Readers Digest
Magazine subscription Podcast
HomeMoneyManaging your Money

Are you looking for help with debt in the UK?

The best way to tackle a problem is to break it down, and debt is no different. If you're stuck with unmanageable debts, try these steps to find your way out
The curse of modern man in the UK, and probably the thing that concerns him the most, is money. If you go and ask any man or woman between the ages of 20 and 60 what worries them the most, there’s a pretty high chance the answer you’re going to get is "money."
While prices seem to keep going higher over time, wages have always kept a steady pace that just usually isn’t enough to keep up with how poorly the economy has been doing.
Some people resort to invest as an escape, considering it their only out and the only way they could secure a somewhat stable financial future. Others resort to borrowing money, and with time, a problem arises and they find themselves in debt. While debt is a pit you usually keep sinking deeper and deeper into, this guide will help you find your way out.
 
pODmkoGwm3u3t0sICsd319SO6N1h4PSfjHvNfBlqT9e0VO5fljOn0_iFIeVDe9O0CCzyiYAENAJ8_Rsy5N1_UuD3pYZafjluUreBCv6bYjLA_oHkjC5zHQUGeIbzdn9QKD82bc3m

A symptom not the problem

Debt is usually a symptom of a much bigger problem in the UK. Before you can get out of this debt, you first need to identify this problem. You should sit down with yourself and start reviewing your spending habits. Where do most of your expenses come from? Are you an excessive shopper? Do you buy things you don’t need and could definitely do without? There are a few candid questions that you’ll need to ask yourself, but the answers will definitely help you get right back on track.

Professional help

Sometimes the only way out of this is to get professional help with debt UK local can depend on. Having a financial expert look into your spending and saving habits is never a bad idea, and their insights can definitely go a long way in setting you straight. There are companies out there that would give you free consultations on your financial situation where they would tell you what they think the problem is and how you can fix it. Some companies also go the extra mile and start covering your debt –– which usually has higher interest rates –– and help you organize your debt in a form of monthly payments that you can actually pay. So it’s important to keep this option in mind and to look for some external help that might just be the answer to your problem.

A budget

Even if you identify the problem and get some professional help to manage it, you still have some steps to take yourself before this is over. The first thing you need to do is create a budget. It’s not rocket science and it doesn’t need to be anything fancy. It’s all about the amount of money earned versus the amount spent, and how that ratio can be improved. You’ll find that there are always steps you can take to improve your spending habits, but you need to identify the patterns first before you can do that. And the only way to do that is to create a budget sheet to see where your money is being spent.

The credit solution

There’s a little trick that you can play with your credit card which might actually substantially help with your interest rates. You can get new credit cards to cut down on your current ones’ losses. You’ll find that many banks allow their customers to move their credit debt to newer cards with better rates. It’s a tricky move to pull off, but if done properly, you can save a lot of money by reducing your interest rates in using newer credit cards.

A loan

This is definitely not a standard UK bank loan, we’re talking about here –– that would only serve to make your debt situation worse. But there are other loan options you can resort to. You can get a cheap personal loan with minimal interest, which helps in paying off your current debts. There’s also another option to pay off an immediate debt, which is borrowing money from friends and family who will definitely be more understanding than banks and probably won’t charge you for interest rates, too.
 
2SYAajKf3ThdcFO9b_Fe7cgWrILc5e4y2aLvwpAkz4xp3criuZFCk2xXZj2h8X5BmNbAGo1VFfRPhW-o-PId4VXj44EmpMVNkT_sSzSWaTbGLWKzULEfoMt0f97B65Sb4kxZRiBC
The most important thing in the process of getting out of debt while living in the UK is learning from your past mistakes. Don’t repeat the same mistakes and patterns that led you into debt in the first place, and always exercise good judgement when it comes to financial aspects of your life. It is always a good idea to use any savings you have to pay off debt, or else it would accumulate. And try to use any resources you can get your hands on like free financial consultation to get ahead of your debt problems.
Keep up with the top stories from Reader's Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter
 

This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you. Read our disclaimer

Loading up next...
Stories by email|Subscription
Readers Digest

Launched in 1922, Reader's Digest has built 100 years of trust with a loyal audience and has become the largest circulating magazine in the world

Readers Digest
Reader’s Digest is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards, please contact 0203 289 0940. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit ipso.co.uk