Being debt free is critical for any family out there to achieve a positive financial future. So, if you have been putting off paying debt on any income, you just have to find a way out. If you don’t, your financial future will likely feature more debt, constant financial stress and even strained family relationships.

The real problem is not how much debt you are in or how low your income is. The real problem is the number of big dreams you have to give up every minute you stay under the dark clouds of debt. Now that you know you need to get out of debt fast, here are some hacker tips that will inspire you to that debt-free future.

A Reality Check

Before you begin tackling your debts, what you really need to get started doing right away is a total thought process shift. This means facing the reality about your financial life. If you are in debt and live on a low income, you are in a very dangerous financial situation, but that can change in no time.

For starters, stop thinking about the debts as a challenge that you “could” tackle; instead, think of debt as something you “should” tackle. A reality check means asking yourself honestly if you like what you see when you look at your financial life. Is this something you dreamed of living through?

Have a Specific Goal

After the reality check, set about writing a specific debt payment goal using the Debt Snowball method and post it on the refrigerator for everyone in the family to see. Let your family know that you will get out of debt. A specific goal, steps written out in a debt snowball list and a date, plus the fact you will need to be accountable to friends and family – all these things will motivate you to keep moving.

Learn Budgeting, the Right Way

Although you may be living frugally now, somehow all the pennies you save seem to find their way right back out again. Get to learning about and implementing a Zero-Sum Budget, as well as sinking funds, and everything will change. You will finally succeed at sticking to a monthly budget – even on a low regular or irregular income!

Keep on Saving, Even with a Low Income

This is where things start getting tough, and it would be unfair to mention here that things will get easy. At this point, you need to remember why you are willing to work so hard to get out of debt. If you’re seriously looking forward to a debt-free future, then you will have to love squeezing the best out of every cent in your Zero-Sum budget, and pray this does not drive you or your spouse crazy!

To get out of debt fast, brace yourself for you will have to buy nothing. Take a rip-off-the-band-aid approach and cut out any expenses that are eating into your budget. Just remember, things will not be so tight in the near future.

Earn Extra Cash

While everyone is always looking into more ways of saving money, when you are dealing with thousands of dollars in debt, saving money is not enough. At some point you will have to take on extra jobs like working at home in your free time, delivering pizzas, and the like. You may also have to sell some of your extra stuff and direct the earnings realized into paying off some of the debts.

Always remember to stay inspired to help you pay off debts faster. You could even consider consulting professionals and learn how to create a letter to debtors for debt settlement to make your journey to the debt-free zone that much more bearable.