Debt is a part of life for many Americans. Whether it's credit cards, student loans, a car note, or a mortgage, it piles up. If your debt has become a problem, something that keeps you up at night or crowds out all other thoughts when you get up in the morning, you may need some debt-coping techniques. You can deal with your debt problems responsibly and get out of debt.
- Don't freak out. I have been watching a lot of Oprah lately, and a recurring theme on her money-related shows seems to be the enormous emotional burden that being in debt, especially sizable debt, puts on the debtor. If you're one such overburdened person - and hey, we've all been there - consider how your attitude may be slowing down your financial recovery. Many people work well under pressure, but few work well under feelings of panic, being overwhelmed, or being obsessed to the point of paralysis. Think of your debt problems as something to be corrected over time, not as a giant meteor careening from out of space aimed directly at your house and family. A calm mind and a rational approach to problem solving is going to get you a lot further than white-knuckled freaking out and fear-based inaction.
- Get some perspective. I have quite a bit of debt and it's going to take me a while, perhaps, to shovel out of it. But I still consider myself quite a lucky person. Why? Because my debt is what I call "non-life-threatening." I'm not hungry, homeless, or on the run from a bookie. I don't have to skimp on my kids' medicine to pay for their dinners - partially because I don't have kids, but also because I have some income. I also have friends and family, my health and an education, and I live in a society where I can pursue pretty much any career I like, within reason. In other words, despite debt, I have it pretty good.
Now, if you are in a situation where your debt problems are affecting your ability to provide for your family or feel secure in knowing you'll have a place to live next week, or if your finances are causing real pain in your relationships, you have a right to be very upset and focused on your debt problems and probably need professional help to recover.
However, if you're like me, and basically you just have a meltdown every so often because your credit cards are maxed out so you can't charge something at a store, or you're tired of seeing your disposable income being disposed of by your student lender, then one way to manage your debt problems is to, in a word, chill. Get some perspective; limit the amount of time and energy you're going to allow yourself to spend on your money. Do this by counting your blessings (the things that matter) instead of mulling over how high that interest rate is on that computer you bought three years ago and never fully paid for. And realize, compared to 99% of the people in the world (well, let's say 97%), you've got it pretty good. Perspective can be very important in a society that's turned basic middle class credit card debts or hefty student loans into a superhuman catastrophe. It can stink, but it is also in your power to decide how much of your life is going to be spent centered on the subject.
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Author: B. Danesco