Once you’re in debt it can take many years to get back in control of your finances, which is why it is a good idea to avoid getting into debt in the first place. Debt is something familiar to most people because you find yourself buying into the idea that you need to have the latest car or to redecorate your house, even when you can’t afford to do so. However, when you can pay by credit card or rely on an overdraft to cover the costs you can put off thinking about the consequences.
However, if you’re going to avoid debt that is precisely what you need to do. You have to consider the implications of getting into debt so that you will find it easier to motivate yourself to live within your means. Although you may enjoy yourself when you go on a shopping spree, you won’t remember the fun you had when the bill arrives. When you go shopping and don’t set yourself any limits it is incredibly easy to go overboard, but you have to bear in mind that you only have so much money coming in each month.
Thus, you need to establish limits when you go shopping so that you can stay in control of the amount of money you spend. You need to work out how much money you have coming in each month and decide how to allocate your money. There will be some expenses that you can’t get out of, such as rent, utility bills and groceries, while others can probably be cut from your budget altogether. For essential items and services, it is worth shopping around in order to get the best deal and save some money.
Hopefully, you will be left with more money at the end of the month, so that you can treat yourself to a day out with friends or a trip to the cinema. Indeed, it can be helpful to give yourself an incentive to spend more carefully, so that you are actually able to appreciate luxury items and services. If you go shopping every day and spend without ever bothering to consider what you’re spending your money on, you won’t get as much satisfaction as saving up for something and knowing that you can afford to purchase it.
If you leave your credit cards at home or, better still, don’t bother applying for credit cards in the first place, you will only be able to spend what you earn or what you have saved, which forces you to shop more carefully and to avoid debt. Changing your spending habits may seem like a hassle when you’re used to spending money the way you want, but it is worth it in the end, as you won’t be left with mountains of debt that you’re going to struggle to pay off.