subject: Emergency Debt Relief – Options To Deal With A Debt Crises [print this page] Emergency Debt Relief Options To Deal With A Debt Crises
Most people have some debt they owe. But wanting to get rid of debt is not the same as being in a debt crisis. If you are in danger or losing your possessions or declaring bankruptcy, it's time to take emergency action to get yourself out of trouble.
You can start by drastically cutting unneeded expenses. Start by making a detailed budget for your spending. When you first make your budget, it's probably going to add up to a lot more than you can afford. That's when you need to start making cuts. Look at the items of your budget and figure out whether you really need what you're spending money on. When it comes to a crisis state, extras like cable and eating out are probably going to have to go.
Once you've removed all the items you don't need, then cut down your bills on the things you do. Work on cutting your energy bills, carpooling, or walking to save on gas. You can also cut out unneeded parts of needed bills like extras on your phone plan.
Next, return things you can't afford. Many people reach a budget crisis because they were living outside their means. Often, this can be somewhat reversed. If you've made recent purchases you don't need, try to return them to the store. If you can't return the things you don't need, you can sell them in a garage sale or on Craigslist.
You can call debtors and ask them to reduce your debt. Most people consider this a futile effort. The debtor doesn't care about your problems, why would they work to make things easier on you? Simple, less money is better than no money. They may not be willing to lower your total debt, but you may be able to negotiate a lower interest rate or even have them temporarily stop adding interest until your finances improve.
Before you pick up the phone to talk to credit card companies, be prepared. You can find all kinds of resources for how to talk to creditors. They know what they're doing, you don't. If you're uncomfortable talking to them yourself, there are agencies that can do this for you.
If you've worked out everything you can and still can't make ends meet, you probably want to look into getting another job. Even if you don't have a lot of free time, you can often find easy work on the internet or pick up odd jobs for your neighbors.
Don't forget to save money. When you're barely making ends meet, you're not thinking about putting money into savings. But if you're barely making ends meet now, imagine what will happen if you lose your job, face legal action, or have a medical crisis. Even a small amount of savings can keep your out of bankruptcy.
When everything else fails, get help. If you've tried everything above and nothing's working, it's time to get help. For whatever reason, many of us don't want to see help from others, but when it comes down to your livelihood, sometimes it's your only option. Utility companies, charities, churches, and various other organizations are willing to help you if you ask for it.
