people struggle with debt.
It’s essential to cut down on unnecessary expenses. For example, cook at home rather than ordering out. If you work near your home, opt to walk or ride a bike instead of spending on gas. Being smart with your expenses will help you get out of debt.
Write down all your monthly salary from all your sources of income. Then, list all of your monthly expenses, including the debt you need to repay. After that, subtract your expenses from your income.
The extra money should become part of your savings. You can also use it to pay more than the minimum amount required for your debt repayment.
However, if the amount is less than zero, then you are spending more than what you earn. Rethink your expenses or look for ways to make more money.
Pay more than the minimum payment
If you’re only paying the minimum amount required to pay monthly, then you will be paying for an extended period. Paying the minimum amount means that it will take you a long time to pay the interest. You would have paid double or triple the amount you borrowed by the time you’ve repaid it all.
Find other ways to earn more money
If your current income might not be enough to cover for your expenses and pay off your debt, it’s best to look for other ways to earn more money.
You can collect things you no longer use and sell them to get more funds. A part-time job with flexible working hours can also help you earn money. A temporary job that does not need long-term commitment is the way to go.
Fix your bad credit
If you have an overdue credit and years of high credit balances, then you might currently have bad credit. Bad credit might cause lenders to reject your credit application.
To fix your bad credit, you should pay your bills on time. One late or missed payment will not have a significant effect on your credit score. However, making it a habit to miss a payment can lead to damage to your credit score.
If possible, avoid having multiple credit applications. Various credit applications can lead to multiple hard credit checks, which will exponentially decrease your credit score.
Multiple applications for one credit line will only be counted as one hard credit check. However, numerous credit applications to different credit lines for a short period will count as multiple hard checks.
Consider a balance transfer
A balance transfer is a process of transferring debt with high interest from one or more credit cards to another card with a lower interest rate. Transferring your balance will help you get out of debt faster since you’ll only be paying for the balance instead of the interest.
Remember that you cannot apply for a balance transfer to your current credit provider. For example, if you have an existing credit with American Express, you cannot apply for a balance transfer with another American Express account.
Look for an account that offers low to zero introductory Annual Percentage Rate (APR). If your balance transfer account has zero APR, then you will have more time to pay for your debt.
Have a plan
One of the most efficient ways to get out of debt is to make a budget plan. Making a plan on how you will spend your money every month will help you keep track of how much you earn and spend.
Aside from a budget plan, you should also think of a repayment plan for paying off your debt. Having a plan will get you to stay motivated to get rid of your loan. If you stick to your repayment plan, you might get out of debt faster than expected.
Takeaway
Having debt will restrict you financially. It’s difficult living paycheck to paycheck, especially if most of your budget goes to debt repayment. However, there are a lot of ways that can help you get out of debt. As long as you stay motivated and stick to your repayment plan, then someday, you can be free from debt.
