Preparation
Gather
your last six to seven months of check registers. List each item which
has any hope of reduction (not bills because they will soon be paid off,
taxes because they are a fact of life, etc.). If there is a question,
list it.
Categorize
each entry (groceries, entertainment, lunches, savings, etc.)
Develop
ideas for how to save on each entry aiming for a total of 10% of gross.
(as an example--- stop monthly savings = $50; use grocery coupons = $60).
This becomes your nest egg or "Accelerator Margin".
Execution
List
each bill along with payoff amount and minimum payment required.
Divide
the total payoff amount by the minimum monthly payment and assign a numeric
sequence starting with 1 for the lowest division answer, 2 for the next
lowest, etc.
Each
month make the normal monthly payment to each debt except debt one to
which you also apply the Accelerator Margin. Repeat until debt one is
paid.
Pay
the minimum monthly on all bills except debt two. With debt two, apply
the minimum monthly + Accelerator Margin + former debt one payment. Continue
until debt two is paid.
Start
on debt three with the accelerator margin + former debt one + former debt
two, etc.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Shouldn't
I payoff the highest interest debt first? ......
No
you should not. The objective is to pay off the quickest ending debt first
in order to create more leverage to pay more on the following bills.
What
if I have an emergency? ......
if
an emergency comes, suspend your debt elimination progam temporarily,
then resume when it has ended. But make a comitment to get back to your
debt ellimination program as rapidly as possible without fail.
Should
I use the money from my 401(K) to create my Accelerator marging? ......
No!
The tax burden far outweighs the gain in debt payoff. You can temprarily
suspend payment to a 401(k) until you have a few debts paid off but especially
in the case of a company subsidized program, do not stop your matching
share.
This
is so easy, how come they don't teach it in school? ......
They
don't teach it in school because it is not in the creditors best interest
and our society is geared toward having greater debt to stimulate the
economy. What is wrong with that picture?
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