Successfully Manage Debts - 6 Ways
Everyone with even a little bit of debt has to manage their debt. If you just have a little debt, you have to keep up your payments and make sure it doesn't get out of control. On the other hand, when you have a large amount of debt, you have to put more effort into paying off your debt while juggling payments on the debts you're not currently paying.
Know How Much You Owe
Make a list of your debts, including the creditor, total amount of the debt, monthly payment, interest rate, and due date. You can use your credit report to confirm the debts on your list. Having all the debts in front of you will allow you to see the bigger picture and stay aware of your complete debt picture. Debt reduction software can make this process easier.
NOTE: Once you have a handle on your debt and your income, you can calculate your Debt to Income ratio (DTI). This ratio tells you how much of your income is going toward debt payments. To find yours, divide your debt payments by your income, and multiply by 100. For example, $1,200 of monthly debt divided by $3,000 of monthly income is 1200 x 3000 = 40%. The lower this number is, the better, and tracking it can help you understand your finances more clearly.
Don't just create your list and forget about it. Refer to your debt list periodically, especially as you pay bills. Update your list every few months as the total amount of your debt changes.
Pay Your Bills on Time Each Month
Late payments make it harder to pay off your debt since you'll have to pay a late fee for every payment you miss. If you miss two payments in a row, your interest rate and finance charges will increase.
If you use a calendaring system on your computer or smartphone, enter your payments there and set an alert to remind you several days before your payment is due. If you miss a payment, don't wait until the next due date to send your payment, by then it could be reported to a credit bureau. Instead, send your payment as soon as you remember that it was missed.
IMPORTANT: A budget can help you stay out of debt, and it can help you climb out. It allows you to see how much money you earn and where that money is going. Create a bare-bones budget that allows you to pay for necessities like your rent or mortgage and utilities. Set aside everything else to pay off your debt as quickly as possible.
Create a Monthly Bill Payment Calendar
Use a bill payment calendar to help you figure out which bills to pay with which paycheck. On your calendar, write each bill's payment amount next to the due date. Then, fill in the date of each paycheck. If you get paid on the same days every month the 1st and 15th you can use the same calendar from month to month. But, if your paychecks fall on different days of the month, you'll need to create a calendar every month.
Decide Which Debts to Pay Off First
Paying off credit card debt first is often the best strategy because credit cards have higher interest rates than other debts. Of all your credit cards, the one with the highest interest rate usually gets priority on repayment because it's costing the most money.
Use your debt list to prioritize and rank your debts in the order you want to pay them off. You can also choose to pay off the debt with the lowest balance first. This might cost a little more in the long run, but knocking off small debts first can build confidence.
Pay Off Collections and Charge-Offs
You can only pay as much on your debt as you can afford. When you have limited funds for repaying debt, focus on keeping your other accounts in good standing. Don't sacrifice your positive accounts for those that have already affected your credit. Instead, pay those past due accounts when you can afford to do it.
Build an Emergency Fund to Fall Back On
Without access to savings, you'd have to go into debt to cover an emergency expense. Even a small emergency fund will cover little expenses that come up every once in a while.
First, work toward creating a small emergency fund-$1,000 is a good place to start. Once you have that, make it your goal to create a bigger fund, like $2,000. Eventually, you want to build up a reserve of three- to six-months of living expenses.
TIPS: It is easy to convince yourself that you "need" to purchase a new tv or that you "need" to go on vacation. The truth is, there aren't that many true needs in life. You need food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and things like that. You want steak, a nice house in the suburbs, designer labels, and a luxury car, for example.
If you are in need of quick cash for personal expenses, apply for a fast personal loan with My Cash Online today.
