I want to encourage you, that while it may take time, you can begin recovering today by setting a goal of getting debt free. Make up your mind that you don’t want to live like this any longer, and then follow a step-by-step plan.

I’ve found in working with other people facing the same struggle, that it generally takes about 5 – 7 years to become fully free, so understand that it’s really about changing your mindset and making a lifestyle change to accomplish your goal.

Let’s start with the practical. First, you must create a truly functional budget, looking at all that you own, all that you owe, all of your obligations so that you have a clear picture of where your money is going and where it is needed. Crown has some free tools to organize your finances  and to help you build a budget that reflects all that you are spending. This step will identify the real problems that need to be addressed.

And as much as I believe in getting debt free, I recommend that you begin this entire process by saving $1,000 that you don’t touch, but rather set aside for true emergencies.

Now, consider taking on an extra job.

Over the years, I’ve worked multiple jobs myself, and while you may not want to do that long term, if you had an extra job on weekends or evenings from which you used the extra income to reduce your debt, you could more quickly reduce the deficit.

A good friend once posed the question, “What are you doing after 5:00?” in the context of earning more income to support my growing family.

Solomon said it this way in Ecclesiastes 11: 6, “Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let your hands not be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.”