There are few things in life that are more troublesome than debt. It is the cause of many family problems and ongoing arguments. It can destroy a family's resources. It can cause depression and discouragement. One of the worst things that debt does is to put someone else in control of your life. If you owe someone for something that you have already received, they actually have some control over your life. If you hit a hard spot and cannot pay for something that you owe, the owner can come and take possession of the item.

DEBT truly is a four letter word. You should think of it standing for "Don't Ever Borrow over Time."

Here are some steps to help stay out of debt.

First

- Learn to live within your means and well within you means. Put together a detailed budget and live by it.

Second

- Don't buy on credit unless it is an absolute necessity. Absolute necessity would be something like needing to buy a new freezer because your current one broke well-before it should have, and everything in it will be lost unless you get a new one immediately.

Third

- Look at debt as giving someone else control over a part of your life.

Fourth

- If there is something you feel like you really want or need, start a personal savings account and feed it regularly until you have enough to buy it.

Fifth

- Make sure that your budget contains categories for emergencies and miscellaneous expenses.

Sixth

- If you have credit cards that you can't help but use, even when there is not a necessity, cut them up and have a card cutting party.

Of course it would be hard to buy a house without taking on some debt. Even a car can sometimes be a necessity that requires some debt. You can find great deals on cars that are dependable and in good working order. You don't need something fresh off the lot.

If you find that you have some debt, do everything you can do eliminate it. You will find a freedom in being debt free. You will feel like you are in control of everything.