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Staying debt free sound like something fairly easy in theory, however in practice the vast majority of people find it very difficult. Because of our consumer culture, as well as the general expectancy for most people to owe money in some way, spending more than we have often becomes second nature. Fortunately with a little know how and some extra self control, staying out of debt permanently isn't impossible for most of us.

One of the main reasons that so many people are in debt these days is because getting credit is a lot easier than it used to be. Years ago banks and similar institutions had the attitude that they would only lend money to someone that they knew would pay them back. However more recently credit has been given a lot more freely to people who were not as likely to be able to pay it back. This in turn has lead to them running up massive debts with little hope of paying it back quickly, which due to interest has made the lenders more money.

For many thousands of people having a credit card, or even several, is too much of a temptation for them to spend money that they don't have. This then leads them to get into debt and due to the fact that they probably have other bills to take care of as well, the credit card doesn't get paid off. An excellent way to stay out of debt is simply to use a debit card only, and avoid credit cards altogether, except perhaps in emergencies. This might occasionally mean waiting a little longer before buying things, but this usually isn't really too much of an issue.

Many people tend to take out financing deals almost as a second nature for large purchases such as vehicles, appliances etc. While these mean you can have the goods sooner, they also mean that you are wasting money and being charged interest. This interest might not seem like a lot, but over the life of the loan, this can often add up into several hundred dollars extra that you are paying simply to be able to get the item before you can afford it. Saving up for large items and then paying cash or using a debit card is a far healthier way to be, in terms of staying debt free that is.

When shopping, a good way to ensure that you are getting the best value is to shop around before you buy, especially with more expensive items. People tend to have a habit of settling for buying from the first location that they are in, and often end up paying a lot more than they need to. Simply comparing the prices in a few different stores, or even through browsing comparison

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