Three ways getting out of debt starts with your habits

If you’re in debt, you’ve probably heard yourself say “I want to get out of debt” more than one or two times. The question is, why is it so hard to get out of debt? On the surface it seems pretty simple - either make more money, or cut down on expenses and apply the extra money to the debts. The problem however is that being in debt tends to be a hard to break habit. Debt is much like eating that extra piece of cake even though you’re full, or not going to the gym even though you know it will help your health. Habits are hard to break, so let’s take a look at 3 ways getting out of debt starts with your habits:

1. One habit that may lead to debt is spending money when you’re stressed. It seems counterintuitive, but when people are stressed, they tend to make rash decisions or make quick judgements. Some people even get a rush from spending money, but then feel regret later when they realise they shouldn’t have spent it. In order to break this habit, a good rule is find another way to relieve stress - practice breathing exercises, get outside and go for a walk, or call someone and have a conversation. After the stress has passed, you may find that you don’t feel the need to spend money.

2. Another debt habit is the act of procrastination. For example, you may wait until the day a bill is due to try to find money to pay it. Or, you may find that the feeling of “living on the edge” of not knowing how you’re going to pay your bills is a normal feeling. In other words, living paycheck to paycheck and being in debt starts to feel normal. This habit can be very hard to break, especially if you’ve become used to living a certain way. In this case, a free debt agreement consultation may be a good way to help you start breaking the habit.

3. There are also smaller habits that may be easier to break; for example, eating out too much; spending too much money on social events, or learning how to spend less on other conveniences such as coffee on the go, or paying for too many digital services.

When thinking about your debt and how to master it, it’s important to think about your habits, as a clear picture may start to emerge on why you’re in debt. And once you've considered these, you may just come up with a few ideas on how you can get yourself back on the path to financial freedom. As always, feel free to to check our blog for more debt and money saving tips!