Financial Basics

Using a budget to manage your money is key to paying off your debt. But, budgets don't always seem to work. The numbers don't match up and somehow you always manage to spend more than you budgeted for. Here's a secret: many problems with budgeting aren't about the actual budget at all. Here are come of the common reasons budgets don't work and...

Going from deep-in-debt to debt-free isn't necessarily a quick or easy process, but it's doable. It starts with changing the way you think about debt. If you want to get out of debt and stay out, these are some things you must do.

Making a budget is the first step to paying off your debt. You won't be able to get out of debt and stay out if you're not good at managing your money.

Not having a budget can ruin your plans to get out of debt. If you're not already in debt, the lack of a budget can get you there.

Impulsive credit card spending can be costly, especially since you don’t have to actually visit the store to use your credit card. If you want to stop racking up credit card debt, you have to learn to control your impulses.

Deciding whether you should pay off debt or save money can be a difficult decision. Weigh both options - saving money or paying off debt.

The U.S. debt ceiling is about more than how much debt the government can rack up. If the debt ceiling isn't raised, your finances could be affected.

Expense tracking is one of the first steps you should take to get out of debt. The expense tracking exercise helps you see where you can squeeze money to put toward your debt payments.