How to Get Out of Debt - Use Your Assets

When it comes to developing a solid plan to free yourself of debt, there are a number of things that you should keep in mind. In addition to cutting back on your spending and prioritizing your debts, you should also take a look at additional sources of income that can be put to use to help free you of your financial burdens so that you can get on the path to financial health. While everyone's situation will be different, many individuals can take advantage of at least some of these tips to help aid them in their struggle to achieve a debt free life.

Just about everyone has assets that they can put to use to help them gain better control of their debt. The most valuable things that a person owns, their home in their automobile, can also be valuable tools if you have enough equity in them. Of the two of these assets, a person's home is by far the most valuable and the easiest use when it comes to restructuring their debt in a way that is manageable. There are a number of advantages to using the equity that you have in your home to help you pay off debt.

Perhaps the single greatest benefit to leveraging home equity to pay off debt is the fact that a mortgage, or even a second mortgage, will have a considerably lower interest rate than even the best credit card. If you have enough equity in your home, you may want to consider discussing a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit with your bank that you can use the money to pay off higher interest debts. It is important, however, that you use this money only to pay off debts with an interest rate higher than your home loan.

A vehicle can also be a tool to use in your battle against overwhelming debt. It may be possible for you to sell your car, purchase something more economical and use the extra money is to put a dent in your debt. A word of caution regarding selling your car is in order, however. Do not sell your car and purchase one that will cost you more money in the long run in repairs. By using the assets that you already have to your advantage, you can begin to turn the tide on your debt and get control of your finances once and for all.