How to Live Debt Free

By: Basdeo Paul
It seems like everyone has thousands of dollars of debt they are trying to pay off. Whether it is student loans, car loans or credit cards, debt makes life stressful. If you want to achieve financial freedom you must pay off your debt. Even with the economy getting weaker you can still improve your personal financial situation.

When you are struggling just to make minimum monthly payments, paying off your debt entirely seems very far out of reach. Don't get discouraged though, anything is possible if you are willing to make the sacrifices it will take. The first step to a debt free life is to make a list of everything you owe; every credit card, every car loan, your mortgage, student loans, everything. Make the list as detailed as possible. Include the balance, monthly payments, due dates, and interest rates.

Next look at your belongings. How many of the things you own did you buy with money you didn't have? If there are big screen TVs, dvds, stereos, cloths, furniture or anything else in your house that you know you couldn't afford, now is the time to right the wrong. Sell everything you can and use the money to pay down your debt. Get out the digital camera that you really can't afford and take pictures of everything you can get rid of and post it on Ebay or Craig's list. You could even have an old fashion garage sale but you must sell off the things you cannot afford to own.

Now look at your car and your house. If you struggle to make car payments, sell the car. Get a more affordable car that you can pay off in just a short time. Is your mortgage sucking you dry. It is probably time to sell the house. Move into a smaller house. Rent a house until you can get back on your feet. These are tough sacrifices to make but it is the only way to get out of the hole you created by overspending.

With your debt paid down as much as possible you need to develop an organized method to pay off the rest of your credit cards. Organize your cards by interest rate. Make extra payments on the card with the highest interest rate until it is paid off. Then move on to the next card. You may have to get a second job in order to be able to pay extra. It won't last forever though, just until you are debt free.

When you improve your financial situation you will improve your entire life. It is hard to know how to begin making your budget and prioritizing your needs. If you need help go to www.personalfinanceissues.com. They can provide the tools you need but you will have to put in the effort to make it work.

Basdeo Paul is an internet marketer who owns the website personalfinanceissues.com, and wants to help people who struggle with financial problems. He introduced more than 35 financial calculators to estimate your budgets.