Debt Management: 30-Day Growth Guide

Key takeaways

• Thirty days is enough to see your whole debt, free up some cash, make a first extra payment and set guard rails that outlast the month.
• Give each week one theme and each day one ten-minute action, so progress depends on showing up rather than on willpower or a free weekend.
• Track three numbers every Sunday, total owed, monthly interest cost and days since unplanned new debt, and judge the direction rather than the size.
• In week three, aim every spare rupee at one chosen debt and ask that lender for a lower rate; one call can be worth months of trimming.
• When a week slips, never miss two days in a row, shrink the task instead of skipping it, and carry on from the next day's action.

Inside this bit

1. How the thirty days are built

   Debt rarely builds up in one dramatic moment, and it rarely shrinks that way either. This programme gives you four weekly themes and one small action a day, most taking ten minutes or less.

2. Week one: face every number

   The first week is a gathering week, with one job a day. Day 1: collect every statement, app screen and informal IOU.

3. Week two: uncover cash you already have

   Week two frees cash without making life miserable. Day 8: list every subscription and automatic payment.

4. Week three: aim at one debt

   Now the freed cash gets a target. Day 15: choose your method.

5. Week four: build guard rails

   The last full week protects what you have built. Day 22: set automatic payments for at least the minimum on every debt.

6. When a week slips, and after day thirty

   Almost nobody finishes thirty days without a wobble. A sick child, a late salary or a festival week can wipe out several days.