Debt Elimination - 6 Ways to stress-free living

If you're in stress dealing with excess debt, it's time you choose a debt elimination program to help you avoid further crisis. It'll help reorganize your financial life and give you the chance to save a considerable part of your hard earned money.

To eliminate debt, first of all, calculate how much you owe in total. Then go for no-obligation free debt counseling with a debt relief company. Counseling helps in assessing your financial situation so that you'll come to know the right way out of debt.

6 Debt elimination programs that may work for you

Check out the 6 ways to eliminate debt and get an idea of how each option can work for you.

1. Debt consolidation program

When you're unable to pay multiple debts, try consolidating all of them into one affordable payment. This can be done with the help of a debt consolidation program.

2. Credit card debt elimination

There are 2 options for credit card debt elimination - debt reduction or debt settlement and credit card consolidation.

Debt reduction

This is a debt elimination program where a debt relief company negotiates with your creditors in order to trim down your outstanding balance. This works in the same way as a debt settlement program.

Credit card consolidation:

This is primarily a credit card debt elimination program, which allows you to obtain lower rates on your credit cards. This in turn allows you to pay off your credit card bills in low monthly installments.

3. Bill consolidation

When you cannot meet payments on your medical bills, store cards, utility bills, you may choose bill consolidation as your debt elimination program.

4. Payday loan consolidation

If you're in trouble with your payday loans (pdls), and wish to avoid harassing calls from payday lenders, payday loan consolidation is what you may need. This will give you the chance to pay off your pdls and get rid of them through one manageable payment each month.

5. Debt management (DMP)

If you have multiple bills such as credit cards, payday loans, student loans etc, you can eliminate debt by way of a DMP or a debt management plan.

6. Do it yourself debt elimination

The DIY plan is where you tackle debt problems on your own. You may either consolidate or settle your debts depending upon how much you can afford to pay. For effective DIY debt elimination, watch out for the 4 keys to getting out of debt.

5 Debt elimination mistakes you should avoid

While you're trying your best to eliminate debt, make sure you avoid making mistakes such as:

1. Not following a budget

If you don't stick to a tight budget, you can't keep a track of where your funds are going and you don't know where you're overspending. So, make sure you plan a budget while you're on a debt elimination program.

2. Canceling credit cards

You shouldn't cancel credit cards if you haven't paid them off. Instead, you can negotiate lower rates with the credit card company and pay off the accounts before you close them.

3. Paying only the minimum

If you keep paying the minimum each month on your credit cards, it'll take a long time before you can actually pay them off. This is because the minimum payment includes mostly the interest. So, if you don't pay more than the minimum, you won't be able to reduce your outstanding balance.

4. Falling into scams

Debt elimination scams are something you should be careful about. Such scams are carried out in 2 ways:

Debt elimination letter scam:

This is where a debt elimination agency sends you a letter which you can show your creditors and have your bills eliminated. In return, you'll have to pay a large fee to the agency. Bond for discharge of debt or Redemption certificate is the name given to such a letter which claims the debt as void just because many fees charged by creditors are illegal.

Stealing your personal details:

This is where you come across an internet ad promising to resolve your debt problems. They'll ask you to provide your personal details along with certain fees. In return they'll offer you a document that is expected to release you from your debt burden. But your debt actually exists and the scammers have stolen your identity using which they can commit other types of frauds.

5. Using credit cards instead of cash

Most often you spend more when you use credit cards instead of plain cash. You need to change your perspective on the use of credit. Try to avoid making big purchases, that too with credit cards as otherwise it will add to your debt.

With debt elimination programs, you can get rid of your bills and avoid harassment by creditors and collection agencies. All you need to do is, create a realistic budget, choose the right program and make payments on time. You can thus get out of debt and have better control over your money.

Last Updated on: Mon, 17 Aug 2015