Debt seems like such a personal thing that it should be difficult to give a diagnosis and solution in a generic way. It is like a one-size-fits-all approach. The truth is that while people may get into debt from a variety of directions and for lot of different reasons, most debt is the same for all people. It boils down to the fact that one person owes money to a creditor and must repay it. No one really worries about debt until it becomes difficult or impossible to pay it or eliminate it.

Getting out of debt is not magic.

One of the reasons that so many people have gotten so deeply in debt is that they believe that their day of riches will come. Until then, they continue to add debt waiting for the big pay off. It is almost a form of gambling. The losses can be just as catastrophic. People can lose their home, car, respect, and a lot more. You do not get out of debt by adding debt and hoping.

It takes a plan to get out of debt.

The precise plan may vary a little from case to case, but the idea driving the plan is the same. It consists of a simple process. Basically, the plan is to increase income, stop adding to debt, and work to reduce the debt by paying down or by achieving settlements with your creditors. A plan that incorporates these concepts will eventually lead to debt retirement.

Start by assessing how deep your debt hole is compared to your ability to fill it.

If your debt is $50,000 of unsecured credit compared to a $20,000 per year income, you will not retire that debt without improving your income. Unsecured debt carries a high interest rate. Even if you can manage the monthly payments, you are only paying at or near the minimum each month. At this rate, the quickest that you will retire this debt will be a 10 to 15 year window. Because the payments are eating so much of your paycheck, you will almost be forced to add back most of the debt that you are retiring. This will stretch that payoff horizon out to 30 or more years of credit bondage.

If your credit is already damaged, consider arranging settlements with creditors.

A settlement is when you negotiate with someone that you owe for them to accept less than your balance as payment in full. Often if you have had the debt for a few years, your creditor knows that you have already paid them a large sum of money compared to the outstanding principle.

For example, you owe a credit card $10,000 at 25% interest. If you have owed near this amount for 4 years, you have already paid the amount of the

Debt hurts and the debt companies don’t make it easy to get out of debt. Here’s a simple 7 step plan to get you out of debt for good.

Step 1: Know what you owe. Make a list of each debt that you’ve got, you’ll need the total amount of the debt, the interest rate that you’re paying and the minimum monthly payment. If you’re not sure what the interest rate is, call the company and ask them (you can check the outstanding balance at the same time).

Step 2: Work out how much you need to spend: Take a look at the minimum repayment for each debt. This is the absolute minimum that you must pay each month pay any less than this and you’re in a whole world of pain that just isn’t worth it.

Step 3: Make a budget: How much do you spend between paychecks? Make a list of everything you spend between each paycheck make it realistic, if you underestimate, you are setting yourself up to fail. Don’t forget to include all the minimum payments for your debts.

Step 4: Prioritize the debts: There are different opinions on this… the logical way would be to pay of the debt with the highest interest rate first, after all, that’s the one that is costing you the most money. However there is always a great feeling when you’ve wiped out a debt completely. I’d recommend that you target a small debt first; one that can be paid of fairly quickly. After that initial success, tackle the debts in expense order, i.e. the highest interest rate first.

Step 5: Automate the minimum payments: If you use online banking, set up regular payments for each of your debts. You should aim to pay the minimum off each debt as soon as your paycheck hits your bank account that way you don’t have time to spend the cash before you need to make a payment. Remember don’t ever be late with a payment or fail to make the minimum.

Step 6: Clear your debts one at a time: All of the money that’s left after you’ve made your budget is then available to pay off the debts, call it the debt free pot of cash’. Throw all of this money at the highest priority debt until it’s cleared. Once you’ve paid of that debt, pat yourself on the back. It’s a great feeling clearing debts, and isn’t easy. You’ve done well so you should feel proud. Now move on to the next debt, channel your debt free pot of cash at the next debt, and remember your pot has just grown bigger because you don’t need to make the minimum repayments on your first debt any more.

Step 7: Stick with it: This is the really hard one. It take a lot of determination to stick with this plan (nobody said it would be easy!) but if you manage to, it’s a sure fire way to get yourself out of debt for good.

The total consumer debt in the United States has ballooned to over two trillion dollars a full 100% greater than it was just a decade ago. As a result more people than are in need of debt relief services. But like with all burgeoning industries, there are a number of scams and ineffectiveness in many debt relief services. As a result, it is important that consumers considering debt relief know their options.

Debt Consolidation

The most well-known form of debt relief is debt consolidation. The principle behind debt consolidation is that by combining the many small debts, many of which are very high interest such as credit cards, under a single lower interest loan, you can get control of your debt. Under the single lower interest loan, the overall cost of servicing the debt, that is your total monthly payment, is lower than the combined total of the many smaller debts. That at least is the theory behind all debt consolidation programs.

Many programs go further, however, by limiting your discretionary spending. The theory goes, that because you have accumulated so much debt through your own uncontrolled spending, the debt consolidation lender will in effect act as your accountant too. The limitations placed on you by debt relief programs range from prohibiting major purchases like as a new car or home, all the way to those organizations which take your paycheck before you get it, and then dole out to you the remainder. While the latter version sounds intrusive, and certainly it is, it may prove for some individuals the best option as it will force a rationing of discretionary spending. But one thing you can count on with almost every debt consolidation program is the requirement that you cut up all of your credit cards. As credit is the number one contributor to consumer debt today, that isn’t all that bad of an idea.

Creditor Negotiations

But debt consolidation isn’t the only option available to those in debt crisis. Another option is to hire a creditor negotiator. These services, usually under the name debt management or debt managers, mediate negotiations between you and your creditors in the hope of lowering your total debt. In effect, these individuals bargain with your creditors, threatening them with the possibility of you seeking bankruptcy (in which case they get almost nothing) to try to get them to lower the interest rate, or the principle of your debt. This can be a very effective method for those unable or hesitant to secure a new larger debt through a debt consolidation loan.

The problem with both of these options is that they do not come for free. While many organizations present themselves as non-profit or even public servants, the reality is that almost every agency is in business because of the profits they can make off of you. For example, many individuals in need of debt consolidation are so thankful to find a willing lender that promises to lower their monthly payment, that they fail to examine closely the loan contract they are offered.

The Negatives and Scams of Debt Relief Programs

A common scam is to hide huge “service fees” or “debt consolidation fees” in the principle of the loan. So, if for example you have $50,000 in outstanding debt, your debt consolidation lender may provide you with a loan as high as $80,000, where the extra $30,000 is comprised almost entirely of fees. The lender then extends the loan out for years and years, so that your monthly payment is actually lower and as a result you do not ask any questions. Another, even more devious scam is to vary the interest rate over the life of the debt consolidation loan. For example, the lender might offer you a loan in which for the first two years the interest rate is an extremely low percentage, say 4%. But very quickly, the interest rate balloons to something like 15% at which point you will no longer be able to make payments and must go back to the lender and “consolidate your debt” once again.

But debt consolidation lenders are not the only one’s trying to scam you. Creditor negotiators seem to offer a problem-free solution to your debt troubles. They offer to negotiate with your creditors, making the process seem infinitely more complex than it actually is. In truth, many individuals can simply negotiate with creditors themselves. The threat of bankruptcy is very real for many lenders, and as a result many are willing to offer you alternatives to the current high interest rates they are charging you. By cutting out the middle man credit negotiator, you can save much by way of charges, for the rather minimal hassle of calling the creditors yourself.

Both debt consolidation and debt management services fill important niches in a world where consumer debt is increasingly prevalent. It is important to remember, however, that these companies make money off of you. And because the industry is in a stage of rapid growth there are a great number of companies working on the edges of the law if not engaging in outright predatory lending. By entering the world of debt relief you are entering the world of scam artists and sub-prime lenders. Educating yourself before you enter the arena is the only way to ensure that you attain the best debt relief for you.