Record numbers of people are struggling under the burden of heavy debt, and when things start to get unmanagable it’s easy to try and ignore the situation in the vain hope that the problem will go away. Of course, we all know deep down that our debt situation has to be tackled, however stressful and scary the prospect might be. So how can you go about facing up to your debts?
The first thing to do is take a long look at your financial situation. How much money can you afford to devote to repaying debt? Are there any ways to increase your income? Are there any ways to reduce your expenses? By drawing up a sensible and honest budget plan you’ll at least know the true extent of your problems, and you’ll be taking the first step to getting back in control.
Next, you need to look at your repayments and expenses, and identify which are the most important. Your mortgage or rent should always be your number one priority, closely followed by essential bills such as electricity and water.
Make sure your budget plan will cover these essentials first, then add in the costs of daily necessities such as food. After you’ve done this you should have...