Straight Talk on Debt: Support Your Financial Success

Happy New Year everyone! This is the first Straight Talk on Debt Post for 2012 and it is dedicated to giving you information to support your financial success this year.

For those of you reading for the first time this post is a roundup of articles from personal finance bloggers that share their first hand knowledge of getting out of debt, budgeting, investing and more. I believe these people are the "real" financial experts because they have been there, had these experiences, and learned from them.

This month we are focusing on supporting success in our community and these articles were selected by me to do just that; help you on your journey to become debt free!

A New Year a New you 

• Five Fiscal New Years Resolutions for Families @FCN "Instead, this year use your resolutions to help put your financial house in order. Doing that won't help you fit into that pair of skinny jeans or improve your breath, but it will fatten up your wallet and improve your financial outlook." 

• 12 Steps to Financial Freedom in 2012 @GRSBlog "If you've resolved to take control of your finances in 2012, this article is the place to start. It's packed with tips and resources for making the most of your money. And as I do every year, I've added one tip to the list." 

Set your Mind to It

• The Psychology of Getting Out of Debt @EnemyofDebt "Anyone can say they want to become debt free but it's our emotionally-driven behaviors and attitudes that will grant us final passage into the world of financial freedom." 
• The Scarcity Mindset... Beneficial or Poisonous? @ManVsDebt "But I've realized that an abundance mindset is only really possible (and beneficial) when you actually have the breathing room t0 let it grow." 
• No More Budgets! How to Build a Hassle-Free Money Management System, Part 1 @MoneyUnder30 "You know you should budget, but you also know you're not really going to do it. Learning how to budget isn't the problem. You can visit any one of hundreds of personal finance blogs to read about budgeting techniques." 

• Better Than the Average Man (Infographic) @FrugalDad "I probably could have told you that American men were in bad shape (both financially and physically) but I didn't realize just how bad until now. The average guy has almost $15k in debt and only $3k in savings, and 16% of guys rarely pay off their credit card bills. If this isn't why Frugal Dad was founded back in 2007, then I don't know what is." 

Homeowners' Beware 

• Stuff New Home Owners Never think About... @BudgetsAreSexy "My point? Just promise to consider all of this stuff when you're out and about getting giddy home shopping. I'm not trying to sway you from doing it, or telling you home ownership is bad - it's not, even though it's not my favorite thing in the world - but I do want you to know there's a lot more to it than just a purchase price and low interest rate. And one way to really stay on the safe side is by buying a home WITHIN YOUR BUDGET. Even if you can afford more, or bigger, it's not necessarily the best move." 

• How Much Does a New Mortgage Affect Your Credit Score? @RyanGuina "If you are looking for a free way to get your credit score (free as in, no credit card required, no trial period, etc.), then check out Credit Karma and/or Credit Sesame. These aren't the FICO credit scores, but they are based on information from the major credit bureaus and are accurate enough for personal use." 

Tips to Save 

• Different Ways to Save Money - From Savings Accounts to Savings Bonds @JeremyVoh "Using a savings account to pay emergency bills, save up for vacations, put aside money for holidays, and have cash available to buy birthday gifts means that you do not need to use credit. When you avoid credit, you avoid the ongoing burden of paying interest or possibly hurting your credit score." 
• 4 Tips to Help You Negotiate Your Medical Bills @Moolanomy "There is never a good time to have expected or unexpected medical expenses. No matter how well we budget, there never seems to be enough money put aside to cover the costs. Unexpected medical expenses can kill any budget and leave the person holding the bill in a state of distress. The impact is exponentially worse if something happens when you are uninsured or under-insured. With a few days stay in the hospital having the potential to reach over six figures, a "simple" medical issue can destroy your finances."

Photo Credit

Suzanne Cramer  

Suzanne is a certified credit counselor and a Social Media Specialist for CareOne Debt Relief Services. Suzanne writes for Divorce, Debt and Finances and A Straight Talk on Debt. Follow Suzanne on Twitter @SuzanneCramer1  and @AskCareOne where she shares her insights on divorce and managing your finances.