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美国人的债务比以往任何时候都多。有抵押贷款，学生贷款，汽车贷款和信用卡债务，美国的平均家庭拥有超过100,000美元的债务。
Debt has become so “normal” in our society that many people don’t view it as a problem. Many of us feel that debt is necessary, or even good, in certain situations, when really, no debt isgood debt。这是11个谎言，您可能会告诉自己，使您承担债务。
1.“债务是'正常的。'每个人都有它。”
你想像琼斯一样生活吗？琼斯夫妇拥有学生贷款，汽车贷款，信用卡债务，当然还有25万美元的抵押贷款。琼斯的生活在外面看起来不错，但里面很痛苦。他们几乎没有刮擦，他们继续承担更多的债务。他们淹没了付款。
他们赚取可靠的收入，如果他们没有债务，他们很容易得到良好的收入。但是由于他们的债务，他们的生命像仓鼠一样在方向盘上旋转，从来没有取得成功。这就是美国“正常”的样子。你想正常吗？
2. “I don’t need an emergency fund. I have credit cards for emergencies.”
Yes, you do need an紧急基金。Unlike credit cards, your emergency fund is not a loan. It doesn’t charge you interest or ridiculous fees. Your emergency fund won’t put you in debt. Credit cards are sneaky — between interest and hidden fees, you can end up paying much more than you originally charged on the card.
3. “I got a new job or a promotion and I have to dress the part.”
Lifestyle inflationis a problem for many people who get a new job, big raise, or fancy promotion. Our first instinct is often to upgrade our lifestyles. Unfortunately, many of us can’t actually afford to do so and end up taking on more debt. We buy new cars, bigger homes, or designer clothes — sometimes to impress people who couldn’t care less what we buy. Even though your income went up, you don’t need to increase your expenses. How about using that extra income to pay off debt or build savings instead?
4. “It costs money to get out of debt — money that I不有。”
普遍的误解是，债务合并或正式债务减免是摆脱债务的唯一方法，这根本不是事实。尽管这些选项可用（是的，它们通常会带来代价来支付帮助您的人），但它们并不是您唯一的债务选择。更加有意地对您的花费（也不花费），即使以最小的方式也可以帮助减轻您的财务负担很多。这可能包括保留冲动日记和跟踪器on hand, using a电子表格以跟踪成本和费用, etc. Once you start taking these no-cost steps towards better tracking your funds, you may find that you do, in fact, “have money,” you just failed to use it efficiently until now. You may even use that money towards getting help to eliminate your debt. Either way, at the end of the day, you无法管理what you不措施。
5. “If I’m too frugal, I won’t have any fun or joy in my life.”
There is a common misconception that frugal people don’t have any fun. This couldn’t be further from the truth — some of the most fun people are quite frugal. There are many fun things that can be done for free or a low cost, such as free yoga classes, hiking, swimming, playing board games, watching movies, and going to free festivals.
6. “My situation isn’tthatbad.”
I recently talked to a couple who had to charge their dog’s emergency vet visit on a credit card. I suggested that they put more money in savings so that they would be better prepared next time and wouldn’t have to charge it. The wife’s response was “It’s notthatbad.” The couple had recently paid off $75,000 of credit card debt, so they felt taking on $200 of credit card debt was nothing compared to the massive amount they had faced in the past. This couple charges every emergency to a credit card, and they will never be debt-free. Stop living in denial and face the truth: if you haveanydebt, you have a problem.
7. “My situation is hopeless.”
虽然有些人否认自己的财务状况有多糟糕，但另一些人则非常了解它的糟糕程度。这些人走到相反的极端，觉得他们的处境是绝望的，那么为什么还要尝试解决问题呢？这永远不会绝望。隧道末端总是有光。陷入悲伤和无助的感觉不会改善任何事情。
与他人接触，寻求建议（来自那些实际知道他们在说什么的人），并尽力增加收入并大幅度削减费用。您并不孤单地在战斗中摆脱债务。还有许多其他人去过那里 - 在您看似绝望的情况下，他们也能够摆脱债务，您也可以。
8. “I’m a victim.”
你觉得自己像受害者吗？您是否指责掠夺性贷款实践，高利率或前配偶？停止责怪他人的选择。是的，有时候生活是不公平的。也许您确实确实被搞砸了。但是受害者的心态不能为您服务。
There’s no point in blaming others, avoiding paying off your debt, and hoping it will magically disappear. The first step to getting out of debt is to take responsibility for your mistakes. Once you achieve this first step, you can begin to formulate a plan to get out of debt.
9. “I don’t make enough money.”
多做一些。尽一切努力增加收入 - 找到更好的工作，要求加薪，找副工作，创业或出租房屋房间。有很多possibilities如果您愿意寻找它们，在那里。
10.“有时候我应该对自己。”
You don’t “deserve” to spend money you don’t really have. You deserve to get out of debt and attain financial freedom.
11. “I know so-and-so got out of debt, but I can’t do what they did.”
您不必做他们所做的事情。每个人都有自己独特的情况。也许您无法选择与父母住在一起或摆脱汽车。也许您的债务比某些人多，也许您赚的钱比他们少。还需要您更长的时间来偿还债务，但这并不意味着您不能做到。
You just need to get creative. Find every way you can think of to scrimp and save. Stop going to restaurants, bars, and shopping malls. Move to a cheaper apartment. Get a bunch of roommates. Stop paying for services you don’t need or use.
如果您真正竭尽所能省钱，并且仍然无法偿还债务，那么您会有收入问题。您需要赚更多的钱。要求加薪，找到一份高薪工作，或者在侧面获得第二份工作。
最后一个想法
You can get out of debt if you’re willing to put in the work. Paying off debt is difficult, but the formula is simple: earn more, spend less. If you’ve got the saving part down already, you need to focus on increasing your income. Once you manage that, you can get started on the road to debt freedom. It’s not easy, but it is absolutely worth it.
（该帖子最初发布于2017年5月，此后已更新）
Jen是人力资源/金融专业人士，也是节俭的生活方式博客作者。詹和她的丈夫在短短三年内就还清了117,000美元的学生贷款债务。她写了关于预算健康饮食，负担得起的婚礼技巧，销毁债务以及节俭的博客节俭的千禧一代。
Image viaUnplash
