Dr. Phil, the television talk-show host and psychologist, is known for giving out advice on any number of situations. But what does he know about debt? It turns out, Dr. Phil offers some pretty good common-sense advice about managing your money and dealing with a debt situation. If you’ve ever seen the TV host, you might find yourself reading the following advice in his unique voice.
First, don’t spend more than you make. Dr. Phil notes that households in the United States spend as much as 22 cents extra for ever dollar they make. Overspending leads to increasing debt. Use cash, says Dr. Phil, because cash makes it harder to spend when you don’t have it.
Once you are dealing with debt, Dr. Phil says to put things in writing. Getting terms and agreements in writing from creditors is a great idea, but Dr. Phil also notes that writing your debt down for yourself can help you understand how much you owe and to whom. It can be eye-opening to see all of your debt on a single written page or computer screen, and it also helps you understand just how big your issue of debt might be.
Dr. Phil further recommends calling creditors to negotiate more favorable terms or payment situations. It’s not impossible that you can get better terms or payment situations, but it’s also possible that you are not in a position to make any payment that would satisfy a creditor. If you are dealing with a large amount of debt and are already late on bills, then it might be time to consider bankruptcy. Consulting with a legal debt management professional in Arizona can help you understand what your options are.
Source: Dr. Phil, “Tips to Eliminate Debt,” accessed Jan. 29, 2016