Once you're in debt it can be hard to dig your way back out. There's a discouraging cycle of interest making the total amount you have to pay even higher, and if you continue to use your credit cards while making only minimum payments you can find yourself trapped.

But there are options other than bankruptcy to help yourself out of this cycle. Bankruptcy is a quick fix to the immediate debt problems, but it doesn't solve the problems of your spending habits and it will haunt your credit records for years to come. You want to find a better way.

A currently popular way to pay down your credit card debts is to pick a card and start paying it down, just doing the minimum on the others. Pay as much as possible on that one card. When it's done, start on the next.

This can be very powerful for people who are miserable having to pay on multiple credit cards. Those minimum payments can make your life pretty miserable, so cutting down over time on the number of cards in use and being paid on can be quite helpful.

Now let's try a more difficult situation. One card, high balance.

In this case the first thing I would recommend is calling the card issuer to see about getting a lower interest rate. This step alone can be a huge help. Even a drop in rate of a few percentage points will save you a nice bit of money over time.

The next step is to figure out how much money you can pay on the card each time you get paid. Many people get paid twice a month, so if you can manage a payment with each paycheck, you will pay less interest. Many cards calculate your interest based on your average throughout the month, so that extra payment drops that average a little.

You can try paying more often than that if you like, but remember that many credit cards only allow you to make payments three times per month.

Transferring your debt to a 0% interest rate card may be a possibility as well. Make sure you check how long the 0% will be in effect, what rate you can expect to pay afterward, and whether or not there is a balance transfer fee. Sometimes that 0% interest rate can be mighty expensive.

There are other tricks to paying down your debts. A big one is to look at your spending and cut out all the unnecessary stuff. This can be hard, as it may mean bringing lunch to work, going to fewer movies and maybe cutting back on the extras in your cable TV or telephone service. But every bit not going to extras can be put to good use paying down that credit card.

Breaking the habits that got you into debt in the first place is vital. If you don't make changes in how you spend, you will probably find yourself in debt all over again.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! I got kicked in the rear end and it HURTS! How?

To tell you the truth, I'm kicking myself. Want to know why?

Alright, I'll tell you.

An opportunity presented itself to make a little extra dough, which sounded great for the upcoming homeschooling conference. And it's doing what I love and what I'm (professionally) best at. No biggie, right?

Wrong!

I forgot one, minute detail. My emotions. When I do something, I throw ALL of me into it. I prefer to do something with excellence or I don't want to sign my name to it.

So here I am with this project that is SO interesting and challenging and fun. And here are these children who are some interesting and challenging and fun. And our homeschooling schedule and projects which are so interesting and challenging...well, you get the picture. There are only 24 hours in a day (can Congress change that?). And I messed up. What's worse, I know EXACTLY where I messed up.

See, the last 2-3 years, I've been using Proverbs 31:16 as my gauge for adding new things to my docket. I've read -- as have most of us -- Proverbs 31 about a zillion times. I got past the part of it being an "expectation" and now it's just a "goal" to which I strive with excellence and no condemnation to work toward as God perfects me according to his will and purpose until the coming of Christ Jesus.

But Proverbs 31:16 in the Amplified version actually gave me MORE freedom than I could ever imagine. Having no problem saying, "No," when asked to do something, I didn't think I needed this freedom. Check this out, though.

She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]; with her savings [of time and strength] she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard. (italicized emphasis mine)

Did you catch that? It's a Just Say No Card! Before I decide to add something to my life (activity, freelance gig, bible study, ANYTHING), I have to assess if it is going to cause me to neglect my present duties (wife, mom, homemaker, friend). Wait, read it again...not just cause me to neglect my present duties, but court neglect of them; in other words, will I put myself in a position to be wooed by the new thing? Will running the bible study cause me to get so wrapped up in the prayer burden of the study-mates that I neglect the prayer responsibility I have for my children? If I take this freelance gig, will I yield over so much of my free time that it makes me irritable to my family and neglectful of kitchen and laundry? Hmmmmmmmm....

And I know better. I thought I knew better. And here's where I really did it...I usually ask my super-hubby before I take on a gig. And I didn't this time. I usually ask him specifically, "Am I going to be neglecting something that I haven't thought of if I do this?" Matter of fact, I asked that of him about 2 months ago when someone asked me to help out with child care at a church event. He said, "No way, you just had a baby, it's enough just trying to get the family there on time." And I listened. I could have done it, but could I have done it and maintained peace in my heart and home (Col 3:15)?

HECK-E-NO!

Obviously, I didn't know better. The money to buy "stuff" that would help us have a "better" school seemed like a good deal (given, the project grew beyond original plan...inevitables of life that I didn't account for). And now I'm longing for a day with no thought of the freelance gig and time to just sip tea and sit on the sofa with my man-cubs and read and color and discover life together.

I courted neglect. Hmmph...and I'm kicking myself for it. I told my super-hubby tonight that I'm done freelancing; he's not allowed to let me talk myself into anymore freelance stuff. The money is not worth the guilt of neglecting my present duties.

This blog will be my altar of sorts to remind of this place.

If you are considering something, I encourage you, please...consider that new field and ensure that it will yield a savings of time and strength. You are a prudent woman...do not court neglect of your present duties.

It just ain't worth it!

Consuming sugar temporarily elevates the levels of certain neurotransmitters in our bodies. Do you know what neurotransmitters are? They are “feel-good” chemicals. Two of the major “feel-good” chemicals released by eating sugar are:

1. Dopamine, which releases chemicals including endorphins that give us a feeling of pleasure
2. Serotonin, which produces a feeling of well being.

We also tend to eat sugary treats for a quick rush of energy to get us through the day. Of course we also enjoy the sweet taste of sugar. Eating sweet treats like a candy bar or a cookie unconsciously brings back simpler more enjoyable days of our childhood.

Grabbing a sugary treat is a common stress response for many adults. It’s a behavior we have been practicing since we were children. When we had a rough day at school, mom would fix it with a plate of homemade cookies and a glass of milk. Now when we are stressed, we run to the vending machine or grab a cheesecake on the way home.


Is Sugar Really Dangerous Or Addictive?

Yes and No. Our body needs limited amounts of sugar as a quick source of energy, but not in the amounts our society as a whole has been consuming sugar. It is also a good idea to stay away from white table sugar as much as possible. This refined sugar has almost no nutritional value other than the “empty” calories it provides. Some people refer to white sugar as “white death”.

Eating fresh fruits is a much better way to give in to our sweet tooth, get the sugars our bodies need while also absorbing an array of other nutrients, vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.

The high consumption of sugar in the western world is leading to an increase in health conditions from diabetes to obesity.

Is sugar addictive? Yes – not only do we get addicted to the neurotransmitters that are released by the consumption of sugar, which is a reaction very similar to the “high” of a drug addict, consuming sugar also causes our blood sugar levels to rise quickly and then plummet back down just as fast, resulting in a craving for more sugar. This is a desperate (and futile) attempt of our body to keep the blood sugar in balance.


What Can I Do To Curb My Sugar Cravings?

The best way to curb sugar cravings is to aim for a stable blood sugar. You can do this by avoiding sugary treats and drinks like candy, soda and even fruit drinks. Instead try sweetening your foods and drinks with stevia. Please avoid any artificial sweeteners.

Craving sweets is also often an indication of a lack of certain nutrients such as chromium, carbon, phosphorus, sulphur and tryptophan. Let’s take a look at what foods you should be eating to make sure you get enough of these nutrients.

Chromium – eat broccoli, grapes, cheese, dried beans and chicken

Carbon – eat fresh fruit

Phosphorus – eat chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes and grains

Sulphur – eat cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, kale and cabbage

Tryptophan – eat cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato and spinach.

If you find yourself drawn to sweets as a response to stress, your first step of action should be to try to eliminate the stress. If you have an argument with your spouse, talk things out. If you are stressed in your job, schedule a meeting with your boss to see if you can get more time, more resources or an assistant.

Sometimes eliminating the cause of stress isn’t an option. In that case, try to exercise. Go for a brisk walk, join your local gym or work out with your favorite exercise video at home. Not only will the exercise help you blow off some stream, it also releases some of the same neurotransmitters that the consumption of sugar does – without the empty calories.