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Dropping the financial ball is something that may happen inadvertently when we allow debt to go farther than we can run with it. Staying away from debt is sometimes hard because countless expenses sum up through the month and control can easily slip out of our hands. However, you can prevent this from happening and yet stay away from debt by simply analyzing your actual financial situation and the way that your organize your expenses.

Planning is the Key

You cannot anticipate unexpected expenses coming your way, but you can plan those that occur regularly to find out how much money you have to work with for something else. Creating a monthly budget is a great aid, because you cannot only plan the payment of bills, food, gas and daily living expenses, but also serves to determine how much money you can save, and make that money a cash fund to be used for unexpected expenses rather that borrowing money when an emergency takes place.

Avoid Loans Above All Else

No matter, if you are considering taking out an “inoffensive” payday loan, a personal loan, car loan, business loan, mortgage or home loan. Loans are usually the starting point for major financial problems even if you have the certainty that you can repay your debt. People often forget that if they are borrowing $100 will not have to repay $100 but a considerable amount after interest rate, finance fees and particularly with payday loans, very high interest rates.

Plastic Money is Dangerous

Another source of debt can be found in your credit cards. The more credit cards you have, the easier it is that you can become trapped in debt sooner or later. Be wise to use your credit cards only when you need them, even if you have only one, but if this not your case, determine which one charges the least in interest rates and make this your main credit card, but only to be used when you need are forced to pay with a credit card.

Cash is Still the Leader

No matter if people turn their heads back to you when paying with cash in a restaurant, do it anyway and you will be far from dropping the financial ball, as they probably have done sometimes. Cash is worth more than plastic money because it has immediate acquisitive power, can be use to buy almost anything, and does not generate interests.

If you stick to these simple principles, you will be on the right pathway to stay away from debt, and you can learn many other tips that will enhance your household economy.

A lot has been written about strategies to get out of debt, plan a budget, and stick to it. If you want to be one of those success stories of people who have clawed their way out of debt on their own, that’s great. If you’re digging out of a particularly deep hole, or your shovel is disproportionately small, you may quickly realize that getting out of debt on your own is an all but impossible task.

As calls from creditors start harassing you at all hours of the day and you watch your monthly statements steadily increase, it may seem as if bankruptcy would easily solve all your problems.

This is rarely the case, so today we’re going to talk about the range of professional options available to you. In Canada debt program options include: Credit Counseling, Debt Consolidation Loans, Debt Settlement, Consumer Proposals, and finally, when all else has failed, Bankruptcy.

• Credit Counseling

A professional brings years of experience, a greater knowledge of your options, and, most importantly, a non-biased approach to your finances. They’ll help you examine your income and expenses and come up with a short and long-term plan to get you out of debt and keep you out.

This may also include negotiating with creditors in an effort to reduce the amount of interest you pay, lowering the monthly payments to make them more manageable, and lengthening the deadline for payback.

One thing credit counseling won’t help with is actually reducing the amount you owe. That’s fine – you DO owe the money, but if you’re truly in trouble, you might need a more drastic option.

• Debt Consolidation Loans

Debt consolidation takes all of your debts and pays them off under a single loan. That loan is now your only debt. This is incredibly helpful because you’ll only have one monthly payment, which is easier to track, plan for, and pay on time. It’s also possible to negotiate a lower overall interest rate. On top of all that good news, you can also lower your monthly payment to something you can manage more easily.

The drawback to a lower monthly payment is that it could end up taking longer to pay your debt consolidation loan off than it would just paying your debts back.

• Debt Settlement

Hiring a debt settlement specialist to negotiate your debts might be the best decision you can make. By speaking to each of your creditors, they’ll work on your behalf to lower the total amount you owe, lower interest rates, and set up comfortable monthly payments.

• Consumer Proposal

Despite it’s rather passive name, this is an official agreement between you and your creditors to settle your unsecured debts. You’ll work with a licensed bankruptcy trustee, and this option is pretty much the last step before bankruptcy and WILL negatively affect your credit score and borrowing ability.

With today’s troubled economic climate and with the fact that things seem to cost more than ever before, it’s incredibly easy to find yourself in debt. Tanked housing values, a tight lending market and high unemployment make it tougher than ever before to make ends meet. Unfortunately, for many, the relief of tapping into funds from credit cards, home equity and personal loans resulted in mounds of un-repayable debt.

This is a problem faced by people from all walks of life—from military veterans to teachers and even seemingly successful lawyers, doctors, and the like. The good news is that no matter who you are, what you do, or even how bad your debt problems are, you can take control of the situation and find your way out of debt for good.

Know Where Your Money Goes

One of the major reasons that people find themselves in debt is because they are not mindful of their spending habits. Starting right now, however, you can change all that. Spend a few days or a week writing down every penny that you spend and what you spend it on.

You’ll quickly see the areas where your spending is out of control, and that can help you choose areas to cut back. Need help regaining control of your finances? SpendingProfile.com is one great online resource for cataloging your spending habits.

Budget Your Money

Just as you need to see where you’re spending the majority of your money, you should also be aware of what bills you have and of your overall income. Take the time to sit down and write out a monthly budget. Pay attention to how much you earn, how much you have to pay for each bill and when bills are due. If you actually do have the money to handle your debts, you’ll be able to get back on track easily; if you don’t, you’ll know it’s time to turn to other tactics.

Working with Creditors

Often, when individuals are overwhelmed with debt, they choose to ignore their financial problems. When those creditors call, they refuse to answer the phone or they toss those past due bills in the trash can. This is a big mistake, however.

In many cases, if you’re willing to talk with your creditors and explain your situation, you can work out some kind of payment arrangement that’s better suited to your needs. Financial Library offers a great guide to dealing with your creditors.

Filing for Bankruptcy

Sometimes, people get so far into debt there’s really no easy way out. When this is the case, it may be time to consider filing for bankruptcy. While bankruptcy is often regarded as a financial dead end and one that leads to horrible credit, it actually helps people get back on their feet with a fresh financial start.

It’s not easy, however, and many applicants don’t qualify. Speak with a credible bankruptcy attorney to find out if you do, and, if so, what your next step should be.

Adrienne Erin is a blogger and aspiring author. When she’s not blogging about tech and social media, you might find her practicing her French, whipping up some recipes she found on Pinterest, or obsessing over vintage postcards and stamps.

Look around, what do you see? I see a lot of people struggling with their finances. Did you know the fact that an average  family’s income is lower than it was a decade ago? How is that to you? Doesn’t it seem at least a little unfair? It surely does to me. Unfortunately none of us have heard that prices got also lower. So how do people manage to survive these days? Most of them are really bad at money management. And you are absolutely right, it leads them to having a debt. Some even have up 10 debts same time. Is there anything possible to do with your debt? Go on reading and you may find some good solutions for you:

1. First of all, try to keep a track of your debts. Put everything on list to have a better visibility on what you are at right now.

2. Be realistic about your monthly budget. Always know how much you can afford to spend during next 30 days. This will help you to have a better understanding of your everyday expenses.

3. Your credit payments. Do not stick with minimum. I know that they say that it is better to make small payments then not making it all. This is true of course. But your goal is to forget your debt as a nightmare, that is why consider making even more cuts in your budget in order to increase your payments.

4. Limit yourself in spending. Pay with cash. You cannot pay with cash= You cannot buy this thing.
5. Have only 1 credit card. In case you have more, lock them somewhere or at least use the one that has the lowest interest rate.

6. Work on emergency funds. Learn to prioritize emergency cases.

7. This is the part where you will have to say good bye to your outdoors activities for a while. Eat in, invite your friends to watch movies at home, spend more time with your family. Do not imprison yourself, just try to be more rational with your entertainment. Do not turn to fast cash online only because all of your close friends are going to some interesting trip and you also feel like can’t miss this event. It’s not worth it.

8. Never give up saving. No matter how hard it is, keep on saving. Set a goal, have a rough plan and do not stop.

There are plenty of ways to help you either to avoid having a debt or maybe guide you through difficult financial times. It can get really tough sometimes; just remember that no one but you can help yourself. Be wise with your money and believe me, life will reward you!

With the average household debt increasing constantly all over the UK, homeowners everywhere are struggling to keep their increasing monthly payments under control. Without the proper debt management solution, their attempts are frequently accompanied by failure and most of the times lead to a growth of their monthly payment that simply cannot fit in their budget.

The various credit card related debt as well as the other large payments like mortgages, education or automobile loans are getting out of hand, an aspect which reflects in the rising number of people filing for bankruptcy. However, an alternative road to financial security and freedom comprises of corroborating your credit card debt with a secured loan. Let’s find out why.

1. The overall monthly interest paid is reduced
The principal issue and the main generator of credit card debt is the high interest rate in association with the additional charges. In essence, unsecured loans have an innate high interest rate that guarantees your lender he will be able to recuperate at least a part of his investment if you are not able to pay your debt. On the other hand, homeowner loans are secured against equity, which means that the risk you pose for the creditor is lower. Therefore, the interest rates of the loan are substantially reduced.

2. Your income/spending budget can be calculated easier
When you have a plethora of credit cards that have to be paid on different dates and each of them requires minimum monthly payments, your debt can easily spiral out of control. It’s hard enough to stay up to date with the major loans, so adding credit cards into the equation complicates things immensely. However, since a single affordable payment can be easily integrated within your budget easier and it eliminates effectively the need to remember every other single debt you have, you are greatly simplifying your finances.

3. A single creditor to deal with
The more unpaid credit cards you own, the more calls you will receive from the lenders and banks. As your debt grows – and, without the proper solution, it will – you will start to receive more and more calls from the creditors, often at the most inappropriate moments. However, since the secured loan consolidates all debts into a single account and the lender takes charge of handling your finances, you can be certain that your other creditors will no longer trouble you.

4. Enhanced affordability for the monthly payments
Secured loan consolidation doesn’t only imply that the value of the interest is lower. In fact, you can also specify a longer repayment period, which permits you to minimize the monthly payments to a sum that you feel comfortable with. True, the total interest paid is directly proportional to the span of the repayment period, but you will be able to manage your household budget easier.

5. You won’t be tempted to spend more than you should
What every credit card actually represents is a lure for overspending. In other words, how great is it to purchase something you want – not necessarily need – now and pay for it later? Cutting up your credit cards and consolidating the debt with the secured homeowner loan is just the cure you need for that temptation!