Getting out of your debt problem is going to require playing hardball (another way to describe fast-pitch baseball) with what we will call the debt monster. It is time to say no to money wasting behavior and requests. You may lose some friends because you have to tighten your spending. But this is your responsibility to resolve and if your friends run then they were no friends at all. Here are some tips for playing hardball against the debt monster:

Learn to say no. Most people in debt are there because they cannot say no. And one of the obvious debt cures when the debt is out of control is to say no to money wasters and bad spending decisions. Debt cures mean not buying every acquaintance you know a birthday present and an expensive one at that. Debt cures mean not going overboard at Christmas for all of these same acquaintances. Debt cures mean denying requests for money you know you don’t have. Could it be that some of your acquaintances, friends, and family will get mad at you as you tighten your hold on money? You can expect it. You have to play hardball against your debt monster because it is you who is responsible to resolve your overwhelming debt—not them.

If in business, tighten up your payment policies. Many people are in overwhelming debt because they are self-employed and have problems getting their clients to pay and pay on time. You are going to have to play hardball against the debt monster by changing the way you do business in order to increase the likelihood of a healthy cash flow. Get non-refundable deposits on jobs you do when they begin. Don’t deal with clients who have bad payment histories. Don’t lower your prices so they are unreasonably low just to get work.

Get and stick to a budget. The debt monster’s strategy is to keep you confused. That way you don’t know where your money is going and you don’t know if your money is reducing your debt. As with any game of hardball, you have to keep a scorecard. And so it is when you play hardball with the debt monster. You have to create a budget. It is a list of what your monthly financial obligations are and how you plan to satisfy them. It also lists your income sources. But it gives you a view of your cash flow and allows you to manage your expenditures and conquer the debt monster.

Does it have to be new? It is simply amazing how people buy new automobiles knowing good and well that prices and depreciation rates on these are outrageous. Many who are seriously playing hardball against the debt monster will cut out the second family car, walk more, ride a bicycle, and use public transportation in order to rid themselves of the automobile money pit. And these days, it is not just the automobile but the outrageous fuel costs too. Get rid of the second car. Keep the car you have for as long as you can. Did your refrigerator break down? Don’t buy a refrigerator with all the bells and whistles. Buy one that keeps the food cold and that’s it. The debt monster comes disguised as Mr. “New and Improved” but you still must play hardball with him to get out of debt.