When you are going through a debt relief program,you oftentimes use the notion of what life will be like after debt as your motivation. It is extremely difficult to control our debt – especially when we got so used to living beyond our means and spending through our credit cards. That shining light at the end of the tunnel serves as our encouragement to push further and achieve the debt relief that we set out to accomplish.
But what happens when we get there? You will rarely come across an article that will discuss what you need to do after you complete a program. Well here is where this article can help.
The scenario after you finish a debt relief program will depend on the type that you chose to enroll in. While they vary,the general idea remains the same. Here are the things that you need to work on after the successful completion of a debt relief program.
Confirm with your Creditors that you are Debt Free
One of the first things that you need to do is to confirm your new status. This is really something that you should be proud of – being free from debt. Request for a letter from your creditor to confirm that your debt is completely repaid. Check your credit report and see if your new status is already reflected on it.
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Fix your Credit Score
When you get a copy of your credit report,you will see just how much damage had been done by your debts. All forms of debt relief will affect your credit score so this is one of the things that you need to work on. If you want to recover completely you need to fix your credit ranking so you can get financial aid in the future – at least when the need arises. Bankruptcy has the worst effect so if you just completed this process,you have a long way ahead of you.
Revise your Budget Plan
Throughout your debt relief efforts,you should be constantly monitoring your budget plan to see if you are staying true to what you planned to do. When you finish paying off your debts,you need to revise your plan to make sure it suits your new financial standing.
Create a Spending Plan
When you have your budget plan,your next concern is your spending plan. One of your focus at this point is to stay free from debt. To accomplish this,you need to monitor where your money goes to – thus the need to plan your spending. This is actually something that you can include in your budget plan or create separately. The important thing is to know how much you have extra for your entertainment and fun-related expenses. That is usually where we overspend so best to indicate the limit to avoid it.
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Grow your Emergency Fund
Divert your debt fund into your emergency fund so you can grow your savings. If you have more than enough,you can start saving up for a huge purchase. That way,you don’t have to acquire debts to buy something that you want. Not only that,you will be ready for any sudden occurrences that will require a big amount. That may be a sudden illness or accident that you have to pay for. You don’t have to borrow money to pay for any emergencies.
Congratulate Yourself
Lastly,congratulate yourself. When you have gotten rid of your debts,everything is an uphill climb. You should take advantage of that to enjoy and rebuild your life. Give yourself a treat but do not overspend! Make sure you pay for that congratulatory gift in cash.
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