There is always a lot of information available about getting out of debt. Topics like debt consolidation to debt negotiation are important and they can help people get out of debt, but what about people that have taken action and pulled themselves out of debt? Building debt problems is often a signal of a lifestyle problem and even after people fight to get out from under their debt, many slip back into old habits and find themselves in the same predicament again.

So instead of covering getting out of debt, these tips will help you to stay out of debt. If debt has not been a problem for you in the past, you probably possess many of these habits already but they should still serve as a good reminder.

- Eliminate Temptation: A wallet full of credit cards is an easy excuse to charge expenses. If payday is still a few days away but you see something you want now, those credit cards will make you feel like you can charge it and pay it off after you get paid. If you have the discipline to pay off the purchase in full at the end of the month, that’s great. But most debt problems begin with a little charge here and a little charge there, and those small charges soon turn from molehills into mountains. To avoid this, select one credit card that charges the lowest interest rate and destroy the rest of your cards.

- Monitor Your Credit: Almost everyone needs a loan from time to time and minimizing your borrowing costs is an essential step in avoiding debt. If you have poor credit, you’re likely to be asked to be higher rates for financing, hindering your ability to stay out of debt. Check your credit at least annually for errors and consider using a well-respected credit-monitoring service to alert you if anything out of the ordinary appears on your credit report.

- Shop with a List: Budgeting is a common theme in conversations about avoiding debt and one of the best ways to stay within your budget is to shop with a list. If you go to the mall, have a plan about what you want to buy and a dollar limit for your shopping trip. Use a list at the grocery store and avoid impulse purchases or buying items just because they’re on sale. Managing expenses is a huge element of the battle against debt.

- Don’t Fall for Marketing Gimmicks: The average American holds four credit cards and 1 in every 7 Americans have more than ten credit cards. Many of these cards end up in your wallet as a result of the offer to save 10% on the items you’re purchasing at a retail store. Credit card companies make millions of dollars on customers who had no intention of opening an account in the first place. A free T-shirt or beach towel is not a good reason to open a new credit card account!

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