When you’re in debt, certain habits will only make it harder to pay off your debt for good. Or worse, these things could drive you deeper into debt. If you’re not making progress paying off you debt, one (or more) of these things could be the reason why.

1. Keep making credit card charges.

Continuing to use your credit card while you’re in debt will obviously negate any progress you’ve made toward paying off your debt.


And if you’re not paying more than your spending, then your debt is actually growing instead of shrinking. Cancel your credit cards, cut them up, or freeze them in a block of ice if you can’t control your credit card habits.

2. Open up new credit cards.

Unless you’re taking advantage of a 0% balance transfer promotion, don’t open any new credit cards while you’re trying to get out of debt. Another credit line means another minimum payment and a tougher time reducing your overall debt.

3. Ignore your credit card bills.

If only ignoring credit card bills actually made them go away. We’d all turn a blind eye to our debts. Unfortunately, while you’re turning your back on your credit cards, there’s a financial storm brewing. Minimum payments are adding up, your balances are growing, and your credit is getting worse every month.

4. Pay only the minimum.

There is one exception to this rule and that’s when you’re making a lump sum payment to one credit card while paying the minimum on all the others.

Otherwise, making the minimum payment is the worst thing you can do while you’re in debt.

5. Spend money frivolously.

Sometimes the stress of being in debt can make it hard to remain diligent with your spending. However, this is also one of the most important times to pay careful attention to how you’re spending money. Every dollar that you waste on something unimportant is a dollar that could have been used to reduce your debt. Use a budget to plan your spending and track your expenses to catch places that you’re spending money unnecessarily.

6. Skip saving.

You may think you can’t afford to save money if you’re in debt, but you honestly can’t afford not to save money if you’re in debt. Having money in savings is vital to ensuring all your debt progress isn’t derailed by a single unexpected expense like a car repair or major medical bill. Just like you need to pay both your mortgage and your electric bill each month, you need to put money towards debt and savings.

7. Pay a debt relief company without researching.

There are dozens of companies out there who’d like you to believe they can do something for your debt that you can’t. With the exception of some non-profit credit counseling agencies, most debt relief companies aren’t worth the trouble or the monthly fee. Before you enroll in their services, shop around, know the pros and cons, and investigate whether you could avoid the fee and pay your debt on your own.

8. Try to pay off debt without a plan.

If you decide to tackle your own debt – and you can do this! – put together a solid debt plan. You’ll need to know all your debts, the status of these accounts (whether they’re current or past due), and how much you owe. You’ll also have to figure out what you can afford to put towards your debt each month. The more you can pay, the better. From there, choose a debt and start attacking it with everything you’ve got.

9. Rule out part-time work.

Or overtime, a side business, or any other money-making endeavor that will help you get more money to pay off debt. There are dozens of success stories of people who dug their way out of tens of thousands dollars of debt. A common theme in these stories is that these people were willing to work harder to generate extra money for paying off their debt. That may have meant renting out an extra room, moving in with parents to save money, picking up a money-making hobby, sell valuables, or have a yard sale.