Being Green And Simple

The desire to get out of debt outweighed by so many other influences that even taking those first steps is difficult. If you try to see it as one small problem, or item, at a time you will find it much easier than just looking at the whole. It won’t seem like such a mountain to climb. 

So, where will we begin. I think that the starting point should be in looking at and consolidating some of the smaller debts. Get these small things out of the way in order to concentrate on the bigger issues. 

Lets pile them up. It almost goes without saying at this point that you will have a mortgage or rent payment which might include property taxes. Most people also will have a car loan and these two things just are not changeable at this point. 

Get out any and all credit card statements, all energy  and repair bills. What is changeable and what is not? The energy bills can be lowered by being very careful of your usage. That brings us to those credit cards. If you are really serious about lowering these bills, you will cut up the cards. If that just isn’t possible for you, take them out of your wallet and hide them somewhere in your house that will be very difficult for you to get to, such as up in the rafters. Eventually, you will realize that you can get along without them, but for now lets just get them out of here. 

As an aside, I know a credit councilor in Ontario who helps people. In the hall of his home is a huge fish bowl. When you enter for the first time you are required to take out your cards, cut them up and put them in his fish bowl. If you refuse that, you will be refused his services. 

If you have luxury extras such as cell phones, extra channels in your television cable, subscriptions such as newspapers, cut them out. Sounds hard and it is, but it isn’t forever; only until the expenses become manageable. When I started on this road, I had to give up my car completely, but now I am quite happy to not have that responsibility and I can certainly do without the cost. 

Now to deal with the credit card statements. I think that first you will have to pledge not to use them again, ever. Not in this lifetime while you are not financially solvent. Secondly, you must realize that in order to make progress, you must pay more than the minimum payment. If you want to make yourself ill, just add up the finance and interest charges. That should do it. 

There are numerous articles on how to shop, how to save on just about everything you can think of. Start to take the time to read the information out there. The money that you begin to save should be slapped right down on those outstanding credit bills.  

So lets get going on those credit cards. It just a little beginning, but it will be one of the most worthwhile things you have done. Take my word for it because there is nothing like knowing that you can afford live normally without bill collectors hounding. You will be so glad you made the start.