Debt is something that most people have to experience at some point in their lives, and it is never fun. In addition to the fact that debt is taking money out of your pockets, it can also lead to anxiety and depression. Debt can sometimes feel overwhelming and like you are treading water and never really getting anywhere. Not mention, it can hurt your credit score and make more difficult to access credit in the future.
Furthermore, if you have bad debts, it might not be a good idea to invest in the stock market, which is bad news for you if financial independence is something you'd like to attain. Depending on your financial situation, your priority should be to eliminate your bad debt, and then, start to build your wealth. It sounds discouraging, but dealing with debt doesn't have to be a horrible and anxiety-ridden experience. Here are different tips for dealing with debt.
Annual fee: $29
Interest rate: 13.99% on purchases
Interest rate on balance transfers: 15.99%
Use a credit building loan to improve your credit and achieve your financial goals.
Don't Ignore or Disregard It
For many people, debt is something that they just ignore and don't want to deal with. Credit cards are not free money, but many people treat them that way. Ignoring debt is just about one of the worst things to do as it will not just go away if you don't pay it. Also, there are others who are simply comfortable with the fact that they will always have debt, and that isn't healthy either. If you constantly have debt and just accept that fact, you will never be able to get ahead in life and experience true financial independence.
Pay Them Off Aggressively
If you are committed to dealing with your debt in an effective manner, you should be aggressively paying it down, starting with your your bad debts, which are those with high interest rates such as your credit card balance. However, you should still make sure you have some form of savings. Paying the minimum payment each and every month is not good enough, thought. Yet thousands of people do this, not realizing that they could end up repaying their debts for decades.
Visualize a Debt-Free Future
Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel can really help you become more inspired and motivated to pay off your debts. It is truly remarkable how much extra money you will have after you become debt-free, which you can then put towards other things you want or invest it in the stock market. Finally eliminating debt is a great feeling, especially if you have been dealing with debt for many years.
Contact Your Creditors
If you really feel like you cannot deal with the type of debt you are into, it can be helpful to contact your creditors and try and work something out. While they can be notoriously tough and annoying to deal with, they also want to have their debt paid, so they will be willing to chat with you. There is a chance that the debt creditor will be willing to accept less money to erase the debt, or will be willing to come up with a new payment plan that is better for your needs. While there is no guarantee your creditors will do anything for you, it's worth a try.
Take out a line of credit, pay it off on time and build your credit history. We'll be with you every step of the way.
About The Author: Kale Havervold
Kale has been a freelance writer for a few years now and looks to inform, educate and entertain through his work. Although he did not study in finance, he always had an interest in money and personal finance.
More posts by Kale Havervold