Got a lot of debt but have no idea how you’re going to get it all paid? We’ve all been there at one time or another; struggling to keep food on the table while trying to hold bill collectors at bay while we reorganize our lives. Though it can be more than stressful to have to deal with your personal finances, driving yourself crazy, or getting yourself sick is not going to solve the matter. Instead you must learn to take a deep breath, handle what you can, and take care of yourself in the process.
The Dangers of Too Much Stress
Some stress is common as life is no walk through the park (no matter how good you make it look). However, too much stress in your life could cause your emotional and physical well-being to plummet. Common issues with too much stress include: headaches, body aches, chronic stress, high blood pressure, heart disease, and even death. If you’ve noticed any of these systems going on in your life, it is time to do something about it before it gets out of hand. Mental health issues such as chronic stress that aren’t dealt with properly not only have an impact on your well being, but it can have a downward spiral affect on personal and professional relationships.
What to Do About it
The best way to deal with stress is to eliminate the problem. While you probably can’t write one check and take care of all of your debt in an instant, there are some things you can do in the meantime to lower your stress levels.
Talk to Bill Collectors
Even though you don’t have the funds upfront to pay off the balance in full doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a conversation with the bill collectors. Many times we stress ourselves out by not answering the phone, but lack of communication can make things worse. At least by letting your bill collectors know that you’re dealing with a lot financially, you keep them from having to guess what your intentions are. You can then try to come up with more affordable payment options so that you can stop stressing out every time the phone rings.
Pay What You Can
Letting your bills pile up until you have a lump sum of cash is never the answer. You run the risk of incurring more late fees, interest fees, and even court costs should the bill collector decide to take you to court. Instead, try and pay what you can on your outstanding debts. If all you can afford is $50 a month, send that in via money order and keep track. At the very least this shows good will and creditors will usually back off while you continue to pay the balance down.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
While you shouldn’t have a ho hum attitude about your finances, you also can’t stress yourself out to the point that its affecting your health. If you’re sick, you call off from work, you miss income, which in turn worsens your problem. Instead, just handle what you can and don’t sweat the rest. When your funds allow you to pay more towards your bills, then do so, but dreading about a high balance that you have no way of paying off in a small amount of time is pointless. Simply learn from your mistakes and move past it.
Treat Yourself
Last but not least, take care of yourself. If you’ve been stressing over your finances, treat yourself to a massage. Can’t afford a massage from a professional? Why not turn your spare room into a massage parlor? All you need is a little space and some basic massage equipment. You can check online to find a portable massage table for sale and have your partner give you a good rub down at night.
I’m not arguing that personal finances aren’t stressful, because they are. However, what I am saying is that you can’t continue to be your flawless self if you allow past poor decision making to get the best of you in the present. Evaluate your finances, reach out to creditors, pay what you can, don’t sweat what you can’t, and treat yourself to stress relieving activities like a massage or a shopping spree. Before you know it, your debt will be a thing of the past and you can move forward being more mindful of your finances.
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