Bible Money Matters

Christian personal finance

Menu
    • About
    • Archives
    • Contact
    • Close
  • Making Money
      • Popular Articles

        • 50 Ways To Make Money: Maximizing, Creating And Increasing Your Income
        • 10 Weird And Unconventional Ways To Make Money
        • Making Money With A Blog (e-Book)
        • 10 Places To Sell Or Trade Your Unused (Or Broken) Electronics
        • Ways To Make Extra Money Series: 20 More Income Generating Ideas From Our Readers
        • Making Side Income Can Help Blunt The Impact Of Becoming A One Income Family
        • Earn Cash Back With Discover it® Credit Card
      • Recent Articles – Making Money

        • Best Sites Like Fiverr To Make Money As A Freelancer
        • 13 Of The Best Independent Contractor Jobs
        • 25 Of The Best Gig Economy Jobs
        • How To Make Money Blogging: Turn A Blog Into A Business
      • Categories

        • Making Money
        • Investing
        • Retirement
        • Jobs & Work LIfe
        • Money
        • Income
    • Close
  • Saving Money
      • Popular Articles

        • 50 Easy Ways To Save Money Every Month
        • 10 Weird And Unconventional Ways To Save Money
        • 10 Practical Ways To Save Money And Increase Your Net Worth
        • How To Save Money On Just About All Of Your Regular Monthly Bills
        • Ways To Watch TV Without Paying An Arm And A Leg For Cable TV
        • Save Money On Your Hospital Bill - Just By Asking
      • Recent Articles – Saving Money

        • Living Stingy: 13 Tips For Spending Less
        • How To Save $100k In 7 Practical Steps
        • Stairs App Review: Save And Invest To Earn 4-6% Interest
        • Honey Review: Save Money Automatically When You Shop Online
      • Categories

        • Saving Money
        • Frugality
        • Planning
        • Finance
        • Saving For Retirement
        • Savings Accounts
    • Close
  • Banking
      • Best Rates For 2019

        • Best Credit Cards
        • Best Savings Accounts
        • Best Mortgage Rates
        • Best CD Rates
        • Best Brokerages
        • Free Credit Scores
      • Recent Reviews

        • M1 Finance Review: Free Trading App And Automated Investing
        • Tablo 4th Gen Over-The-Air DVR Review: The Best Device For Cord Cutters
        • TradeStation Review: Commission Free Stock And ETF Trades
        • Firstrade Review: Commission Free Trades on Stocks, Crypto, And Options
      • Categories

        • Bank & Software Reviews
        • Investing
        • Credit
        • Banking
        • Mortgage
        • Insurance
        • Family Budget
    • Close
  • Recommended
  • Video
    • Close

How To Change Your Habits To Get Out Of Debt And Stay Out

By Melissa 5 Comments - The content of this website often contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you buy through those links (at no cost to you!). Learn more about how we make money. Last edited August 14, 2018.

Share
Pin1
Tweet
Share
1 Shares

Unfortunately, debt is a way of American life, or at least that’s what the public believes.

While a few generations ago debt was to be avoided, and people who were in debt were looked down upon, that has changed.

People can make their way out of debt, but too often, the process of getting out of debt is much like going on a crash diet.

People pay off the debt, all the while waiting until the debt is gone to quit scrimping and get back to their old way of life.

Once the debt is gone, unfortunately, it doesn’t take them long to get back into debt.

To get out of debt and stay permanently out of debt, you need to make lifestyle changes and change your mindset.

Get Out Of Debt And Stay Out Of Debt

Quick Navigation

  • Find Like Minded Friends
  • Recognize Your Old Way Of Life Was Not Functional
  • Encourage Others To Get Out Of Debt
  • Continue To Practice Frugality
  • Increase Your Savings

Find Like Minded Friends

Just like a recovering alcoholic usually can’t maintain his old friendships without a relapse, so, too, if you are trying to be financially responsible, you will likely have to find a new group of friends.

The new friends should be financially responsible so they can support you in your efforts to be debt free.

Recognize Your Old Way Of Life Was Not Functional

Getting calls from creditors, having maxed out credit cards, worrying how to pay the bills each month; that is not a fun situation to be in.

When you’re debt free, you’re using today’s dollars to pay for today’s expenses, not today’s dollars to pay for expenses from a year ago.

While maintaining your debt free status can be difficult, one thing that can help is recognizing that you’re quality of life is much richer without debt.

Encourage Others To Get Out Of Debt

Getting out of debt—and staying out of debt—isn’t often appreciated in our culture.  People prefer to have fun now and worry about the consequences later.

Once you are out of debt, take the time to encourage and support someone else on their debt free journey.  Not only will you be helping them, but you’ll also be helping yourself by practicing what you preach and staying out of debt.

Continue To Practice Frugality

Sometimes people go further into debt because they don’t consider alternatives.

For instance, when our tub backed up, I was all set to call the plumber, but my husband insisted we try to do a DIY fix via YouTube first.  He was able to clear the drain, and we avoided a plumbing bill that likely would have been $100 or more.

Learning to practice frugality and find alternatives that won’t cost as much will both help you get out of debt AND stay out of debt.

Increase Your Savings

When you’re trying to get out of debt, you may want to funnel all of your money at the debt, neglecting your savings.

Now that you’re out of debt, it’s time to build up an ample savings account.  Ideally, save at least six months’ of living expenses, but don’t forget to also create sinking funds.

If you have an old car, you might want to set aside $200 a month for repairs.  Sure, you won’t use that money every month, but it will continue to accrue month after month, so it will be there when you need it.  When you do have a car repair, you can pay cash instead of using credit.

Most people just look at getting out of debt as their goal, but that isn’t the end of the journey.  Sometimes the hardest part is STAYING out of debt.

Using these strategies can help you remain debt free for the rest of your life.

Have you paid off a significant amount of debt?  If so, what habits did you have to change to stay out of debt long-term?

Related Posts

  • 7 Easy Ways To Save Money And Stay Out Of Debt

    Here are some easy ways that we've found to save money and improve our budget's bottom line. From saving on utility bills to saving on…

  • 7 Things You Can't Do If You Want To Stay Out of Debt

    Being debt free is great, but be careful or it won't last! My wife and I paid off our last debt, a student loan, just…

  • To Debt Snowball or Debt Avalanche, That Is The Question.

    I've been reading a lot lately about how one method or the other is best for getting out of debt. There are a ton of…

Share
Pin1
Tweet
Share
1 Shares
Last Edited: 14th August 2018 The content of biblemoneymatters.com is for general information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Visitors to biblemoneymatters.com should not act upon the content or information without first seeking appropriate professional advice. In accordance with the latest FTC guidelines, we declare that we have a financial relationship with every company mentioned on this site.

This article is about: Get Out of Debt

About Melissa

Melissa, a mom to three (ages 15, 10, and 9), blogs at Mom's Plans where she writes about homeschooling, health eating, frugal living, and paying down debt. She works as a freelance writer and virtual assistant.

Comments

    Share Your Thoughts: Cancel reply

  1. Anthony Goff says

    I have a good trick for staying out of debt – it’s called “grow up with an older brother who is constantly in debt and gets calls from creditors day and night”.

    His “predicament” served as enough of a warning for me to be sure to stay far, far away from debt (especially careless consumer debt) my whole life.

    Reply
  2. Michael Richard says

    Be honest with yourself.It’s easy to deceive yourself into believing that being in debt is not your fault- most of the time it is.Take responsibility for what you’ve been doing wrong, even if you’re not totally sure what that is yet.

    Reply
  3. James says

    Actually I think the most important part of this is: getting friends who aren’t in debt!

    The impact of peers can be extremely powerful – it effects your attitudes as well as your behaviors. In fact, its good for all sorts of financial things, from entrepreneurism, investing, etc. Not just debt reduction.

    Also, good job tacking some of the behavioral issues associated with getting out of debt. I think these are generally neglected in the personal finance blogsphere.

    Reply
  4. James says

    A lot of finance is changing your habits. For example, if you’re eating out every Saturday night, you’ll pressure your budget. So, one thing you’ll need to do is change your habits. e.g. start eating at home instead of eating out.

    Reply
  5. George says

    Peer pressure can force one to plunge into debt which is why people should understand their financial strength and stick to a manageable budget.

    Reply
Previous Post: Plex Media Server Review: Cord Cutter’s DVR And Media Hub
Next Post: Four Reasons Not To Put Your Insurance On Autopilot
Discover Investment Platforms

Popular Posts

  • 21 Easy Ways To Earn Free Amazon Gift Cards
  • 10 Best Free Tax Filing Services And Software Online
  • 21 Apps That Pay You Real Money Fast
  • 17 TV Apps And Live TV Streaming Services To Watch TV Free
  • 30 Legit Online Jobs That Pay Well
  • 37 Easy Ways To Get Free Gift Cards
  • How To Get Free Stock
  • 40 Easy Ways To Get Free Money Fast
  • 21 Places To Read Free Books Online
  • 24 Legit Online Jobs
  • 17 Best Work From Home Jobs: A List Of Legit Online Jobs That Pay Well

Recent Posts

  • A Eulogy And A Remembrance Of My Dad, Mark Lloyd Anderson
  • Why Do We Celebrate Our Independence On The Fourth Of July?
  • Enjoy Your Memorial Day But Let’s Remember Those Who Gave The Ultimate Sacrifice
  • 25 Bible Verses For A Happy New Year!
  • Merry Christmas To One And All: The Original Christmas Story
  • 401k Contribution Limits And Rules
  • Traditional And Roth IRA Contribution Limits Announced
  • M1 Finance Review: Free Trading App And Automated Investing
  • Tablo 4th Gen Over-The-Air DVR Review: The Best Device For Cord Cutters
  • Living Stingy: 13 Tips For Spending Less

Disclaimer

The information contained in BibleMoneyMatters.com is for general information or entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional financial advice. Please contact an independent financial professional for advice regarding your specific situation.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, we state that we have a financial relationship with some of the companies mentioned in this website. This may include receiving access to free products and services for product and service reviews and giveaways.

Any references to third party products, rates, or websites are subject to change without notice. We do our best to maintain current information, but due to the rapidly changing environment, some information may have changed since it was published. Please do the appropriate research before participating in any third party offers.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

We respect your privacy: Privacy Policy.

Thanks for visiting!

Bible Money Matters - Seen On These Sites and more..
Bible Money Matters is a personal finance, entrepreneurship and investing community. Give more, save more and live more.

Copyright © 2025 · Bible Money Matters | Sitemap | Advertise | Privacy Policy