If you are living with debt, you are likely one of two people.  You either believe it is totally normal and necessary for life OR, you feel trapped and want to get rid of it ASAP.  If you have debt, you are definitely not alone!  According to USA Today, the average American household carries $137,063 of debt with an average annual household income of $59,039.

That’s insane!  

On average, we are living $70,000 above our means.  $70,000?!

Debt is this endless cycle of living beyond our means to have a lifestyle we can’t afford.  We spend money today that we don’t have so we can pay it back for the rest of our lives. This means that every paycheck we get is already earmarked for a purchase we made months or years ago!  It totally sucks!!

Wouldn’t you rather have control of your income and decide how you want to spend your money today?  

If you believe debt is normal and you need to have payments to live, you should stop reading.  You are definitely not ready to become debt free.

BUT, if you think you want to go against the grain, take back your income and live a life you have only dreamt of, read on!

3 Signs You Are Ready to Get Out of Debt

1.  You are scared.

There is something to be said for fear being a motivator.  If your finances are unstable, you are spending more than you make or you are struggling with payments, you SHOULD be scared.  You are living your life like a gambler.

The rug could be pulled out from under you at any point.  This is freaking scary!

• Do you want to lose your house?
• Do you want to work 3 jobs just to make ends meet?  
• Do you want to constantly fight with your husband about why your account overdrafted…again?

If you are scared about your financial situation, then you are finally ready to change your behavior.  If you are afraid for your future, you are ready to get rid of your debt, take charge of your money and start building a stable and joyful life.

Once you are in a position where you are afraid of what is to come for you, financially, you will never go back.  This feeling of fear will motivate you to do whatever it takes to never be in this situation again.

When your future is uncertain, you can buckle down and do all kinds of things you never thought were possible.  Be scared. Then decide to never feel this way again and commit to doing whatever it takes to make sure it doesn’t.

2.  You are actually interested in budgeting.

I always joke that budgeting is like a scary “B word” for most people.  Those who are in debt and want to continue to live that way, definitely do not live on a budget.  If they did, they would be terrified by their spending. Those are the people who cringe at the thought of a budget or make fun of those who use one (I have plenty of acquaintances like this who mock me for budgeting so intensely).

Chances are if you are actually ready to start changing your life, you have started looking into budgets.  

• Do they really work?  
• How much effort will it take?  
• Is there a cheat sheet for this?  
• Am I going to be able to do this?
• Do they have any that are super cute so I will be motivated to do this?

Instead of budgets being like a swear word, they become this beacon of hope.  They are your roadmap to get out of debt. You suddenly are excited at the thought of having a written plan to guide you away from this dangerous and unstable life.

If a budget has suddenly become exciting to you, you are ready to take control of your spending and get out of debt.

START USING OUR BASIC BUDGET SETUP WORKSHEETS TODAY!  YOU CAN GET THESE FREE BY SIGNING UP BELOW!

3.  You are starting to look in the mirror.

Embarking on a journey to become debt free takes guts.  It’s painful. Anyone you talk to who has conquered their debt will tell you it is one of the hardest and most gratifying things they have ever done.  

It requires self-sacrifice and discipline far beyond what you have ever done in your life.  I know this because if you had discipline, you wouldn’t be in debt.

When you are finally ready to get out of debt, you are going to face a mirror and not look away.  You will recognize that you are part of the problem (maybe you are the only problem). Every debt you have incurred was caused by a choice you made.  You did this.

Man, that is super tough to swallow.  No one likes to be at fault, but this is definitely your fault.  No matter which way you slice it, you have made choices to put yourself in this situation.  

Self-reflection will allow you to recognize the decisions you made that brought you to this situation.

Are you:

• impulsive,
• self-indulgent,
• undisciplined,
• unfocused,
• financially uneducated,
• filling emotional voids by spending money?

I remember facing my debt and actually admitting I was an impulse shopper when I was unhappy because I didn’t know how else to cope.  It’s how I was raised.

See how I slid that excuse in there?  It’s how I was raised….meaning it isn’t my fault.  

The turning point comes when you say, “Yes, this behavior is my fault and I am going to stop it.”  

• I was an impulse shopper,
• I was uneducated about student loans,
• I had never practiced telling myself, “No,” when it came to things I wanted and
• I had no reason to focus on money.

There was so much I had to admit to myself to start down a path of financial freedom.

This can be painful at times, but it is necessary if you are going to change your behaviors.

“If you want something you’ve never had, You must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”

 ~Thomas Jefferson

When you can look in the mirror and start to see your behaviors and decisions for what they are, WITH the intention to change them; then you will be ready to get out of debt.

When you are scared about your financial future, are finally ready to budget to get a plan for your money and are resolved to change your financial behaviors you WILL conquer your debt.  When those three things happen, nothing will be able to stop you. You will be so on fire and will attack your debt with all you have.

ARE YOU READY TO GET STARTED?  GET OUR FREE BASIC BUDGET FORMS TO PUT YOUR BUDGET TOGETHER RIGHT NOW, JUST SIGN UP BELOW!

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