As a resident of New York who has struggled with credit card debt, you know that one of the best things you can do is to prevent yourself from falling back into debt once you’re out. With the right tools, you can create and maintain the habits you need to make that happen.
FindLaw provides a close look at what you should and shouldn’t do in order to avoid falling back into credit card debt. You should be doing things like:
- Paying the balance in full every month to avoid interest
- Creating and sticking to a budget
- Recording all of your purchases
- Limit your credit cards
Other suggestions include only using your credit cards for emergency situations, or leaving them at home when you go shopping. This can help to limit the temptation of using them if you’re in a pinch. In general, learning to treat a credit card as money you already have rather than money you’re borrowing can go a long way in helping to keep you out of debt.
As for things to avoid, this includes taking cash advances, charging food purchases, and treating the credit card like money you don’t actually have. The fastest way people fall into debt is by buying more than they can afford, trying to pay it back in small increments, and becoming buried underneath interest as the rates climb.
And just like that, making a few changes to your spending habits can have long-term effects. Just by following these steps, you can help cut down on your chances of falling into debt again.