How Can I Avoid Getting Back Into Debt?

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You're making progress.

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You're paying down your debt.

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Maybe you even paid off a debt or two, and that feeling, that feeling is incredible.

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But is there this nagging fear in the back of your mind that somehow

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you'll slip back into those old habits and end up right where you started?

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Well, stick with me today because we're gonna explore how to protect

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that freedom that you've gained.

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Hey there.

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Welcome back to your Daily Financially Confident Christian.

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I'm Ralph and it's truly inspiring to witness your commitment.

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This is the show that helps you answer that question, how can I become a

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financially confident Christian?

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We continue on this journey through our series of dealing

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with the stress of money worries.

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We spent some serious time tackling that existing debt.

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We've strategized, we've found extra money.

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And every day we're working to stay motivated.

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And you're building powerful momentum towards debt freedom.

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But here's the truth.

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Getting out of debt is one challenge, but staying outta debt, that's another, that

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temptation to borrow can still be there.

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And unexpected life events can try to push you right back into that debt cycle.

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So today we're focusing on protecting your progress and asking how can I

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avoid getting back into debt once I start getting free, or maybe

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even while I'm still paying it off.

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Now, maybe you've experienced this before.

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You pay off a credit card and you feel this wave of relief,

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and then a few months later that balance starts creeping back up.

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Or maybe you have to handle an unexpected expense with debt because your savings,

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well, they just weren't quite enough yet.

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And this cycle of getting outta debt and then falling back in is

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incredibly frustrating and it's a major struggle and I've, I've

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been there, right there with you.

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And truth is, it can lead to deep discouragement.

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It can reinforce feelings of financial failure and make you question.

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If lasting freedom is even possible for you, and this stress comes

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from that fear of undoing your hard work and feeling trapped in a loop

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that you just can't seem to escape.

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But here's the thing, Staying out of debt, just like getting

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out, requires intentionality.

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It requires discipline, and often it requires delayed gratification.

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It's not just about willpower, it's about building habits and

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putting safeguards in place.

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and the Bible gives us wisdom on avoiding debt.

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Look at the book of Proverbs, chapter 22, verses 26 and 27.

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It warns against co-signing for others saying this, do not be one who pats on

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wrists or one who vouches for debts.

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If you lack the means to pay, your very bed will be snatched from under you.

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Now, that's harsh, but we need to heed that warning, and

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this highlights that serious consequences of taking on financial

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obligations that you can't cover.

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And more broadly, the principle extends to personal debt, living

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within your means and being content with what you already have.

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It's a powerful way to avoid that need or that desire to borrow unnecessarily.

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Continuing on in scripture, self-control is listed as a fruit of the spirit.

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Look at the book of Galatians chapter five, verses 22 and 23.

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I don't have time to cover that today, but I'm gonna encourage you to read it because

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this is a key quality that God helps us develop to help us manage our desires.

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Truly make wise choices with our money.

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Avoiding that lure of instant gratification through debt,

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and I want you to hear this.

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Avoiding new debt is an act of wise stewardship.

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It's protecting your future peace and it's honoring God with your resources.

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Why?

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Because you're relying on his provision and your diligent planning,

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not relying on those lenders.

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So what can we do?

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How do you build those strong defenses to prevent new debt from derailing

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your progress and bringing back that stress that you work so hard to break

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and listen, if you've been in debt, you remember that stress all too well, I bet.

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Well, the single essential solution is to develop conscious habits and

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establish clear boundaries around your spending that eliminate that need.

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Maybe more importantly, the temptation to take on unnecessary new debt.

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And this means being proactive about preventing debt before

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it even has a chance to start.

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So, okay, here's your one action step for today, specifically focused

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on avoiding unnecessary new debt.

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To start, I wanna start by asking you to identify your debt triggers.

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You need to think honestly about why you've taken on debt in the past, or

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maybe it's right now you're taking it on.

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Ask yourself, was it unexpected expenses?

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Is that impulse buying that you've worked so hard to curb?

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Is it wanting things you couldn't afford right now?

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Or maybe just peer pressure and see identifying your one or two biggest

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triggers can help you on this process.

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Next thing, it's time to implement the wait rule or for non-essentials

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or what I've called that big pause.

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So for any non-essential purchase over a specific amount that you set, you pick it.

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For example, maybe for you it's $25 or $50 or maybe a hundred

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dollars, whatever you decide.

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Then you're gonna implement what I call a mandatory waiting period,

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like 24 hours or 36 hours, or maybe even four to eight hours, or for you.

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Maybe it even needs to be a week and you just pause and you don't spend.

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And then if you still need and can truly afford it, then

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you can consider buying it.

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'cause this will break that impulse cycle.

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The next thing you need to do is prioritize strengthening your

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emergency fund because maybe for you it's those emergency expenses.

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So I'm going to encourage you to revisit your emergency fund goal.

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We covered that in episode 1 54, and make a commitment again, or maybe

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a recommitment to building it up because listen, a solid emergency

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fund and ideally, like I talked about in the show, three to six months

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of essential expense is your best defense against those unexpected

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costs forcing you back into debt.

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So I want to encourage you today, make a building this a priority in your budget.

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Then finally, one of the things that I think you can do is use cash or debit

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for those flexible spending items.

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So for variable spending categories where you tend to overspend or you find yourself

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making those impulse buys like dining out or maybe entertainment or just that

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personal spending, I'm gonna encourage you to try using cash or even your debit

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card instead of those credit cards.

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' cause seeing the money leave your hand or leave your bank account instantly, I

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just believe that creates more awareness than just using that credit card.

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It's just too easy.

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And now you might be asking Ralph, why does this even help?

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Well, here's why.

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Because this single action directly fights that struggle of falling back into

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debt and losing your hard won progress.

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It builds powerful habits of intentional spending and delayed gratification.

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And I truly believe it protects your emergency fund and your

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budget giving you a stronger defense against life's curve balls.

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And listen, I play softball sometimes you get a curve ball.

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This will help you without resorting back to borrowing again.

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And it replaces that stress of that debt cycle that you work so hard to break

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free, and it replaces it with the peace of controlled spending and growing freedom.

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Let's pray together now.

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Father God, we just thank you for showing us the path to financial freedom.

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Lord, we confess that temptation to take on new debt is often

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present, and that fear, Lord, of slipping back is real for us.

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So, Lord, please strengthen our self-control and help us to establish

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wise boundaries around our spending, Lord.

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And give us the discipline to use that 'Wait Rule' and to prioritize

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building our savings buffer.

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Protect us from unnecessary debt.

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And Lord, help us to live contentedly within the means that you provide.

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Guide us in every spending decision and we ask this in confidence.

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In Jesus' name, Amen.

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Preventing new debt is just as vital as paying off old debt.

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If you really want long-term financial peace, build those habits, set those

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boundaries, and protect your freedom.

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You are making smart choices for your future.

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And if avoiding new debt is a challenge you face, please share

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this episode with someone else who might be facing it as well.

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You can find resources and connect with the show at our website that's at

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financially confident christian.com.

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And I have a special gift for you on your journey.

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For the first 100 listeners who go to financially confident

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christian.com/master, I'm gonna give you a free copy of my book.

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It's called Mastering Your Finances.

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It's a quick, powerful read, designed as a starting point to help you break

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that cycle of financial shame and step into confidence and step into freedom.

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Again, go to financially confident christian.com/master

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to get you a free copy today.

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Now, tomorrow we're gonna be talking about navigating the world of credit.

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Whether you can use it wisely without falling into debt.

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Again, you don't wanna miss it.

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So make sure you join me and let's all go out there and be financially confident.

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Christians, you can do this.

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I have confidence in you.

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Have confidence in yourself.

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Stay financially savvy.

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God bless you, and you have a great day today.