In Pursuit of Debt Freedom: Mint’s Personal Finance Roundup

photo: AMagill

Beyond the turmoil of mass layoffs, rising unemployment and plummeting real estate values, the stock market crash of 2008 and ensuing financial crisis brought many Americans into the harsh reality of living in debt. As we struggle, as a nation, to recover from the economic duress we are now facing, a great many families also struggle to overcome debt.

As they say, the family is the bedrock of society. Help the family overcome debt, and we help the nation get back onto its feet. Here is a collection of resources that may help you gain a fresh perspective on beating debt.

We All Have Blind Spots from DaveRamsey.com gets into the heart of why we have debt: fatal financial blind spots. With today’s capitalistic society dangling the “Faster, Bigger, Better” mantra in front of everything and everyone, we need to choose to resist. We need to see our finances through realistic lenses. Learn from this article by Jon Acuff and be honest with yourself, should you need a financial paradigm shift.

Could debt be good? Lazy Man And Money shows a different perspective on debt in his article Finance 101: Good Debt vs. Bad Debt. It explains which loans or credit options you should try to avoid, and what better alternatives you can choose. Choosing to deal with “good” debt versus “bad” may actually be a shrewd way to handle one’s finances.

For those who’d like to start paying off their debt, here are 3 Strategies To Envision Your Way To Debt Freedom. As they say, everything really starts with a thought. So let’s up the ante and create an entire plan for reducing your debt. Engineer Your Finances shows you how.

One other crucial component to overcoming debt is the blueprint or game plan you develop to address it. Check out Do-it-Yourself Debt Reduction at Credit.com. This is a detailed plan which tells you how to evaluate your finances and to negotiate with your creditors. It suggests strategies that you can try on your own to eliminate your debt.

It’s also good to realize what may stop you from going full throttle on your efforts: 31 Causes Of Failure #5: Lack Of Self Discipline by BripBlap shines a light on one of the most formidable obstacles you have to financial freedom. Take note of the lessons in this article so you can strengthen your commitment to your cause.

As we’ve mentioned, it’s important to keep motivated in order to stay dedicated to debt reduction. Here are 3 Steps to Staying Motivated While Paying Off Debt by Couple Money.

Should you need more incentives and motivating factors for getting out of debt, you may want to think about how Debt is A Surprising Cause of Obesity. This article shows us that indebtedness is a factor in causing obesity in people. Why? It’s because having less money (which is typically the case for those who have a lot of debt) can lead to making poor food choices. High-calorie, high-sugar foods tend to be cheaper, while healthier options tend to cost more. Check out Deliver Away Debt for more on this matter.

Last, a great plan to obliterate debt requires great tools to get it executed. The Digerati Life suggests that we Use A Debit Rewards Card To Skip Holiday Debt & Save. It can effectively reinforce our efforts to avoid debt and to eventually become financially free.

Imagine yourself moving from debt to financial freedom. You’ll get rid of the stress as the creditors are pushed out of your life. When you’re worrying less about money, you’ll be able to make more time for family and friends, stick to a better diet, improve your health, take worry-free vacations, and even obtain a peaceful night’s rest. Let’s keep our eyes on those goals!

Silicon Valley Blogger (SVB) runs The Digerati Life and The Smarter Wallet, where she writes about  general personal finance topics such as investing, budgeting, debt management and small business ideas.