TheDebtLady.com: 5 Steps to a Better Financial Life
By Jerri Simpson
When credit cards were born in the early 50′s people were nervous to use them. They were worried about how they were going to pay and were conscientious about where their money was going. People understood the value of a dollar and even the value of a penny because in those days pennies were actually worth something. These days people walk by quarters on the street and have no idea how much money is in their pockets. Boy how times have changed.
We as Americans are hundreds of millions of dollars in debt and still climbing. When does the climbing stop? When is somebody going to do something about it? When are we going to get off our asses and confront this thing head on? When? I ask. Today I say. Here are 5 steps that you can take right now to start taking control of your finances and your life.
1. Sit down with your credit card statements and look at them. I mean really look at them. What is the interest rate you’re being charged, what is the balance owed, the minimum payments and the amount of years it is going to take to pay them off? Look at them.
2. Now write it all down in columns on a piece of paper, excel spreadsheet, kitchen wall, dresser, cabinet or any other useful place that you have around the house that you can use. Write with anything, a pencil, crayons, pen, eyebrow pencil, lipstick, shaving cream, or finger paints. Write down how much you pay in minimums, your total interest rate, how long it is going to take you and how much you spend per month.
3. Once your mouth is closed and the drool is wiped from your chin, from the information, start writing down all of the other things that you spend money on every month. I’m talking everything–from coffee to diapers, shaving cream to ice cream, rent to chimney sweeps, insurance to maintenance costs. Keep writing and writing and writing. Once you have put everything down look at it, are you crying, yelling or laughing hysterically? I thought so; you should be. This is the hardest part and you did it! Well done!
4. Now, find every source of income that you have, from newspaper routes to payroll, from tips to child support, from garage sales to selling lemonade, everything and write that down.
5. The final step is to compare and see where you’re at in the whole scheme of things. How much do you spend and how much do you make and what are the differences. Confront it, look at it in essence, be it! You will find that you are more in control of your finances and your life.
Remember to do this every week and every month, know what you have and what you make, and believe it or not, your life will be better!
Just by knowing where your money is going puts you in better control. Having a budget is the key to regaining control over your finances.
The Debt Lady says, “See it, know it and be it and the whole world will look brighter.”
Jerri Simpson, known as “The Debt Lady”, has worked in the finance industry for over 31 years, helping others conquer their financial troubles (http://thedebtlady.com/blog/testimonials/) and is well-known for her articles (http://thedebtlady.com/blog/article-directory/).
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