9 ways debt is compromising your financial future and how to break the cycle

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Borrowing some cash can help you access some things that were previously beyond your current financial muscle. Nevertheless, in the absence of a diligent management, debt can jeopardize your financial health.

At the same time, debt has a way of causing an emotional trauma which may lead to stress. In this condition, it can be difficult to make future plans. Here, you will learn how debt can compromise your financial future as well as how you can break the debt cycle.

Debts summon stress into your life

Basically, people who are laden with debts are not able to live to the fullest and this causes stress. In addition, when you have no way of settling your outstanding debts living a normal life becomes difficult and you can lose some valuable years of your life. The problem only becomes worse when debt collectors hit your doorstep with several demands.

If you want to avoid all this, the best thing is to find a debt management option that suits your situation. The truth is that you have multiple options to get debt off your shoulders. Nevertheless, you should be careful when selecting a debt management partner. You should do a thorough background check to ensure they are legit and ensure they can help you become debt free.

Saving for retirement

Saving diligently for a long time isn’t an easy task for most people. The truth is that even in the absence of debt, building a retirement fund isn’t an easy thing to do. When you are struggling with multiple debts, most of your resources are consumed by debt and saving becomes close to impossible.

The best thing to do is starting early enough to build the retirement fund when you are still young and energetic. Otherwise, you should start where you are and save the most you can. The total amount you need for retirement depends on you. As such, create a plan to save some reasonable amount every month. More often than not, committing a certain percentage of your income works best for most people.

To keep yourself from encroaching on your funds, open a dedicated account where the money will be held. Opening a CD account with your bank can be very helpful since the money will be earning interest and you won’t be able to access the funds until the agreed date.

Having multiple debts might lead to more debts in future

When you are saddled with several debts, it’s easy to think that you are in a helpless situation. When this happens, you will eventually give up the hope of ever becoming debt free. In the end, you indulge in aimless spending habits and before you know it, you have sunk deeper into the debt trap.

Generally, if you wait too long before laying down plans to deal with debt, it will cost more time and money to eliminate the outstanding balances. As you know, if you are in debt for a long time, your propensity to enjoy life is highly reduced. As such, even when your outstanding debts seem quite high, the best thing you can do is creating a plan that will eventually get you out the cyclic debt pattern.

Creating an emergency fund becomes a problem

Building an emergency fund can be a daunting affair when debts are weighing you down. If you have any plans of eliminating your debts, creating a sufficient emergency fund cannot be overlooked.

Basically, this is your safety net just in case something crops up and demands some money. If you don’t have the fund, you might be forced to borrow more debts to deal with sudden expenses. to start, make a plan to save small amounts of money until you’ve built a fund that can cover your expenses for at least six months.

Essential life goals are derailed

If you had planned to achieve a certain goal within a year, it’s highly likely that you will push it ahead until you deal with your debts. When most people realize that important goals have become outreach, they tend to panic and spend whatever they have on alternative goals which are mostly short-term.

When you are settling your accounts with the creditors, stay diligent and avoid making some shortcuts with your long-term goals. For instance, it’s always prudent to resist the temptation of funding a long vacation with a credit card since you will pay more. The same money could be used to start paying the deposit for a new home.

Wage garnishment

If you have some outstanding debts or obligations that have not been attended for a while, the law allows your funds to be garnished.  At the moment, consumer debts and student debts are among the most common reasons why wages are held.

At the same time, tax liens can also lead to garnished funds. If this happens to you, it’s obvious that you will suffer a great deal since you can no longer be able to fund your budget as well as other important financial obligations.

Filing for bankruptcy

Generally, there are many individuals that are constantly seeking bankruptcy in order to get some form of protection from the law. While this process is long and quite trying, it can offer some people a permanent solution to overwhelming debts.

However, it has some adverse effects on your credit ratings as well as how consumers treat you. Therefore, before filing for bankruptcy, take your time to think if it’s the best option for your situation.

Your credit scores are damaged

Basically, a credit score informs the creditor about the risk that you carry. If a creditor assesses how you’ve been dealing with debts, they will decide whether to loan you some money or not. Besides, limiting you to take a $10000 cash loan, a low credit score can terminate your dreams of buying a home or a vehicle.

To stay safe, always make sure you’ve paid your debts on time and if you already have some outstanding debts, make a plan to clear them.

Making a large ticket purchase

The fact that debt will take a significant portion of your finances implies that you won’t have enough money left with you. As such, saving enough money to afford a new car or a dream vacation will become out of reach.

The first step to dealing with debts is consulting a professional for some advice on the most appropriate tool to employ. Since there are several options, you’ll be able to choose one that will help you.

Conclusion

In most cases, debt starts as a tool to help you afford things that were beyond reach. But it also has the power to wreak havoc in your life. If you stay in control of your finances and practice responsible borrowing, you can secure your financial future.

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