From My Side of the Coin: 20 Ways to Run From Debt

Shirley Lord once said,

“What really matters is what you do with what you have.”

In the past six months, Jeremy and I have taken great strides to positively change what we do with our money to create a better, more fulfilling life for us and our family.  It’s been painful to count the ways that we were going for broke; it is carthartic to look at the ways we are learning to turn our habits around and run from debt.

1.  Give

2.  Save

3.  Budget before the money comes in  (It’s better to budget than “fudge – it”!)

4.  Stick to the budget

5.  If you don’t like the budget, change it

6.  Stick to the new budget

7. Don’t borrow

8.  Don’t let other people (friends, family, children, co-workers,etc.)  set your finanial priorities

9.  Say “no”

10.  Say “no” again

11.  Say “no” as often as necessary

12.  Create more income by getting another job or selling something

13.  Clip coupons (and USE them)

14.  Cook dinner

15.  Eat leftovers for lunch

16.  Buy generic

17.  Buy used

18.  Buy less

19.  Appreciate what you have

20.  Develop/Nurture/Grow and Use patience

**Bonus:  Say “yes” (wisely) every once in while to take a break.  It will delight everyone.

I’ve found that none of these steps is complicated or unattainable.  The most difficult for me personally is #20, but I’m getting better at it each month.  I came across a quote that I read every now again when I feel impatience welling up.  “People say ‘What is the sense of our small effort?’  They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.”

Tonight I saved $5 at the grocery.  To some that may seem paltry, but to me it is just one small victory in a much larger battle, and it is the little victories that give me strength to continue the fight.