Follow Me Out of Debt | Get out of debt and get into prosperity!

Just a quick personal update on me, the show, and more.

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If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity.

Do you remember that infomercial from back in the day where the lady yelled out tell everyone to stop the insanity? It was an infomercial on diet and exercise, but that's not the topic of this episode. Rather, I am talking about how we need to stop the insanity when it comes to all of the ideas and concepts floating around in the world of personal financial advice. It can get to be pretty overwhelming if you let it, and sometimes you need to step back and take a look at how the advice aligns with your particular situation.

I believe that it is truly best to pick and choose which concepts work best for yourself. You may need to do a little trial and error in order to find out what's best for you and your situation, but the reality here is that there is no cookie-cutter approach for everyone. It simply doesn't work that way. There is a right answer for you, and sometimes it's worth it to dig deeper and look for that correct answer a little more than what you find on the surface.

Just as the answers are different for different questions, the answers are different for each individual's particular situation. Keep that in mind while you are looking for advice, and thoughtfully analyze each and every bit of advice that you come across in order to ensure that it aligns well with your particular situation. That is the only way to truly stop the insanity.

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity. I'm also on Facebook at http://facebook.com/followmeoutofdebt.

Is it really necessary to eat rice and beans when getting out of debt? Absolutely not. Several gurus out there use the phrase of rice and beans when referring to grocery shopping, but this is to illustrate the point that you are no longer to be eating steak, lobster, and other expensive foods while you're getting out of debt. You aren't to be eating out at restaurants, either. The meaning behind the phrase is simply to spend less on groceries in order to get out of debt faster, and I completely agree with this.

What I don't agree with are the folks who are taking the phrase a little too literally. They are either purchasing rice and beans to extend the grocery budget, or they are buying low-quality, cheaper foods in order to fill their bellies without considering nutrition. This is where I have to draw the line.

There are other means to pay more on your credit cards or loans. Take on a part-time job. Shop at a different store if the one you normally shop at for groceries is costing too much money. The main point is this. Don't sacrifice nutrition, and in extension your health, in the name of getting out of debt more quickly.

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity. I'm also on Facebook at http://facebook.com/followmeoutofdebt.

You ask the questions on social media about personal finance, and I answer them right here on the show.

Ashley and her husband are having issues in their marriage. They have tried paying off debt for the last four years but have little to show for it. Her husband is never home, and it's affecting their marriage. She wants him home more often so that he has more time with the kids. They are stressed and feel like they are truly at the end of their rope. They are considering debt consolidation, debt management programs, and even bankruptcy.

Kristin needs some help with how to handle her medical bills. She's got about $3,300.00 in medical debt, and several bills have already gone to collections or are at the final notice point. I'll share with her what the best strategy is to take care of this problem and pay off those bills once and for all and prevent them from going into further collection efforts.

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity. I'm also on Facebook at http://facebook.com/followmeoutofdebt.

A friend in need is a friend, and you want them to stay that way. Letting them borrow money from you is a good way to almost guarantee that won't happen if your friend doesn't pay you back. Granted, if your friend borrows a smaller amount, you could just call it a gift and that's that. However, if your friend (or family member) borrows a substantial amount of money from you, what recourse do you have if they refuse to pay you back? Do you take them to court? That's just ugly, and nobody wants to go through that.

It's always best to simply say no. How you do this is as important as doing it. First, you need to schedule this conversation for a later date. The reason for this is to diffuse the situation naturally. You won't say no right away, but you will have a postponed and planned conversation later in order to get your ducks in a row.

Let your friend or family member know that you are concerned about their situation, and they may not like what you have to say. Let them know that you value their friendship or relationship, and that's your primary reason to not let them borrow the money. Keep the conversation focused and calm, and stick to all of the reasons why them borrowing money from you is a bad idea.

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity.

On episode 159, I introduced the work from home opportunity known as Rev.com. The primary benefits of this program are paid training, consistent pay when you work, and a truly flexible schedule. If you have great grammar and typing skills, Rev.com may be a great fit for you.

The first segment of the Rev.com opportunity is transcription, but they also offer captioning as a second segment. I applied and tested for the captioning opportunity and had to wait a few weeks before I was approved. I found out upon approval that they only accept 10% of applicants. It's not easy to get accepted, but if you do, it's great to have the ability to literally determine exactly when you will work (as long as opportunities are available for you).

Personally, I enjoy the captioning program more than the transcription program. Neither program is a huge money-maker, but the benefits still make this an attractive work from home opportunity for the self-starter who's highly motivated. If you haven't done so already, I definitely recommend that you check this out today.

For more information and to apply, simply go to: https://rev.com

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity.

Yes, you can actually choose to be happy. While we are affected by external influences, we do have a choice as to how we respond to those influences. If you're having a bad day, you have the choice of whether or not you should take out your feelings about your day when you get home on your spouse and children. If you let it get the best of you, you may be short with family members, when at most times, it's not the appropriate response that you should have to a bad day.

Perhaps you are having difficulties with your spouse. While you could respond in anger, you have the choice to change your response to one of kindness and understanding. Perhaps you can learn to listen to your spouse better. Perhaps you can make a grand gesture that will help the two of you to reconcile and get on the same page.

Negative emotions do not need to be acted upon. It takes an enormous amount of self-control to choose happiness, but in the end, you'll be happier, healthier and less stressed. It's worth the commitment.

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity.

Silly adult, gifts are for kids. Well, not all of the time, but in most cases.

Picture the holiday shopping season. How many times have you found yourself actually dreading that time of the year because you are anticipating the cost, stress, and gift returns? I don't get why people do this to themselves. The easy answer is to stop trading gifts with other adults in the family. Make the holidays and birthdays about the kids in the family and your spouse, and leave it at that.

It may be a tough sell, especially if there are blended family traditions that you are suggesting to break. However, once you discuss with your family and extended family the benefits of this plan and how it will directly affect them financially and emotionally, they may actually give your proposal some consideration. It may not happen right away, so you should expect a reasonable amount of resistance, at least at first. Many times, people will be more receptive if the subject matter at hand is about them directly. When they hear how they can save time, money, and headaches, they'll start to listen to your spiel more attentively.

I wouldn't go as far as starting a war within your family and extended family, but I would suggest that you at least bring this idea up to them if you think it makes sense. If you're married, of course, start with your spouse. If your spouse is on board, even better. Now, you can start this proposal as a united front. You talk to your side of the family and your spouse can address theirs. Hopefully, others will see the sound logic in this and end up making everyone's lives that much easier.

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity.

Have you ever had a temporary defeat? This is actually a good thing. Our temporary defeats and setbacks don't define whether we are winning or losing. Instead, these setbacks are helping to teach us a lesson, as long as we are willing to learn from the experience.

The next time you come across a roadblock or other temporary defeat, you should write down what went wrong, reflect on that, and figure out how you can ensure that the same problem will not happen again the future. It's also good when setting goals to give yourself a little more time to accomplish the goal in order to take into account any unforeseen circumstances. This will help you to plan well and naturally accept that we're all human and make mistakes, and that is completely okay.

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity.

Before you buy a beater vehicle to get out of your car payment, you may want to consider all of the possibilities. It's exciting to imagine getting out of car payments by driving a beater vehicle that was paid for with cash. However, how much will maintenance and repairs cost for said vehicle? What is the true cost of driving around in a beater vehicle?

Especially in situations where you have a longer commute, your chances of a break-down increase as the vehicle ages and the mileage on the vehicle rises. You'll want to plan well for failure in this situation and not assume that your beater vehicle will always be dependable. Sometimes you get lucky, and the vehicle lasts for longer than expected. Unfortunately, in many situations, the vehicle may end up costing you more in repairs than it's worth.

If you are considering a beater vehicle, I highly recommend finding a good mechanic first, if you don't have one already. Make sure your mechanic goes over the vehicle with a fine-tooth comb before you purchase it. Perhaps add a little more in your emergency fund to cover repair expenses that you're more likely to have with an older, higher mileage vehicle.

The bottom line is this: if you're making a decision on the vehicle that you're going to depend upon, don't rush the decision. Look at the big picture and make sure that your decision makes sense for you and won't end up being a new source of stress in your life.

If you know someone who may benefit from this show, please feel free to share it by sending them to http://followmeoutofdebt.com. If you're on Twitter, follow me at @fmoodpodcast for all of the latest tips, updates, and strategies to get out of debt and get into prosperity.