 TITLE: Debt-Free Living: How to Get Out of Debt for Good CONTENT: Habits to Help Keep You out of Debt\n-----------------------------------\nPerhaps the most important step to take when paying off debt is to avoid adding to it, which means no longer relying on credit cards and skipping new applications for credit. Your goal should be to buy only things you can afford to pay for in cash, or at least by the end of the month when your credit card bill is due.\nHow do you transition to this mindset while paying off debt? Here are some tips:\n*   **Embrace budgeting.** Until now, making a budget might have been low on your priority list. But it's an essential step in making sure you don't overspend; in fact, trying to live within your means without a budget is often too difficult for the average consumer. A budget gives you guidelines to work within, and you can choose the strategy that works best for you. That could mean keeping track of every single purchase or setting up monthly automatic transfers to different savings accounts to meet your goals, then spending only whatever is left. There are many methods to choose from.\n*   **Get curious about your credit score.** Your credit score reflects how you're using and paying off credit. As you pay down debt, you may not always see an immediate boost to your score. But in the long run, the less credit you use compared with your credit limit, the better. Track your score for free using one of the many apps or services provided by banks, personal finance websites and credit card issuers. When you see your score increase over time, that might encourage you to avoid taking on more debt.\n*   **Reward yourself.** Changing money habits that you may have repeated for a long time is worth celebrating. When you create new routines like tracking your credit score, using credit cards more wisely, saving a little of each paycheck or sticking to your budget for a full month, give yourself a reward (that doesn't cost a lot). Keep track of your wins on a calendar or a notepad you see regularly. END