In October of 2018 I started improving my personal finance and I have come such a long way since then. Prior to the time I was in debt and barely making ends meet. I always blamed everything on not having a high salary but deep down I knew that my careless spending habits was also to blame. So far I have paid well over $20k in debt and I still have $65K left to go. Taking on your personal finance is much like a healthy journey, it’s a lifetime commitment. Here are 5 things that really helped me improve my finances, I hope they are as helpful to you as there are to me. 

1. Know your numbers - Can you believe I once had a credit card and didn't know my interest rate! No matter what your finances consist of (credit cards, loans, etc) always know your numbers. Check up on your interest rate, balances, minimum payment amounts etc. Before you can create a plan you have to understand how these numbers are hurting or helping you. 

2. Ask for it - I had no idea you could even call your creditors to ask for help. 

3. Budget - It's pretty tedious at first but it is so helpful. Being able to tell your money where to go is satisfying! At the end of each month you can look back at it and know exactly what happened to your money and you can review it regularly to change where it goes. 

4. Debt isn't necessary - I really used to think debt was normal. And once you paid one thing off you had to go and finance something else. NOPE! It its perfectly fine to not have debt and be free from creditors/lenders. 

5. Less Debt more money - The first debt I paid off was my car note. As soon as I made the last payment I realized that I would now have an extra $395 each month that could be used for something else. 

I remember these 5 things everytime I review my finances or at times when I feel like I am never going to finish paying it off. This is a lifetime commitment and I am ready for it.