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4. Get out of credit card debt – Stop charging. If it means cutting up cards, giving them to your mother, or freezing them, do what it takes to stop using them. Trade a credit card for a debit card if you need an immediate-impact check. Try to handle debt issues yourself, because it protects your credit score. But if that’s impossible, understand the debt relief options - credit counseling (almost half the industry has recently been found to be abusing non-profit status by the IRS), debt consolidation, and the relatively new (and legit) debt resolution alternatives.


5. Budget – While budgeting software exists for those who want and like to use it, it’s simple and straight-forward to do with a piece of paper. The key is to create a realistic budget, including expense categories for necessities (both fixed and variable) and extras – and commit to stick to it.