There is nothing more stressful than being in debt. Every morning people in debt wake up and think about what they can do, and they go to sleep at night worrying about it as well. They aren't alone. According to the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, 40 percent of American families live beyond their means and the average household with debt has about $10,000 to $12,000 in revolving debt and about nine credit cards. Getting out of debt can be very difficult, especially if people are putting all their income toward paying off the interest alone. But stressing about debt doesn't help; action does. Here are three steps that will help you learn how to cope with financial stress.
#1 Talk to an Expert
You don't have to do this alone. There are financial experts waiting to help. They work with you to provide debt counseling, consolidate your payments and come up with a plan to pay off your debt. If nothing else, talk to a trusted family member or friend who is good at managing money. Tell them you are not asking for money, you just need to get the stress off your chest. Perhaps they will share a great idea for getting out of debt or help you develop a plan, which is the second step to learning how to cope with financial stress. Talking to someone helps you feel like you're not alone.
#2 Develop a Plan
Look at your debt and your income and come up with a plan to pay it off, even if just a tiny bit at a time. Write down the plan; this is the most important part of this step. Hang the plan in an easily visible place, one where you will see it every day. Ideally, the plan should include an action for each day, such as "sell old camping gear and use it to pay debt A" or "clip coupons for grocery store and then use saved money to put toward debt B." Of course, the plan will have larger goals as well, such as putting a small percentage of your paycheck toward paying off a larger debt.
#3 Reward Yourself for Small Successes
Give yourself a pat on the back for any small successes. Cross items off your action plan that you have completed. Instead of allowing yourself to stress about the debt, remind yourself every day that you are working toward a better future.
photo by: eamoncurry123
