DEBT: Do Something NOW!

When it comes to "The Consequences of DEBT", we must realize that the most important thing that we can do (besides avoiding it in the first place) is to MAKE A PLAN and GET OUT OF DEBT!

No matter how impossible the task may seem we MUST begin the process to eliminate this crushing problem. As the graphic below states, "It ain't going to take care of itself!"

And, yes, I hear those of you out there that might say, "Yeah, but..." There will ALWAYS be some "yeah-butters" in the crowd! For whatever reason, they are the ones that feel that THEIR particular situation is so unique that no one else in the world has faced their dilemma. 

"My spouse and I BOTH work (or I work 2 jobs) and we just don't have enough money to make it!"   O.k....but HOW MANY OF YOUR BILLS come from DEBT?  I'm NOT talking about “normal” bills such as electricity, television, phone etc. but from bills that you pay for STUFF that you BOUGHT that you DON'T NEED? And, while we are at it, let's get brutally honest here, how much of even THOSE "normal" bills could be "cut back" in order to help with the problem? 

We'll come back to that in a moment but, let me go ahead and mention a couple of "requirements" for the program that I have shared with you in each article this week. You know, the program that can help you get out of ALL debt in as little as 5 - 7 years. 

#1. You do have to have some income. Whether it's a job or some other way that money comes into your household on a regular basis, you MUST have income.

#2. You must bring in more than you spend. This is budgeting 101 and it IS a requirement for this program to be able to work for you. However, the good news is that, as long as you have even just $10 left over after your bills, we can work with that!

Pretty simple, right? But, again, I can hear the "Yeah, But" crowd speaking up once again. However, this time I will refer to them as the "What Iffers" as in, "What if I don't have any income coming in right now and, What If I don't even have $10 left over at the end of the month?" Throw in that bunch the "Hand Wringers" that might say, "It won't do any good, we have too much DEBT and too little money!"

To be honest, my mind begins to start feeling numb at this point! C'mon people, remember, YOU MUST DO SOMETHING about this problem because, again, IT AIN'T GONNA' TAKE CARE OF ITSELF! As we talked about in the last article, ignoring it will not make it go away. As a matter of fact, doing so will only bring about late charges and other fees that will actually increase the problem!

So you don't "qualify" for this program at this time. That still doesn't remove the problem, friend, You STILL must take some action and DO WHATEVER IT TAKES to start chipping away at your debt! Get out there and take a job and don't be picky about it. "But I'm not going to flip burgers!" WHY NOT??? How is your current plan working out for you? You do what you gotta' do! Wash cars, rake leaves, mow grass, clean houses...whatever it takes to bring some extra cash into the household.

And that's only half of the equation. You must INCREASE the amount of INCOME for your household and, at the same time, you must DECREASE the amount of your DEBT!

I understand that this is not going to be easy. I also understand that you will have to also work on your mindset regarding this whole situation that you put you and your family into BUT you still must BEGIN TAKING ACTION now and work on the needed mindset along the way.

Simply put, you must take a look at all avenues of money that you have coming in for your family and you must also take a look at all avenues of money that is going out from your household. Again, you must find ways to INCREASE the income while finding ways to DECREASE the debt.

You may be able to bring in some extra money by selling things around the house that are not really needed. Do you rent a storage unit or have stuff up in the attic that hasn't been seen in years? GET RID OF IT if it's not some sort of family heirloom! If you're really ready to "get after it" you may even need to look about the possibility of selling a vehicle that has a high monthly payment and find something with NO payment on it or one that is considerably less. Too, you likely may save on insurance.

These things might be able to bring in a little extra cash but you must REALLY get serious at trimming down the debt and those things that you are paying for on a monthly basis. Do you REALLY need all of those premium channels and movie channels with your cable or satellite? How much do you REALLY understand about the seriousness of this debt problem for you and your family? Do you REALLY need the latest and greatest cell phone? Get serious and really get after "trimming the fat" wherever possible.

You might actually find this kinda' fun if you make a game out of seeing how much you can cut out of your monthly expenses! Sure, you may have to bargain with each other on a possible compromise in some areas (maybe cut the cost on a particular item by 30% instead of 70%) but when you put your family first in this area I believe that you will find that a lot of this "stuff" will begin to be seen for what it really is: STUFF.

Remember, "As long as there is breath, there is hope!" You MUST fix this and, friend, you CAN fix this! I'm here to help in any way that I can. If you find yourself in a position at a later point in time to where my program might work for you, just let me know. But, in the mean time it's time to GET LEAN AND MEAN with your budget!

Once again, you can go to ulivefree.com and take a look at some videos that gives you information about this program. No need to fill out any information unless you want to download the "more detailed" e-book that is available there.  DO ME A FAVOR? If you stop by that page you will find my e-mail address at the top of the page. Would you drop me a line and let me know how you came across that information? Did you read about it in one of the blogs? Did you hear about it on one of my podcasts on on one of my videos? Thanks in advance for doing so.

Next week I will be "shifting gears" and getting back to my "normal" type of messages full of hope and positive information. Sure, I'm still going to challenge you with things, but we will look at ways to help improve the positive mindset that you will need in this process as well as going through every day of your life.

Until then, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

The Consequences of Debt: LIMITS

This week, as the content of this series on "The Consequences of Debt", we have looked at STRESS, DIVORCE and HOPELESSNESS. Today, we will look at the "LIMITS" that we have put on our own lives when we allow ourselves to be burdened by debt.

Sometimes, if we have been living under the burden of debt over the course of several years, we may not even realize how limited our life has become! It's really a sad commentary to realize that we have actually become "numb" to the negative limitations that debt has put on our lives.

Here is a short list that I put together the other day when preparing for this episode. I'm sure you can come up with more ways that people can be limited by debt and I've love to hear some of your ideas on my Facebook page (link below).

    1. Buying a house or a car

    2. Christmas/birthday gifts
    3. Celebration events (anniversary, etc.)
    4. Vacations
    5. School Programs for your kids
    6. Better Living Situation (even rent!)
    7. Donating to Good Causes (Your Church / Other organizations)
    8. Helping OTHERS in need

Going back to some things I've discussed in previous articles in this series, too often there are those that have come to accept debt as a way of life...as something that cannot be prevented or resolved. HOW SAD!

Think about it - when we become so accustomed to the pain of being crushed under the burden of debt we go through life as if we are only "half alive". 

I've been in a situation before where we had to rely on other people to provide Christmas for our kids. I vowed at that time to NEVER allow that situation to ever be a part of my life again. It is painful to not be able to provide your kids Christmas gifts as well as birthday gifts or to not be able to allow them to participate in some programs at school because you don't have the money that is needed for the program. THAT HURTS! It's also very painful to not be able to do the same for your wife due to the same reason. Vacations become almost non-existent due to the lack of funds.

Maybe you have a heart to help others but you are LIMITED in what you are able to do because of the lack of funds. The lack of funds is often due to the money that is paid out monthly to pay your DEBT bills. 

Aren't you tired of living that way yet?

“Oh, I'm O.K...Yes, I have debt that I will be paying on for years into the future but, hey, I make enough $$ to cover the bills so, WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?"

Really? Are you a FORTUNE TELLER or a PSYCHIC? Do you KNOW what your future holds? Do you KNOW that your job will be in place for you over the next five, ten or twenty years, if not more? Do you KNOW that there will not be any sort of medical situation in you or your family's life that will bring about some large medical bills? 

WHY PAY MORE MONEY than necessary in interest and continued payments? WHY in the world would ANYONE want to spend money that they do not need to spend? Why spend money on interest that you don't have to pay? Why continue to pay monthly payments that you don't need to pay? Oh, I'm not saying that you shouldn't pay back the debt that you owe BUT, why make monthly payments longer than necessary?

Why not get your DEBT paid off as quickly as possible, save tons of money in interest and reduce the amount of time that you are making monthly payments? THEN, why not invest that same money into something that will EARN interest (instead of you PAYING interest) and begin to create wealth for you and your family?

Yes, this IS possible! You CAN begin to actually LIVE LIFE instead of living a LIMITED LIFE but it does take planning and it definitely takes ACTION.

We'll discuss that in the next article, the conclusion of this series, entitled, "GET OUT NOW! (Make a Plan - Get Out of Debt)". Be sure to check out the link below that is labeled, "Live Debt Free" for my suggested solution. In the next article we will discuss other ways that may help you begin this journey OUT OF DEBT. 

Be sure to join me then and, until next time, whatever you do, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

Consequences of Debt: HOPELESSNESS

When you consider the lie that so many have chosen to believe as truth - "Debt is just a part of life. There's nothing you can do to prevent and there is nothing that you can do to resolve the problem." - then you can see how this can definitely lead to HOPELESSNESS. 

Debt IS a deep, dark hole that WILL suck you in AND suck the life right out of you! You MUST look at debt this way and understand this comparison to be accurate and TRUE! This is important because, until you DO understand how serious this problem really is, you will not do what you need to do to get OUT of this debt. 

Many people that deal with a debt problem don't want to admit there is a problem in the first place. "Hi, my name is _________ and I have debt!" Maybe that is what is needed! According to an article written by Bill Fay, many people go into DENIAL about their debt in the following ways: 

• Underestimating how much you owe.
• Not answering the phone when you suspect a collection agency is calling.
• Leaving bills unopened or just stuffing them in a drawer.
• Opening a new credit card when your old one is maxed out.
• Telling yourself that everyone is in the same situation.

Mr Fay goes on to say, " Such behavior just leads to more debt as interest charges and late fees pile up. But ignoring reality is a handy defense mechanism for the brain. It’s a way to rationalize mistakes and protect your ego. The problem is reality always sets in." 

My experience has been that, a lot of people aren't just in denial, they don't WANT to know how bad their debt problem really is. It's the "Ignorance is Bliss" mentality. But, as Mr. Fay points out, REALITY ALWAYS SETS IN and, friend, this is where HOPELESSNESS also sets in. 

The GOOD news is that we CAN fix this! "As long as there is breath, there is hope!" is a phrase that I coined back in 2009 and it certainly applies here. As long as you are alive and breathing, there IS hope regardless of how impossible it may seem. You have opportunity TODAY and every day that you draw a breath to "turn things around" in your life and in every area of your life. 

WARNING: This will not be quick and easy! But, friend, do not miss the point that it CAN be done.

I do have a solution for you. I've mentioned it before but want to make sure that I share a way out for you in this area of debt. Go to www.ulivefree.com and check out the information found there. You don't have to fill out any information unless you want to download the "more detailed" information found in the e-book. Watch the videos and the testimonials found there and then get in touch with me and let's see what may be possible for you.

In the next article, as we continue to discuss the consequences of debt, we will be talking about "LIMITS". Being in debt will definitely limit your life in many different areas.

Be sure to join me for that and, until then, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

Consequences of Debt: DIVORCE

The Consequences of Debt: DIVORCE

The stress that comes with debt is far reaching and, likely, more than we would really care to even consider.  In the last article we discovered a list of several physical problems that have been known to occur due to stress.

Sure, there are many other causes of stress in our lives but, at the same time, the stress from debt fuels many of these other symptoms. 

For example, I took a look at two different articles about the top causes of divorce and, not surprisingly, money or financial issues were in the top 4 on both lists. It was number two on one list and number four on the other. 

Here is one list that comes from Shellie Warren at marriage.com -
1. infidelity  2. money  3. lack of communication  4. weight gain  5. unrealistic expectations  6. lack of intimacy  7. lack of equality  8. no being prepared for marriage  9. abuse

When I look at that list, I can easily see how the stress that is related to money problems/debt would also have an influence on other things listed. For example, stress from debt could actually have a hand in someone being unfaithful in their marriage. No, I'm not saying it is an excuse for bad behavior but, if the stress is bad enough, a person may look for an avenue to just "get away" from their current situation. DEBT STRESS may also impact communication to the point where those in the relationship begin to NOT communicate at all. Weight gain? It's a known fact that when someone gets depressed and are under stress they tend to eat more and to eat more junk!

Do I need to continue down this list? Go through the rest of the list and see if you can connect "debt stress" to the rest of the items found there. I'm sure you can.  

I'm sure you can also do the same with the list that I found on divorce.com - 1. infidelity  2. lack of communication  3. physical/emotional abuse  4. financial issues  5. sexual problems  6. boredom  7. religious/cultural differences  8. issues raising children  9. addiction  10. difference in expectations

Then, if there are kids in a marriage they, too, are impacted for the rest of their lives when a divorce takes place. Sure, some handle it better than others but, friend, let's not try to paint a "pretty picture" of the impact of divorce.

And, again, the thing about this stress from debt is, IT'S NOT NECESSARY!

“Debt is just a part of life and there is nothing that can be done to prevent it or to resolve the problem."  Sadly, too many people believe that quote as truth when it actually is a BIG LIE! Debt does NOT have to "just be a part of life" and, friend, there ARE things that you CAN do to prevent it and there definitely IS a resolution to the problem. 

Think of DEBT as a "dark hole" that is ready to suck in anything that comes anywhere near the "mouth" of this monster. And, by the way, DEBT IS A "DARK HOLE" and you need to begin to look at it in that way! Take another look at that quote in the previous paragraph and, if you believe that quote to be true - or ANY PART OF IT to be true - then apply it to the "dark hole" view. IF debt was just a part of life then, friend, what you are saying is that you or anyone else can do NOTHING to keep from getting sucked down that dark hole! You, and everyone else, is DOOMED to this fate! And, according to this quote, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT and YOU CANNOT RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM! In other words, to put it bluntly, YOU'RE SCREWED!

I want you to know that, although I will be discussing some of the CONSEQUENCES OF DEBT in this series, I will also be sharing with you my suggested solution to the problem. Yes, I shared that suggested solution with you in Lesson 5 of the last series and I will mention it again with every article in this series. It won't be a sales pitch but I feel that it is important to share a SOLUTION and not just talk about the problem. Simply go to ulivefree.com and take a look at the two videos and then look over the rest of the information. This is an INCREDIBLE program designed to get you out of debt - ALL DEBT - in a fraction of the time!

I'd love to get feedback from you on the series so far and anything else. I'd love to hear from you! In my next article I will be discussing another consequence of debt - HOPELESSNESS.

Until next time, friend, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube   Live Debt Free!

Work From Home Series #5: My Suggested Solution

In today's concluding article for this series, I will systematically go through the "Six Warning Signs" that I mentioned in Lessons 2 and 3 and see how they "stack up" with the company that I will share with you today. I will also see how this company "stacks up" with my personal "Mission Statement" that I shared with you in Lesson 4.

As I stated before, if you have not checked out Lessons 1 - 4, please be sure to do so. All of these lessons are important for those that may be considering connecting with a company for the purpose of "working from home". Too, I STRONGLY suggest that you watch the videos for this series. I believe you will benefit greatly by doing so. As a matter of fact, I will mostly be sharing the screen shots from the video in this article. Watch the video for full details.

Here is the comparison of this company with all six "Warning Signs"...

 Take a look at these stats...

 I recently worked for a company that built custom homes. I would work with those that showed interest in getting information about the process and would get them to the point that they wanted to fill out an application to see about getting a loan so that they could purchase their "dream home". 

However, there were so many that were not able to get approved due to their "debt to income ratio". Simply put, the amount of debt that they had was too great for the amount of their income and the financial institution decided that they could not take a risk on such a proposition. So much of their problem would usually have some connection to student loans, medical bills, credit cards and/or automobile loans. Often the problem involved ALL of the things that I just listed. 

DEBT IS A MAJOR BURDEN IN OUR SOCIETY!

So, here is my business card that will introduce you to the company that I have decided fits every area of my search and my purpose. The name of the company is United Financial Freedom...

Please be sure to go to the website listed above - www.ULiveFree.com - and watch the 2 videos that you will find there. This will give you a GOOD idea of what it is that we do. Write down any questions that you may have and then contact me with those questions. 

By the way, this is NOT some sort of "credit repair" company at all. This is NOT a company that will try to find some "loophole" that will allow you to skip out of debt that you owe. It is a program designed to help you pay off your debt - ALL debt - in a fraction of the time and save you THOUSANDS in interest. Again, WATCH THE VIDEO to get the full story of what I shared there. 

Let me mention one more thing: IF you feel that this is NOT for you as far as a "work from home opportunity", please take a close look and see if this would not be something that could help you and your family in the area of debt and the stress and strain that is a part of that circus.

I'd love to get your feedback and hope you will do that for me. Until next time, whatever you do...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

Future You University   FYU on Facebook!   Podcast on iTunes   Podcast RSS feed

YouTube   Live Debt Free!