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Who can forget this fabulous business card exchange scene from the cult movie American Psycho, starring Christian Bale:

While modern day business card exchange is not likely to induce mass murder (unless you’re swapping cards with David Berkowitz), it can be pretty cut throat and riddled with gloating, show-offs, and one upsmanship. Putting aside petty business card wars, proper business card etiquette can be an extremely powerful networking tool.

The Basics Of Business Card Etiquette

Before you go flinging about your business cards like they’re going out of fashion - try to observe the following basics of giving and receiving business cards:

• Make sure you always have enough business cards. The amount of men who don’t carry business cards or run out when networking at a function is laughable. You’ve just been given a card by the MD of a very big corporation and lo and behold, when you come to hand yours over - you have none left. Contact gone.
• If you’re traveling to another country, get one side of your business translated into the appropriate language. There’s no point handing your card over to a Japanese Marketing Director if he doesn’t speak English.
• Bit of a no-brainer this one, but always hand the card over so that the recipients language is face up.
• After receiving a business card, don’t just stick it in your wallet. Take some time to study it and make the person feel important.
• Hand business cards out to everyone and anyone. I hate men that hoard their business cards. Keeping a load of cards in your wallet may make you feel important but that’s not going to get you a referral is it?

With the basics covered, let’s look at how business cards can provide powerful networking skills.

How to use business cards for powerful networking purposes

By following the basics, you can ensure that a business card exchange goes smoothly. Once you have a number of cards from various contacts you need to be able to use them appropriately, not to mention ensuring that your business cards provide value to your prospects.

Organize your business cards for effective contact management

You’ll need to find a way of keeping your contacts in an uncluttered format so that they are easily accessible and can be found quickly if needed. Old school traditionalists will stick to their trusty business card Rolodex, while more tech-savvy chaps will store them in a file on their laptop. If you’re a super-nerd you’ll probably want to buy a Samsung G600 which can store business card information by simply taking a photo of the card with the 5MP camera.

Once you’ve got your choice of system in place, it’s a good idea to write on the back of the cards a few notes so you remember the person who gave it to you. When making contact with them later, the fact you’ve remembered them will be to your advantage. You can file them in whatever order you prefer, but personally I’d go with the simple A-Z. Other orders could be by company name or the category of business.

You might also want to set a reminder to go back and review your cards on a bi-monthly basis; you’ll keep the contacts fresh in your mind and it might prompt you to make contact with a few of them again to go over unfinished business from the last time you spoke.

Make your business card a conversation starter

There is an unlimited number of things you can do with your business card to make it stand out from the crowd. Dare to be different and you could just spark a conversation with your next big client. This image from Matt Cutts’ blog is one example of how business card creativity can stick in your mind:

Sadly, however, there is no contact information on this one but you get the idea.

Develop a business card strategy

Once you’ve got your fancy stand-out-in-a-crowd business cards all printed up and ready to go, you need to figure who you’re going to distribute them to, where and how. Focus on your intended clients and think about where you’d be happy to receive a business card for your services. Place them on bulletin boards at local restaurants, supermarkets, libraries and include them in all snail-mail correspondence (even bills you pay). You never know who is going to come across your card and give you a call.

Give people a reason to keep hold of your business card

The longer people have your card, the greater the chance that someday they’ll need to use your services. Giving prospects a reason to keep hold of your card could be the difference between them hiring you and them hiring someone else through the Yellow Pages. You can do this in a variety of ways by printing something unique on the back of the card. Things such as a calendar, a list of your services, important measurements, or anything relevant to your industry.

You could also add a referral coupon on the back, giving them a discount if they bring the card in to an appointment. Catchy slogans can work well, as can simple, to-the-point call to actions that show a direct benefit to the prospect: “All major credit cards accepted” for example.

Making sure that your business card asks for the business

One of the fundamentals you get taught as a salesman is to ask for the business. If you don’t ask, you greatly reduce your chances of getting anything. Your business card needs to not only give the prospect a reason to contact you, it needs to flat out ask for it too.

Examples of this could include:

• Present this card for a 15% discount
• Log on to justaguything.com for FREE networking advice

The number of ways you can use business cards as a marketing tool is almost limitless. If you have any networking tips or advice for socializing at shows, conventions and events then please leave us your comments.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

W. Triesthof

As any popular man-about-town will tell you, there is a fine art to bar hopping that can be the difference between social stardom and social suicide. That being said, if you spend too much time worrying about the ‘Golden Rules’ of bar hopping then you’ll most likely lose the fun factor of actually going out and mingling in the first place. This article isn’t intended to ensure you follow each rule religiously. Instead, we’ve compiled a set of guidelines that can help to make your evening a success. So go out, have fun, socialize, drink, be merry and live your life to the fullest using our Man-About-Town Guide To Effective Bar Hopping.

Organization and Transport

Image by Miro-Foto

Okay, we’ll get the boring bit over with right off the bat because most people don’t really care about how they’re getting to the club or where they’re meeting their friends. However, I’ve seen many a good night ruined because of poor planning ahead of the event. At the very least you need to know where your friends are going to be. Arranging a time and place before going out is essential because once you’re in a bar and it’s loud and crowded, your friends might not hear their phone going off. Before you know it you’re spending half the night going to different bars and clubs trying to find them. Once you do, you’ve already lost the party mood and the night is wasted.

You might also want to arrange car sharing or splitting the cost of a taxi between as many friends as possible. Not only do you get to have fun and games while you’re heading out to the bars, you’ll also save valuable beer money by cutting the costs. This is all fairly common sense but you would be surprised how many people don’t plan ahead and end up having a terrible time as a result. I’m not saying you need to prepare a full-on social tactical mission, but a few minutes calling your friends can make all the difference.

You’re going to need to stay connected to the guys throughout the night as well, so use text messages to communicate if you ever get lost. I’ll never forget the time I was looking for my friend in a crowded club and he got me on a 3G video call while he was ‘getting acquainted’ with a girl in the toilets. Absolutely legendary.

Choose the cheapest place first

Image by Penningtron

Whatever town or city or country you’re partying in, there is always at least one bar with cheap alcohol on offer. This should be your first point of call to start the evening with a bang. Getting merry here will save you a fortune later, especially if you’re going to a nightclub where they charge extortionate amounts for bottled water let alone your triple-JD and coke. This is the ideal place for you to buy the rounds (if you and your friends do the rounds thing) because it will be cheaper than at venues later in the evening.

You can also take this time to catch up with your friends on their day and generally just have a good time while inebriating yourself. Later, when you might well be looking to court a young woman - you can be confident that you won’t offend your friends by leaving them to their own devices.

How to get the barman’s attention

Image by Will Ellis

One of the best skills in your arsenal is being able to get the barman’s attention quickly at an overcrowded bar. I’ve seen friends of mine ignored for up to 10 minutes while trying to get just one drink for themselves. If you’re female it seems so much easier because leaning forward to show just a hint of ample cleavage is enough for most red-blooded barmen to be over like a shot. For the guys, it’s a little more difficult.

Leaning forward while holding your money in a prominent position seems to work well. It signifies your intent to buy and many bartenders will acknowledge that. Another way is to become friendly with the bartenders outside of peak times. Perhaps visit a few bars earlier in the evening for a few weeks and get to know them on a name-to-name basis. You could also tip them like a gentleman after the first round, encouraging them to be more prompt with their service next time you get the drinks in.

Play drinking games to get the party started

Image by Tessa Farrell

There’s nothing like a good drinking game to liven up the mood and atmosphere to have a great night. Sure, you could sit around and talk while drinking and you’d still have a bit of fun and get drunk - but wouldn’t you prefer the challenge of a competitive drinking game? How much would you give to be the only Centurion standing (the only guy to drink 100 shots of beer in 100 minutes without puking/peeing)?

Drinking games add variety to any evening and, since you’ll get pretty drunk, tend to make it a whole lot more entertaining. As always though, alcohol is best consumed responsibly. [Had to put that disclaimer out there, just in case.]

Always dance like a man

Image by The Consumerist

The problem with bar hopping is that with the power of alcohol comes great responsibility. The responsibility that you owe yourself to not dance like this guy:

Now if you’ve got the moves then by all means use them. Personally, I tend to favor the Will Smith á la Hitch school of dancing. Sidestepping left and right with minimal movement, keeping to the rhythm of the music. Of course once alcohol has lubricated my joints, my hips become possessed and I look like Shakira in a hurricane, so I obviously try to downplay my dancing as much as possible.

Choose spots with a favorable Girl:Guy ratio

Image by Will Ellis

Whoever coined the expression ‘bros before hoes’ obviously didn’t have a snowball in hells chance of getting some. You’ll want to pick a bar/club with a favorable girl to guy ratio. As a friend of mine so eloquently put it, “Nobody wants to bar hop with a sausage fest of dudes!”

Once you pick a decent place and you’ve got good odds you can start to make a beeline for the ladies. Ideally, you’d want to hook up with a similar size group to you and your friends and have a good old merry time together. If you do pair off with a broad be sure to make her laugh and she’ll love you for it. If you’re out to get incredibly drunk with your friends however, get her number and get back to your pals. You don’t want to be dribbling all over her in a drunken stupor later in the evening because that will just about ruin your chances of getting anywhere with her.

Handling bouncers

Image by Abulic Monkey

Bouncers can be the bane of your life if you let them. The majority of doormen I’ve met are ego-driven men on a serious power trip. The best way to deal with them is to remain polite and friendly with them as much as possible. These guys are practically looking for an excuse to give you a good kicking. If, for some reason, you get refused entry to the club - just be calm and collected and leave with your head held high. (Take a few hot women from the queue with you if you can)

I’ve often found that befriending bouncers in the same kind of way as befriending a bartender can help you to get preferential treatment too. I’ve regularly found myself jumping the queue and sometimes even land an entry to the VIP section. I did it by tipping a couple of bouncers and then striking up a conversation with them about how often they get tips and what time they are working till etc. Once I’m on first name terms with a bouncer, it’s much easier to swan up to them and be like “Hey Chuck” while walking straight past the queue of 10 people waiting to get in.

The pre-gaming ritual

Image by Ted Percival

Pre-gaming can be as much fun as, if not more so, than going out itself. It involves a group of friends meeting up earlier in the day to drink, be merry and enjoy some quality male bonding before you head off the the club. You buy-in large quantities of alcohol for low prices and proceed to get plastered at a fraction of the cost of drinks in a bar. It’s the perfect warm up.

A personal favorite for me and my friends is to put on an action movie and for every gunshot, explosion and fight scene - you take a shot of your chosen poison. It’s fun, entertaining, and it can get you totally wrecked in no time at all. The only bad pre-gaming experience I had was when a few of the guys made a bet with my friend Rob. All he had to do was neck a pint of vodka and his drinks would be bought for him all evening. He did the bet and seemed fine….until we got outside and the fresh air hit him. He didn’t make it out with us that night but it did made for a pretty great pre-gaming story!

Always carry enough cash

Image by dyobmit

Not all bars and clubs allow you to paid by card and sometimes, you can be in the middle of nowhere which means no ATM either. You’ll need to carry some cash in your wallet for buying rounds and getting into clubs too. In fact, I often take out the amount of cash I want to spend that evening and then leave all bank cards at home. Like most men, when I get drunk I can sometimes throw caution to the wind and buy a round for everyone, including the porn star I’ve just met and the entire cast of Shaving Ryan’s Privates.

You also need to be careful that you don’t flaunt your money around because there are always unscrupulous people out there who will be looking to take advantage of your drunken state.

Always dress to impress

Although many bars allow you to get in wearing a hoodie and sneakers, that’s not going to win any style awards is it? I always dress up and take care with my appearance because you never know where the evening will take you. Always wear shoes because if you do end up going to a club, you often won’t get in with sneakers on.

What else? A smart and fashionable shirt tends to work well with jeans and shoes for a smart casual look. Novelty shirts are never acceptable by my standards, but you can if you’d like wear one to a house party. Never, ever at a bar though.

Don’t get too drunk to function

Image by Pile Of Photos

A lot of guys seem to get thrown out of bars for ungentlemanly behavior. Whether it’s passing out at the bar, puking up in the urinals or copping a feel of the gorgeous blonde in the miniskirt; alcohol makes us do some crazy stuff! The fact is that if you overdo the boozing you could end up on the receiving end of a drunken shaming. Something no self respecting bachelor wants floating around on YouTube:

I remember one occasion when I was incredibly drunk and for some reason decided I wanted to get another drink. At the bar this attractive looking girl was all over me and hitting on me. She was grabbing my butt, kissing my neck and stroking my thigh. I thought the night was going to have a happy ending until I came to pay for the drink I’d ordered. My wallet was gone and so was the object of my affections. She’d stolen my wallet from my pocket right under my drunken nose!

Nobody wants to be the idiot with an Abe Lincoln beard on YouTube or to get their wallet stolen by a hot kleptomaniac, do they?

Leave a message in the comments with any tips or advice you have for becoming a bar-hopping messiah and if you’ve got any good drunken shaming stories/videos/pictures then feel free to share them too.

Image by sk8rsherman

If you’ve ever been sat at your desk, hard at work, trying to finish your report in time for that very important meeting with the Managing Director; you’ll know just how annoying it is to have the wacky office comedian come striding up to you in his Homer Simpson tie, wanting to play his new collection of stupid cell phone ringtones. Welcome to the dark and murky world of Office Etiquette.

I actually made a big etiquette faux pas at my new employer just this week. I was well-groomed, well-dressed and I was polite, pleasant and smiling as I greeted my new co-workers. But as I sat down after making myself a cup of tea, I couldn’t help but notice that everyone in the office was looking at me like I’d just murdered their cat. I’d committed a cardinal office sin: never, ever make a drink just for yourself.

So how do you know what the politics of your office are? Well, like the many different cultures and societies of other countries and continents, it varies from office to office. In England you could be hung, drawn and quartered for not making a round of tea for your colleagues. In Russia however, they’d be more upset if you forgot to slip a drop of vodka into their brew. For this very reason, we’ve created The Ultimate Office Etiquette Guide so that you never again make the mistake of taking a stapler without first asking for permission!

General Office Etiquette

While different offices have different policies, there are a few universal truths about etiquette that you need to be aware of at all times.

• Ask before you borrow anything. There’s nothing worse than being branded the office thief because your stash of ‘borrowed’ rulers is discovered by the cleaning lady.
• Wash your mug after you’ve used it. If you expect the cleaners to wash up for you, you’re going to be in for a big surprise. You might find your mug covered in mold and thick, congealed milk floating around the bottom. Clean it yourself.
• Any release of bodily gases is highly frowned upon. Farting may have been okay back in High School, but you won’t be taken seriously if you perform a rendition of Flight Of The Bumble Bee through your ass.
• Don’t fall asleep at your desk. And if you do, make sure you’re at a desk that faces away from everyone else and you don’t snore.
• Open doors for your colleagues. You won’t do yourself any favors by letting the door close on the geeky guy from I.T while he’s carrying a computer tower and monitor into the office.

Colleague Relationships

It’s important to always be respectful of your colleagues and avoid burning your bridges with them. You never know when you may rely on their help to get you out of a tricky jam. Here are a few things you should be aware of:

• There’s nothing more annoying that a ringing phone that goes unanswered. If you don’t want to answer your phone put it on silent or divert calls to your answerphone. Also, keep your cell phone on vibrate because if I hear another rendition of the Crazy Frog ring tone, I will kill someone.
• Office politics is unavoidable. Don’t let people undermine you or draw you into arguments. Let your achievements do the talking for you and make sure that the right people are aware of what you have accomplished without you needing to brag about it.
• If you’re going to take lunch at your desk, keep it simple. A sandwich is best. Don’t go bringing in a homemade spicy chicken and pasta dish that’s going to stink up the office and annoy people. On the lunch subject, make sure you don’t disturb people with work-related problems when they’re on their lunch. They won’t thank you for it and you’ll be repaid in kind at a later date.
• Always offer to make tea and coffee for your colleagues. If you don’t chip in and help out with drink rounds and buying in the milk, you may find that your “World’s Best Guy” mug mysteriously disappears, never to be seen again. You’ll also be seen as the cheapskate who won’t stump up for a bottle of milk. Evil eyes and anonymous hate e-mail will surely ensue.
• If you really must have sex with the insanely hot girl in Accounts; be a gentleman. If you love her and leave her, you better believe the office will be rife with talk about your lack of stamina and ‘pinky’ sized penis. You’ll look unprofessional to your bosses and, worse still, when an even hotter girl joins the Sales team, she’ll know about your indiscretions almost immediately and you’ll never have a chance with her.

Verbal Communication

The way you communicate with fellow employees is very important to your career. Get it wrong and you’ll be cast out into the abyss and moved to the office in the basement with no windows or heating. Here’s what you need to know about verbal office etiquette.

• Although you may hate the idea of being formal, it is a necessity in the workplace. You’ll be speaking to people you’ve never met before, customers, other departments and so on. Answering the phone, “Yo, ’sup homie?” just isn’t going to cut it in the business world.
• If someone gives you their name, remember it. Especially if you’re in a role where clients regularly come to the office. Using their name to address them throughout the meeting makes it more personalized and makes them feel more relaxed and willing to engage in conversation with you.
• Leave the bad habits at home. Don’t swear and don’t chew gum when speaking to someone. Even over the phone. They can hear it and it is annoying.
• Make sure you listen when people are speaking to you. Looking around and wondering what time you’re meeting the guys in the bar later while your boss briefs you on a new campaign is poor form and when you can’t remember what he’s said, you’ll look incompetent and unprofessional.
• Over time you can reduce the formality, but for an initial meeting play it safe and keep conversation solely on work matters. You don’t want to be telling the I.T. Manager about the bedroom antics of the hot girl in Accounts.
• End your meeting with a hearty handshake, thank them for their time and exchange business cards if necessary.

Outside the office

Office etiquette extends beyond the walls of your workplace and into any venue that involves work. This is where it gets tricky because, as they say, you should never mix business with pleasure. Apparently.

• If you’ve got a business lunch, then get there on time. Leave early if you need to but do not be late because it isn’t a lunch per sé, it’s a meeting in an informal location.
• Turn your phone off during any business lunch you go to. Nobody wants to look inconsiderate while taking a call during an important meeting.
• Keep your greeting short and sweet with the aforementioned handshake. Proper business meeting etiquette allows for a few minutes of small talk but keep it simple. The weather, the latest football results and so on.
• If you invited your guest to the lunch, you’re the one who should be paying for the meal. You can of course discuss splitting the bill when arranging the meeting but don’t leave it till the bill arrives as some people see this as a sign of professional weakness. Don’t forget to tip the restaurant staff.
• When networking at business conferences you should make the first move to approach people wherever possible. Remember that first impressions count so dress to impress and keep the conversation formal.
• You can build your business contacts by networking with the speakers at conferences. Do your research and find out who is speaking and what they are about. This will give you some good topics to discuss with them if you get the chance.
• Set yourself a target to meet during a conference. Say, five new contacts through networking. Using the amazing etiquette tips you’ve learnt so far, it should be easy.
• Don’t get too drunk at the office party! How many people have lost respect, pay rises and even their job from drunken antics over the years. Keep your alcohol consumption in moderation and avoid fornicating with the boss’ wife wherever possible.
• Don’t moan and complain about the lack of direction in the business while enjoying a cocktail with the girl from Accounts. It will inevitably get back to someone senior and you’ll be the guy who cleans the toilets for the next 30 years.

On top of these tips, you’ll need to be aware of the following as well:

• There is always a ‘mother’ figure in the office who will sort out birthdays, collections and the office milk fund. When she asks for a donation to Jeff in Marketing who is leaving for pastures new, don’t make the mistake of thinking the donation is voluntary. If you don’t put a bit of money in there you can forget about ever getting a collection yourself and you will be branded as the office Scrooge for the rest of your professional career.
• Most offices have some sort of Friday ‘ritual’. One office I worked in had a dress-down Friday where everyone came in jeans and t-shirt. The first time someone told me, I thought it was a hazing thing and so turned up on the Friday suited and booted as usual. Imagine my surprise when I saw the MD waltz into the office wearing a Nike tracksuit with matching sweatbands. Find out if your office has a Friday ritual so you don’t look a fool like I did. (Or was it the MD that looked the fool?)

Office etiquette is basically about communicating with people in a professional and formal environment. When it comes down to it, it’s about making the right impression and every office has a different environment and structure. If you have any thoughts and ideas on office etiquette, tips and tricks for business meetings or not getting too drunk at the Christmas party then leave a comment for everyone else to learn from. This guide will only become truly Ultimate when the community of readers have put across their thoughts.

Image by vynsia

A great many people are criminally squandering their hard earned money on a daily basis - myself included. We all know that scrimping and saving is a pain and too dull for words but the fact is that making a few tiny changes to the way we shop, save and invest could mean the difference between ending our days in a mansion or an old peoples home.

Luckily, you don’t need a financial advisor to patronize you or guilt you into doing something about it; we’ll be running a series of articles on money-saving ideas, investment tips, mortgage advice and all the economic advice you need to get your money matters in order. Subscribe now and we’ll teach you the lingo, give you some tips on haggling for a cheaper price and, today, we’ll give you 10 quick and easy ways to make annual savings that will add up to quite a substantial chunk of change. Enjoy.

1. Make your lunch

   It’s so easy I’m surprised more people don’t do it. If an average sandwich is $5 a pop and you buy one each day you’re at work, then over a year it’s going to cost you about $1,200 (assuming you have 28 days holiday which is more than most people will get). Get into the habit of rustling up your own food and you can easily pocket half of that cash, using the other half to bulk buy your groceries at the supermarket.

2. Downgrade your brand purchases

   Going for the cheapest beans in the store is a bit over the top (especially since they probably taste horrible). Drop a brand level on everything you can and the overall price drops by roughly 30%. Often you’re only paying for the branded packaging anyway.

3. Align your eyes to belly ratio

   Americans actually waste about 40% of food produced for consumption. According to Wasted Food, that amounts to an annual cost of over $100 billion. Buy only what you need for the week and avoid stocking up with food which could spoil quickly. If you run out of food mid-week it’s no big deal to make a second trip to the supermarket.

4. Reduce your heating bill

   By turning the temperature down in your house by just one degree you can save almost 10% on your heating bill. Also, you’ll prevent about 240kg of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. Cheaper, and greener too.

5. Enjoy happy hour

   If you like a beer with your buddies in the evening, consider going at less popular times of the day. Many bars offer happy hour deals when it’s quiet which can often see you save up to 50% of the cost. You can’t complain at getting more beer for less.

6. Be a late adopter

   I know it’s tough to wait until the buzz surrounding the new mobile phone or games console has died down - especially if you’re a techno-geek - but if you can hold back from buying until at least six months after the new technology is launched you could save up to 50%. Let other obsessed geeks drive the price down for you.

7. Give alternative gifts

   People always say “it’s the thought that counts” when you’re giving and receiving gifts. You can put this to the test by offering alternative gifts. You could offer your dad a weekend of gardening to save him mowing the lawn and cleaning out the fish pond or give your girlfriend a booklet of massage vouchers to redeem whenever she likes. They’ll love your thoughtfulness and you get to pocket the cash you would have otherwise spent.

8. Have a house-swap holiday

   Instead of shelling out on an all-inclusive deal to Jamaica this year, you could have a house swap holiday instead. Who knows, maybe you’ll bump into Cameron Diaz and she’ll take a shine to you. Give it a go at HomeLink.

9. Drive better

   The Energy Saving Trust reckon you can save almost $200 a year by ‘eco-driving’. Obviously this is applicable to manual cars and it involves changing gear before your engine hits 2,500 rpm, driving smoothly and eliminating the use of your air-con while driving at an efficient speed of around 45-50mph.

10. Shop smarter

    You can save up to 60% on clothes prices by visiting designer outlet stores, as they sell nothing but excess stock, special buys and end of season merchandise from some of the biggest names in fashion. I got some Diesel jeans for $30. Bargain!

If you’ve got any other simple and easy ways to save money then please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments. We could all use as many tips and as much advice as possible. Also, if you’re a financial blogger, professional, or just someone who is financially savvy, contact us now to discuss writing some money related guest articles for Just A Guy Thing.

In the UK, the average household debt is £8,290 (excluding mortgages). In the USA, 8.3 percent of households owe $9,000 or more on their cards and total consumer debt reached $2.46 trillion in June 2007. They say money doesn’t grow on trees, but the modern reality is that it does. We’re being offered credit cards and “Buy Now, Pay in 12 months” special promotions wherever we go. No wonder so many people are in debt!

There is no quick fix or easy way out of debt. It’s hard work and to achieve it you need to be extremely disciplined. The key is to come up with a financial plan that has achievable goals. This article will explain the best ways that you can improve your life and reduce your stress by creating a simple and effective financial plan.

Top Tips For Reducing Your Debt

Get help

It sounds simple, but many people keep their debt a secret – even from their family and loved ones. Ever heard the expression “A problem shared is a problem halved”? It’s true. Seeking help from your friends and family will remove a great deal of burden and weight from your shoulders, allowing you to think more clearly. You will soon realise that you have people close to you that will help you to stay strong while you achieve your goals to get debt free. You can also visit the Consumer Credit Counseling Service at http://www.cccservices.com/home.asp if you’re in the USA and http://www.cccs.co.uk if you’re in the UK.

Contact your creditors

If you know you’re going to miss one of your payments, contact your creditor as soon as possible. They will be more likely to work with you if you contact then before the payment is due. They are also trained to solve payment problems and can advise you on alternative solutions. Be honest with them and explain your financial situation and why you can’t pay the bill. Often you can work out lower payments to accommodate your income. Also, if you agree to pay them on a certain date, make sure your honour that agreement. It will show you are willing and motivated to pay your debts.

Cut up your credit cards

This is a big one. Avoid the temptation that carrying a credit card brings and destroy it. The last thing you want to do is get yourself further into debt. It can be very tempting once you’ve paid off some of your debt to then spend more because we convince ourselves that we’ve worked hard and we deserve a treat. Don’t do it! You’ll be right back where you started and the whole process needs to start again. Don’t take out any more credit cards or credit accounts.

Set your budget (and stick to it)

Unless you’ve got a new job lined up, it’s going to be easier to reduce your monthly spend than increase your income. Work out your monthly outgoings and set aside a budget for the essential items needed for the month with the remainder of the money. Don’t make any non-essential purchases until you’ve made substantial headway towards your goals. If you have a large amount of debt, consider selling some of your assets to fund payments.

Prioritise

Pay the most important bills first. The mortgage, car insurance, heating, electricity etc. This includes any bills which have been handed over to a collection agency. Once you’ve determined your high priority debts, move down the list by focusing on the high interest debts.

Track personal expenses

You wouldn’t believe how quickly your money can disappear through simple day to day items such as food and drink. Take a notebook with you wherever you go and keep a log. Alternatively, keep your receipts and keep track of the data using www.expensr.com. This will accurately tell you where your money is going.

Set financial goals

Small, achievable goals can help you to monitor your progress. Make all financial decisions with your end goals in mind. Remember your target – A debt free life.

Following these tips you can ensure that your debt is shrinking, rather than growing. Stay focused and your debt will decrease. Once you’ve reached your debt-free goals, you can then put the extra money you have each month into a savings plan to provide a better future for you and your family.