Cut back and pay off debt, it's life changing

Angie Grant, please email me about your course.

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Do you sometimes wonder if change is possible?. You sail along accumulating debt with a home loan, car loan and credit cards that you thought you'd easily pay. Then on top of that there is your phone and your partner's phone, broadband, pay TV, gym memberships, insurance, your holiday, the kid's camps, entertainment, eating out, your new iPad, laptops for the kids, clothes and shoes for everyone, education costs and toys to make the kids happy. Oh, and don't forget food and fuel, both must be bought every week. If only you could press rewind, go back a few years and make better choices. Life would be easier if we didn't spend like this.

Don't get caught up in the ridiculous notion that the more you have, the better your life will be. I think it's the opposite. Everything has a price attached. Most of the time, that cost is both financial and environmental. When I stopped buying everything I thought I wanted/needed, I realised that the less I spent, the more I did for the environment, the more self-reliant I became and the more I was in control of my own future. And even though changing habits isn’t easy, it is possible.

We all pay a mortgage or rent. We all eat, most of us have cars and we buy fuel, we have phones, we insure our possessions, our homes, cars and sometimes our lives and our health. We all have regular financial commitments that keep us sheltered and fed. Once you have those expenses covered, the less you spend on everything else, the less you have to pay for. So, for instance, if you stop buying top of the range grooming products, a new dress every week or month, more shoes, knick-knacks, more fabric for you stash when it’s already groaning under the weigh of too much, the most expensive phone and TV package, a new car when the old one is still fine, another overseas holiday, coffee at a shop every day, bottles of water, magazines, lunch for work or school five days a week and a million other things, your weekly expenses will reduce considerably, you’ll be able to pay off your debts, daily stress will reduce and life will improve. There is a light at the end of the tunnel if you look for it.

Living to an unrealistic high standard, or to someone else’s standards, guarantees that you’ll work relentlessly all your life to pay for it . Don’t you want to get off that stress filled merry-go-round and live a slower and more peaceful life? You’ll still have all the necessities of life but you’ll be surrounded by the familiarity of things that you care about, not products that change with the whims of fashion. Your life won’t change much if you stop streaming TV on Netflix, or use a cheaper phone or computer. Cutting down on meat, disposables, eating out, coffees, clothes, entertainment and many other things you don’t need helps you and the environment. Do one thing at a time and it will get easier the longer you stick with it.

There has been research done that found once our basic needs of shelter, food and clothing are met, we are not made happier or more fulfilled by having more. When we have enough, it’s enough. If you're not convinced of that and you want to change, change your attitude and your goals and live simply. You’ll change more than you expect to and normal, every-day life will be easier.

How have you reduced your cost of living? Please tell me what difference it’s made to your life and what hints you can share with us here.