Earn money or reduce debt with our advice and tips.

Consolidate Bills: 7 Tips To Survive The Stress Of Debt And Get A Brighter Financial Future

Being in debt can be very stressful and unless you know a few tricks to reduce debt, such as how to consolidate bills, it can severely affect the quality of your life. When dealing with debt related stress, it can be helpful to remind ourselves that “this, too, shall pass” if we take steps to make sure that it does.

Here are seven tips to help you survive the stress of debt and begin to move towards a brighter financial future:

1. FACE FACTS. All too often, when we are overwhelmed by the enormity of debt and lack of finances, we can procrastinate on taking action. The very things we need to do remain undone. Why? Because depression can hit hard in these circumstances. We can feel like we are drowning in debt related stress and instead of taking action, we are paralyzed. Most of us have known at least one person who hates collecting the mail, fearing more bills or letters of demand. When the mail is brought in, it is often left unopened because they just don’t want to see one more bill. While this is understandable, it is also disastrous. Ignoring the problem only makes it worse and increases the stress.

2. DECIDE TO TAKE ACTION. All change begins with a decision. To climb out of debt and survive the stress that accompanies it, you must DECIDE to take action. Research the options available to you. One major way you can alleviate the stress of debt is to consolidate bills. Look into the various ways you can do this. Seek professional advice.

3. TAKE ACTION. If you need to negotiate with creditors to work out a payment plan, do so. If you need to change suppliers to get a better deal, do that, too. If you are juggling multiple credit card payments and other loans, decide to consolidate bills using the lowest interest, lowest cost loan you can find.

4. CONSOLIDATE BILLS. The first, most important action you need to take is to consolidate bills in order to reduce interest costs and increase your monthly cash flow. If you have gone through the process of researching your options, you will know which refinancing option is best for you.

5. DON’T WASTE YOUR GAINS. When you consolidate bills, your monthly disposable income will increase. Don’t waste this extra money. If at all possible, use some of it to pay off the debt as quickly as possible and put some of it in savings so you have something to fall back on and are not tempted to increase debt again.

6. LIVE WITHIN A REASONABLE BUDGET. If we live above our means, we will get stressed. It is really unavoidable. So one important way to control financial stress is to keep within a budget. A budget doesn’t have to be draconian, but it does have to balance. You can find good budget guides on the internet and can print out a form that would apply to most people. Initially, it is a good idea to keep track of spending. You might be surprised where your money is going. Where money is concerned, ignorance is not bliss. It’s good old fashioned stress!

7. ENJOY YOUR LIFE. Debt related stress can suck the joy right out of your life. So you have to factor ways of enjoying your life into your plan. Make sure that you budget for some entertainment and that you can buy some special items you enjoy. Unhappiness can create stress, too, so look for ways to be happy and find pleasure in life while on a budget. It can be done. Think about what you love doing. Now think of ways to do these things inexpensively. Be creative. The quality of your life will improve and you will be glad you took the time.

If you consolidate bills and take the other steps mentioned here, you will be well on your way to surviving the stress of debt and gaining a brighter financial future.

An effective way to earn money for your company leading to greater future financial success

As supervisor of a large company, one of my greatest concerns is to limit expenses as much as possible to ensure further company success. It remains a constant part of my job responsibility to lower costs and always be thinking of cost-effective ways to continue business in my department. After my boss purchased a complete new phone system, I decided that we should sell our old AT&T equipment back to the company we purchased the new one from.

Coming up with effective ways to begin back money within your company can add future financial success to your company. This innovative way of thinking will make you more valuable to your company. Ultimately, encouraging the owner or whomever is in charge of expenses, to continue to invest in more equipment that will not only help you but other employees.

By implementing more effective systems within ones company, it allows for the company to remain on the forefront for upcoming technology and also allows for greater success for employees. Their workload can significantly be eased by the installation of a new phone system. Customer service representatives greatest concern is the needs of your customers. If their needs are not met, your revenues are affected.

Making the right decision on a new phone system could be the determinant of your business success. This new equipment will allow employees to work more efficiently and with less stress. It has been proven that less stress allows for more productivity. For example, by purchasing a complete new phone system with multiple lines, employees can be more specified in work responsibility.

In my printing company, customer service representatives are each assigned separate responsibility concerning orders received by mail, email or fax. By having multiple lines, the receptionist can easily transfer customers to their specialized representative to better suit their needs.

The installation of this new equipment has my business running at its best. After this investment, I am actively seeking out additional ones that will continue to secure my future financial success. Staying updated with ones equipment allows for greater work flow and happier customers.

During my sophomore year in college every day as I walked to class I passed tables where vendors urged students to fill out a credit card application, bribing us with a free t-shirt, water bottle or key chain, so I signed up for one. I received preapproved offers in the mail, and within three years I owned 13 credit cards and owed $10,000.

Things really went downhill when I moved out on my own. After six months I lost my job and my credit got even worse: I owed $11,000. I bought a car in my name for my boyfriend who agreed to pay the car note. He stopped making payments and the car was repossessed. I ended up owing $8,000 dollars on top of the $11,000 that I already owed. During this time I was working full-time, making $21,000 a year.

I put myself on a budget and set up payment plans with each creditor. I found a parttime job to help pay down my debt. I worked both jobs for one year. By the end of the year, I saw results and had paid down some of my debt. However, the entire process to become completely debt-free took four years. Here are 10 techniques I used to pay my debt:

1. Reduce expenses. Reduce your expenses to find extra money to pay down your debts such as: pack your lunch for work every day; buy items on sale or shop at a wholesale store such as Costco; carpool or take public transportation to work; cancel your cable, cell phone or Internet service or get the cheapest plan possible; buy energy efficient appliances, programmable thermostats or hot water insulator jackets.

2. Sell some items. Sell some assets such as jewelry, a second car and clothing, or hold a yard sale to sell unused items.

3. Set up a debt payoff plan. Setup a debt payoff plan to prioritize your bills. By using the debt snowball method you will be able to quickly pay off some of your debts. Start by paying off the smallest bills first, then use the money paid towards a previous bill and apply it to the next bill, and continue this process until all your debts are paid.

4. Set up a payment plan. Set up a payment plan with each of your creditors to pay off your debts. Be honest, humble and sincere. Identify any terms and negotiations you would like to make and stick to the terms.

5. Reduce your interest rate. If you have a decent credit score and have not made any late payments in the past year, you can negotiate with your creditors to lower your interest rate.

6. Pay more than the minimum monthly payment. If you pay only the minimum monthly payment, you will end up paying 2 to 3 times what you actually charged due to the interest and finance charges that accrues on your balance. Try to send extra towards your balance each month.

7. Don’t transfer balances. Transferring balances to another credit card may lower your credit score and there may be fees associated with transferring the balance. It is important to pay off the full balance before the introductory rate special ends, because after the introductory rate ends the interest rate may drastically increase.

8. Collection Accounts. An account is usually reported to a collection agency if the account is 90 to 120 days late. Contact the original creditor to see if you can set up a payment plan. If you are unsuccessful, contact the collection agency to set up a payment plan.

9. Settlement. Some creditors will negotiate with you by asking for a reduced amount “settlement” to settle the account in exchange for paying the debt quickly; however, it is best to pay the full amount because a settlement reported on your credit report may lower your credit score.

10. Pay with cash. Pay for purchases with cash until your credit card balances are paid in full. If you pay for an item with a credit card you end up paying 112% the original cost of the item.

While you are in the process of paying off debts, if a creditor continues to call you and is harassing you, inform them of your particular situation, get the persons name, date and time they called and tell them when you will be able to make a payment. Don’t apply for new credit, get a payday loan or cash advance. Following these 10 tips will help you get out of debt and be on your way to a debt-free life.