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In managing your finances, you may occasionally have to deal with debt. As you make significant decisions such as buying a new home or car, starting a business, etc., you may acquire debt through loans or other credit options. However, it’s essential to plan towards handling any debt you acquire to avoid any adverse effects in the long run, such as unstable finances, anxiety, etc. Statistics reveal that mortgages and credit cards account for more than 40% of people’s debts in the U.S. If you’re trying to get out of debt, here are some mistakes to avoid. 

1. Trying to handle it on your own

Although you may want to try and handle all your debts on your own, considering ways to get help can prove beneficial. Trying to deal with everything by yourself could lead to a long time getting out of debt and may also cause you to be hard on yourself. There are many options you can consider to get assistance in dealing with your debts. For instance, you can contact non-profit counseling services to give you personalized advice on managing your credit and finances. Doing this can help you feel less overwhelmed. 

If you’re a business owner and need to liquidate your assets to get some money for debt repayment, you can also consider questions such as ‘how can I sell my business at a competitive price’? This way, you’ll have some practical solutions that can help take you a step closer to getting out of debt without limiting yourself or depending on only your finances. 

2. Having unrealistic targets

Repaying debt is often a gradual process, and you may not be able to clear everything at once. Bearing this in mind will help you set clear and realistic goals to make your debt repayment more achievable. Dealing with your debt one at a time will be a more practical approach that will make it easier to reduce how much you owe. You can start by paying the debts with the highest interest first and gradually work towards the others. This strategy is known as the debt avalanche approach. Alternatively, you can try the debt snowball strategy, where you start with your smallest debts and work your way up. 

3. Not changing your spending habits 

It’s prudent to make some changes to your daily spending habits to allow you to repay your debts. Doing this requires sacrifice, discipline, and commitment. It would help if you weighed your needs against your wants to help you know which expenditure to prioritize. Budgeting is a great way to help you do this as it will help you monitor your finances, track your progress, and reduce impulse buying. One essential tip is to spend less than you earn. Doing this will help you avoid future debts and enable you to save more towards your debt repayment. 

4. Ignoring the value of financial literacy 

In working towards getting out of debt, aside from working on your spending habits, you need to gain practical knowledge of finance. Such knowledge will help you make informed decisions when borrowing and reduce your debt-to-income ratio. Financial literacy will help equip you with the information you need on compound interest, best investment options, borrowing responsibly, saving money, budgeting, etc. Many resources are available to help you become financially literate, including reading personal finance books, listening to podcasts on finances, and taking financial literacy courses. 

5. Falling for illegitimate schemes to help you get out of debt 

Not being discerning in choosing the best solutions to get you out of debt could worsen any financial issues you may be facing. Although there are various debt relief programs available, it’s best to be diligent, so you don’t end up falling prey to illegitimate schemes that target those in debt. Some ways to identify if someone is scamming you are vague terms and conditions, exorbitant prices, and promises too good to be true. 

6. Failing to find ways to increase your income 

Debt repayment can become an endless cycle if you don’t support your efforts with extra income. Having a stable source of income will help keep you going while you reduce your debt. According to research, the higher disposable income you have, the more capable you’ll be of clearing your debts. You can consider starting a side hustle to earn more income in addition to your regular job. 

While trying to get out of debt, it’s best to put aside some money towards an emergency fund. This way, you won’t channel all your finances into debt repayment without preparing financially for the future. Avoiding the mistakes listed above will help take you a step closer to getting out of debt.