Debt reduction plans offer hope to people that think paying off debts is impossible and creating one is easy if the debtor has the right information and the right organizational plan. It is important to be organized because if not, creating debt reduction plans can be hard and discouraging. These strategies are only successful if the debtor is committed to success. Find a Godly person to pray with for support and accountability. Pray for God's encouragement in time of financial stress. God will teach discipline and contentment when trusting in Him and knowing that He is good.

First, understand what the income is and how much is needed to spend every month for mandatory bills like mortgage, utilities, and food. Take what is left over and that will be the amount to use toward payments. It is important to have an amount to work with. A debt reduction plan is no good if there aren't funds to carry out the plan. A debt reduction plan may not pay off debt as soon as desired, but if making unrealistic goals anyone will get discouraged and maybe stop paying altogether or create more trouble somewhere else. The goal is to create a situation where there will be no need for this type of organization.

Second, figure out which payments are most immediate or will soon go to collections. Concentrate on these first, but don't neglect the other debts either. Good debt reduction plans pay on all debts owed. One debt reduction plan strategy is to figure out how much to pay to whom is to split the money up into percentages. This way the debtor will not be discouraged about how little can be sent. This strategy also helps when income fluctuates. After deciding on the exact percentages to send to each one, write out how to do that every month. This will create discipline to send out payments on certain days of the month keeping in line with the debt reduction plan. Third, call creditors and tell them about the debt reduction plans. Some creditors will honor these efforts by lowering interest rates or the minimum payment to avoid late fees. Be courteous and grateful for anything they do. The main focus of this financial goal is to make progress no matter how slowly. Even if a person can only make payments of ten dollars a month to each creditor, this is better than not paying at all.


For more information: http://www.christianet.com/debtreduction

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The advice often given to young couples starting off in life is “Not to buy what you cannot afford”. The same basic advice should be heeded by many. If you cannot afford it- then do not buy the item. But what of investing in your own future in terms of an investment in your personal education or training as well as investments in your own personal career. Is this not getting ahead in life? Is this not money well spent? Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent?

If at the end of the day , year or decade you will be much further ahead in position , salary as well as benefits in addition to “job” and “personal” satisfaction is this not money, time and effort well spent and allocated. ? Indeed it is and can well be.

In the case of your education a dollar borrowed now will result in better jobs- that you will most likely find more challenging and enjoyable , and have a lot more financial reward than a job on the status scale – say as a bus driver or a technician doing oil jobs at your local Wal-Mart. In the case of a vehicle or car loan it may be a godsend. If your vehicle is not reliable – then how can you show up on time, keep your job without an image and reputation of reliability? Not only do you want to keep your employment and income associated with the job but also the job references from your employment superiors for use with other employers for better positions and pay, or for promotion within your present organization. You may even run into a case of promotion within your present firm to another branch office or plant. Not having reliable transport may limit your promotion offerings and flexibility. In addition, if you take out a loan to purchase that vehicle, you may well have upscaled and upgraded your car or SUV, from the models that you most likely would have purchased. By doing so, and driving a higher grade auto model, you may well appear as a more established, senior, more experienced and established employee as well as individual. Fortunately or unfortunately in life most comes down to appearances and perceptions.

There may be a much better and / or better paying job but its way across town, or in an area not served by the bus transit system. Or it may be the case that there is bus service - but if devours a good two to three hours a day of travel time. Good bye to your personal social life. You may have all the money in the world – the wealth of Bill Gates Himself and yet no time or energy to enjoy it. So much for all that pay of that new wonderful job.

A real step foreword as they say. It is always a case of reward versus cost or cost versus benefit. It is a case by case analysis.

In addition you should think of additional or add on costs. Do not stretch yourself too thin – financially. A course at university may not be offered in your calendar year – you will have to complete your schooling fully at a later date than expected. A course may be full – ditto for time delay. Or you may even have to repeat a course or change plans along the way necessitating longer time duration of studies. Leave a buffer of funding both for yourself and as well with the agency that provided the loan – be at bank, savings and loan, credit union or even parents or relatives. Don’t break the bank so to speak at the first step. The same analysis of benefit versus costs prevails in the car / transport / job scenario situation. Many people will drive across town for a bargain to save a dollar and spend $ 10 on gas costs in the process. Incorporate the price of gas into your final net salary not as an aside.

Lastly and most importantly – always pay your bills. Never take on more than you can chew, or in this case afford. Before making that commitment for a loan or undertaking always evaluate carefully before signing on the bottom line. It’s not only a matter of convenience. Your credibility itself is on the line, in addition to your personal honor and integrity and reputation. Pay your bills on time – even earlier than required. This applies to all loans – whether they are for rent, mortgage, utility bills, bank loans, charge card payments or student loans. If you cannot pay in full, then at least pay a bit above the minimum payment. If you are really stuck then contact the lender. Explain the situation honestly. Make a commitment and follow through. Remember the whole point of the exercise was your self improvement – an investment in yourself. To not take the exercise seriously is to shortchange yourself and your future opportunities as well as income stream in the future. To borrow for yourself and personal gain make prudent sense.

Credit to Maxwell Z. Rubin

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Personal finance tips! Everyone wants to know how to hold onto their money. Unfortunately, Americans aren’t very good at it. These 10 rules of personal finance could help.

Everyone wants to know how to hold onto their hard-earned dollars. Unfortunately, most Americans aren’t very good at it. The United States has one of the lowest savings rates in the world. Meanwhile, American households carry some of the biggest debts, primarily on credit cards.

These 10 rules of personal finance are intended to help.

1. Pay yourself first. Whether it’s through your employer-sponsored 401(k), an individual retirement account, or passbook savings account, sock away at least 10 percent of your income for you. After all, you don’t work just to pay bills; it just feels that way a lot of the time.
2. Save three to six months of worth of income for emergencies. And don’t touch it unless it’s really an emergency. Saving for a vacation or new wardrobe do not constitute emergencies. You never know when you could lose your job, become disabled or sick, or have a major medical or family emergency.
3. Take advantage of your employer-sponsored 401(k) plan. Contribute at least as much as your employer will match, which is typically between 3 and 10 percent. Consult your the human resources department at your work for details on how that particular 401(k) plan works.
4. Pay off credit cards with the highest interest rate first. Obviously, there’s no sense in paying off a 12 percent card before a 15 percent card. Make minimum payments on the 12 percent card until the one with the 15 percent rate is paid off.
5. Come up with a budget and stick to it. You can use a computer program or just pen and paper. But do it. Figure out your income and expenses and what you have left over to spend as you wish.
6. If you have trouble determining where your money goes, particularly cash, then keep a spending journal. Document every expenditure for at least a two-week period. This will help you in coming up with a budget as well.
7. Don’t borrow from your 401(k) or retirement plans. This money, after all, is for your retirement. Plus, the tax implications and early withdrawal penalties are so hefty that you really are giving up a lot for a short-term cash infusion. You should have a separate savings account for your current needs.
8. Pay in cash when and as often as you can. It’s amazing how good that feels.
9. Shop around for the best credit card deals and banking programs. By shaving off a few percentage points on your credit card or avoiding bank fees, you can save hundreds of dollars a year.
10. Avoid peer pressure. Your friend might be able to afford five new pairs of leather boots, but that doesn’t mean you can. Who even knows if your friend can and who cares. Take care of yourself first and don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. There will always be people better off and worse off than you are.

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