Get Out Of Debt: Proven Plan for Debt-Free Personal Finances from Udemy

Debt can be devastating to your financial well-being and happiness. This best-selling course will teach you how to face your finances, get out of debt, and stay debt-free for life. You'll come away with a clear plan to eliminate credit cards, student loans, car loans, medical bills, mortgages, and any debt you have.

Get Out of Debt Fast: A Proven Plan for Debt-Free Personal Finances is a non-nonsense and jam-packed resource for anyone who wants to take control of their debt, understand all possible solutions, and have a blueprint for the exact steps to take. It covers specific and effective strategies for reducing or eliminating credit cards, student loans, auto loans, and mortgages.

In addition to 2 hours of in-depth video instruction, you'll get downloadable resources, tools, calculators, and over 2 hours of bonus audio content. With this user-friendly and jargon-free course as your guide, you’ll get out from underneath the burden of debt. Best of all, you uncover the best path to take while learning anywhere and at your own pace.

Don’t try to get out of debt without this course. It’s a shortcut that explains your options, reveals hidden pitfalls, and puts you in control of your finances. It will open your eyes and give you hope no matter if you’re new to managing money or have been at it for decades. The content is reliable, to-the-point, and offers many practical solutions to get your finances on the right track.

What Students Say About This Course:

"Excellent information, especially for prioritizing debt." - Dee L.

"It was very informative and a great structured coursereally recommend it." - Moises M.

"This course has been extremely helpful." - Diana M.

"I just love how she clearly explains things. She is very objective and does not express personal opinions. " - Rebecca P.

"Enjoyed the instructors clear and concise pronunciation and most importantly the structured plan." - Marlene C.

"Very thorough course and easy to apply in the real world. " - Roseline J.

"I very much enjoyed this course. I have been listening to the Money Girl podcast for a few years now causally, but this was very helpful in getting myself organized with all of the appropriate resources. I like the ability to go at my own pace and ask questions as I go along. Debt is my biggest life stressor and I honestly feel more at ease after creating a plan through the course. Thanks, Laura. " - Ashley D.

"Just like her "The Money Girl" podcast, of which I've been a subscriber of for going on three years and where I found out about this course, Laura D. Adams proves she is an expert to be reckoned with in the 'Personal Finance game'. The thing I like about Laura's approach when it comes to managing your PF is that she gives you advice in bite-size chunks that are both easy to understand, and most importantly easy to implement. I am so glad she created this course and I highly recommend folks to 1) take this course and 2) subscribe to "The Money Girl" podcast to get weekly motivating tips. Thanks, Laura. :)" - Lee C.

"Excellent and throughout explanation of every aspect of debt. I also like the fact that she is a very good communicator." - Katalin H.

"Great course. I love listening to Laura's podcast, and this course has proved useful too - it gives more detail and focus to this particular topic. Laura has great ideas and information and presents in a straight to the point, easy to understand way. I like the real world examples, and I appreciate her including everyone regardless of the amount of money someone has or makes." - Saliane A.

About Your Instructor:

Your instructor is Laura Adams, MBA, a nationally recognized personal finance expert and award-winning author of multiple books. She’s the host of the Money Girl Podcast, a top-rated weekly podcast with over 40 million downloads. Laura has helped millions of loyal students, readers, and listeners get out of debt and improve their personal finances for over a decade.

Laura’s easy-to-follow advice will make a difference in your life. You'll come away with the knowledge, resources, and motivation to get rid of any debt you owe. It’s time to take control of your personal finances, feel more confident, and overcome any crisis that you may be facing.

Who This Course Is For:

Get Out of Debt Fast is for students of all ages and income levels who want to improve their financial life, reach goals, worry less, and have more freedom.

It gives you concrete, step-by-step strategies to reduce debt and take your financial game to the next level by accomplishing the following:

Creating Your Financial Plan
Assessing Your Finances
Creating a Personal Financial Statement
Making a Debt Reduction Plan
Prioritizing Your Debts
Reducing Short and Long-Term Debt
Getting Rid of Credit Card Debt
Settling and Negotiating Your Debts
Optimizing Your Debts
Pros and Cons of Consolidating Debts
Using Balance Transfer Offers
Refinancing Your Mortgage Using HARP
Making a Mortgage Modification
Paying Down a Mortgage Early
Consolidating Student Loans
Refinancing Student Loans
Staying Debt-Free for Life

This course is not right for you if you don’t have any debt, or you don’t intend to use a credit card or get a loan to finance the purchase of a home, vehicle, or education.

If you have debt or plan to use a loan to make a large purchase in the future, this course helps you understand options to make it more affordable and to pay it off faster. The principles apply no matter where you live, how much you know about personal finances, or whether you’re just starting out.

What You’ll Learn in This Course:

You will come away with a clear debt reduction plan. You’ll know which debts to tackle in what order and specific elimination strategies to use for each one.

Get Out of Debt Fast provides you with a clear plan to reduce and eliminate debt so you improve your financial fitness. It’s a shortcut to help you figure out where to put your effort for the greatest return. You’ll know what order to prioritize debt and unique, practical strategies to get rid of each type.

The course includes lifetime access to hours of in-depth video instruction modules, tools, resources, bonus audioplus a Q&A discussion board to ask questions, share ideas, and receive support. You’ll have targeted assignments and reading to complete at your own pace, to keep you on track. You’ll be notified when the course is updated or additional resources are added.

We look forward to having you as part of this community.

What Students Say About Laura:

"Six months ago, I took your advice and begin to pay off my credit card debt… Thanks for the advice, it feels great to pay off these debts. I am on track to be totally debt-free by June 2019. " – Danny G.

"Laura is a highly knowledgeable financial coach and her results are proven… she gave us motivation and a winning financial mindset. Within a year of working Laura’s plan, my wife and I were able to turn our finances around 360 degrees. We owe many thanks to Laura. " – Travis F.

"I'm a recovering over-spender who turned over a new leaf this year. I've already started making progress toward eliminating debt by implementing many of the tools and strategies you've shared." – Laura W.

"Thank you so much for all your fantastic advice. I love your Money Girl podcast and learn so much. You have helped me get out from the burden of student loan debt. I don't know what I would do without you. " – Harue S.

"Thank you for all you do. I enjoy listening to your podcasts and being a part of your Dominate Your Dollars Facebook group. You're truly an inspiration to students and your advice has been invaluable to me." – Janine F.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Know how to prioritize which debts you should tackle first.
Create an easy-to-follow debt reduction plan that puts you in control.
Cut the cost of debt even if you don't have extra money in your budget.
Face financial difficulties with solutions that avoid crisis and maintain dignity.
Know all options to get out of specific debts, including credit cards, student loans, car loans, medical bills, and mortgages.
Create a personal financial statement to guide your financial decisions so you have a blueprint and get the greatest return for your effort.

Identify keys to staying out of debt forever.
How to get back on secure financial ground and rebuild your financial life.
Know when you should pay off debt or invest money.
Avoid hidden pitfalls that keep you from achieving financial freedom.
Show more
Show less

Know how to prioritize which debts you should tackle first.
Create an easy-to-follow debt reduction plan that puts you in control.
Cut the cost of debt even if you don't have extra money in your budget.
Face financial difficulties with solutions that avoid crisis and maintain dignity.
Know all options to get out of specific debts, including credit cards, student loans, car loans, medical bills, and mortgages.
Create a personal financial statement to guide your financial decisions so you have a blueprint and get the greatest return for your effort.
Identify keys to staying out of debt forever.
How to get back on secure financial ground and rebuild your financial life.
Know when you should pay off debt or invest money.
Avoid hidden pitfalls that keep you from achieving financial freedom.
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

Introduction

Welcome!

What You'll Learn in This Course

Completing this 10-question workbook will clarify the specific financial goals you want to achieve and why they are important to you. Take at least 30 minutes to consider each question. You can print it to record your answers or discuss them with a spouse or partner who shares your financial life.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Taught by Laura Adams, a recognized personal finance expert and host of the Money Girl Podcast, which has garnered over 40 million downloads, suggesting a strong foundation of knowledge and experience

Provides strategies for reducing or eliminating various types of debt, including credit cards, student loans, auto loans, and mortgages, offering a comprehensive approach to debt management

Includes downloadable resources, tools, and calculators, providing hands-on support for learners to apply the concepts taught in the course to their own financial situations

Offers strategies such as mortgage modification and HARP refinancing, which may not be applicable to all learners, depending on their specific financial circumstances and eligibility

Requires learners to assess their current financial situation and create a personal financial statement, which may be challenging for those with limited financial literacy or experience

Explicitly states that the course is not suitable for individuals without any debt or plans to use credit cards or loans, limiting its relevance to a specific segment of the population

Reviews summary

Practical plan to get debt-free

According to learners and high student ratings, this course provides a proven plan for debt elimination that is both structured and easy to apply. Students highlight the instructor's ability to explain complex topics clearly and concisely, making the material easy to understand and implement. The course covers various debt types, offering specific strategies for each. It includes helpful resources and tools, and many find it offers significant motivation and hope on the path to financial freedom. The content is described as to-the-point and offers practical solutions.

Covers various types of debt and strategies.

"Excellent and throughout explanation of every aspect of debt."

"It gives more detail and focus to this particular topic [debt]."

"It covers specific and effective strategies for reducing or eliminating credit cards, student loans, auto loans, and mortgages."

Provides strategies that are easy to implement.

"...she gives you advice in bite-size chunks that are both easy to understand, and most importantly easy to implement."

"Very thorough course and easy to apply in the real world."

"I've already started making progress toward eliminating debt by implementing many of the tools and strategies you've shared."

Instructor explains concepts clearly and effectively.

"I just love how she clearly explains things. She is very objective..."

"Enjoyed the instructors clear and concise pronunciation and most importantly the structured plan."

"Excellent and throughout explanation of every aspect of debt. I also like the fact that she is a very good communicator."

"Laura has great ideas and information and presents in a straight to the point, easy to understand way."

Provides a clear, actionable debt reduction strategy.

"Excellent information, especially for prioritizing debt."

"It was very informative and a great structured course - really recommend it."

"Very thorough course and easy to apply in the real world."

"I honestly feel more at ease after creating a plan through the course."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Get Out Of Debt: Proven Plan for Debt-Free Personal Finances with these activities:

Review Credit Scores and Reports

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Reinforce your understanding of credit scores and reports, which are crucial for debt consolidation and refinancing strategies discussed in the course.

Browse courses on Credit Scores

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Obtain your credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com.
Review each section of your credit report for accuracy.
Identify any errors and dispute them with the credit bureaus.
Check your credit score using a free online service.

Create a Personal Financial Statement

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Solidify your understanding of your current financial situation by creating a detailed personal financial statement, as emphasized in the course.

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Gather all your financial documents, including bank statements, credit card statements, and loan documents.
List all your assets, such as cash, investments, and property.
List all your liabilities, such as credit card debt, student loans, and mortgages.
Calculate your net worth by subtracting your total liabilities from your total assets.
Analyze your financial statement to identify areas for improvement.

Review 'The Total Money Makeover' by Dave Ramsey

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Explore an alternative debt reduction strategy to compare with the methods taught in the course.

View Build a Business You Love: Mastering the Five... on Amazon

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Read 'The Total Money Makeover' by Dave Ramsey.
Summarize the key principles of the debt snowball method.
Compare and contrast the debt snowball method with the strategies taught in the course.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Design a Debt Reduction Spreadsheet

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Apply the course's principles by creating a spreadsheet to track and manage your debt reduction progress.

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List all your debts, including the creditor, interest rate, and minimum payment.
Prioritize your debts based on the strategies taught in the course.
Allocate extra funds to the highest priority debt.
Track your progress and adjust your plan as needed.

Debt Prioritization Scenarios

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Reinforce your ability to prioritize debts by working through various financial scenarios.

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Create several hypothetical debt scenarios with varying interest rates and balances.
Apply the debt prioritization strategies from the course to each scenario.
Justify your prioritization decisions based on the course's principles.

Write a Blog Post on Staying Debt-Free

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Deepen your understanding of debt management by sharing your insights and strategies in a blog post.

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Research strategies for staying debt-free after achieving debt reduction.
Outline the key points you want to cover in your blog post.
Write a compelling and informative blog post with practical tips.
Share your blog post on social media and relevant online forums.

Review 'Your Money or Your Life' by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez

Show steps

Explore the concept of financial independence and its connection to debt reduction.

View A 9-Step Path to Financial Independence on Amazon

Show steps

Read 'Your Money or Your Life' by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez.
Reflect on your relationship with money and your values.
Identify ways to align your spending with your values.
Consider how financial independence can contribute to a debt-free life.

Career center

Learners who complete Get Out Of Debt: Proven Plan for Debt-Free Personal Finances will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Financial Educator

As a financial educator, you'll teach individuals and groups about personal finance topics, such as budgeting, saving, investing, and debt management. This course may provide a well-structured foundation for educating others about debt reduction. It covers essential topics like assessing finances, creating debt reduction plans, prioritizing debts, and understanding strategies for managing different types of debt. You can use the course's content, resources, and tools to develop engaging and informative presentations or workshops for your audience. Understanding how to help people create personal financial statements may also be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Educator

Personal Finance Consultant

As a personal finance consultant, you'll advise clients on a wide range of financial matters, including budgeting, saving, investing, and debt management. The 'Get Out of Debt' course helps build a framework for understanding debt reduction plans, assessing financial situations, and creating personalized financial statements. By understanding how to prioritize debts, reduce short and long term debt, and optimize financial strategies, you can provide tailored advice to your clients. The course may also be useful for developing knowledge of how debt management applies to specific financial instruments and situations, particularly student loans and mortgages.

See salaries and explore the career path for Personal Finance Consultant

Credit Counselor

A credit counselor helps individuals manage their debt and improve their credit scores. They offer guidance on budgeting, debt consolidation, and credit repair. This course provides a solid understanding of debt reduction strategies, including prioritizing debts and negotiating with creditors. The modules on settling debts, optimizing debts, and consolidating debts directly apply to the work of a credit counselor. The course also helps you to advise clients on the pros and cons of debt consolidation and balance transfers. This course may also provide insight for helping clients stay out of debt for life, and how to rebuild one's financial profile for the better.

See salaries and explore the career path for Credit Counselor

Financial Coach

As a financial coach, you guide individuals and families toward achieving their financial goals. You work with them to create budgets, manage debt, and develop saving strategies. This course offers invaluable insights into debt reduction plans, prioritizing debts, and strategies for tackling various types of debt like credit cards, student loans, and mortgages. The course helps build a foundation in creating personalized financial statements, negotiating debts, and optimizing financial situations, all essential skills for a successful financial coach. Knowing how to identify assets and liabilities also allows a financial coach to provide a comprehensive overview of their client's portfolio. This course may be useful for understanding how to help clients create a life free of debt.

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Consumer Advocate

Consumer advocates work to protect the rights and interests of consumers, often focusing on issues like debt collection, credit reporting, and financial scams. This course provides a solid understanding of debt reduction plans, assessing financial situations, and understanding strategies for managing different types of debt. By understanding these aspects, you can better advocate for consumers who are struggling with debt and educate them about their rights and options. This course could also equip you with information on debt consolidation, negotiation, and settlement.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consumer Advocate

Financial Planner

Financial planners help clients achieve long-term financial security through investment, retirement, insurance, and estate planning. Though this is a broad field, understanding debt management is crucial. This course helps learn how to help clients create debt reduction plans, prioritize debts, and understand various strategies for tackling different types of debt. The course also helps become familiar with debt consolidation, balance transfers, and mortgage refinancing. This knowledge contributes to a holistic approach to financial planning, particularly in the early stages of wealth accumulation when debt management is paramount.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Planner

Retirement Planner

Retirement planners help individuals prepare for retirement by creating financial plans, managing investments, and providing advice on retirement income. While retirement planning focuses on long-term savings and investments, understanding debt management is also crucial. This course can help understand how to create debt reduction plans, prioritize debts, and implement strategies for consolidating or refinancing debts. This understanding contributes to a holistic approach to retirement planning, particularly in the early stages of wealth accumulation when debt management is paramount.

See salaries and explore the career path for Retirement Planner

Loan Officer

Loan officers evaluate and approve loan applications for individuals and businesses. This personal finance course helps you understand the various debt reduction plans, prioritizing debts, and strategies people use to manage debts. The course also helps you learn how individuals consolidate or refinance loans. This information may give you a better understanding of client needs, and improve your ability to assess risk and determine loan eligibility by understanding how applicants approach debt management.

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Budget Analyst

Budget analysts are responsible for helping organizations manage their finances by creating budgets, monitoring spending, and analyzing financial data. This course can help those in this line of work better understand how to assess finances, prioritize debts, and create debt reduction plans. The knowledge gained from this course may also be useful for identifying assets and liabilities. Further, this course could apply to helping businesses optimize their debts, consolidate their debts, and refinance their debts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Budget Analyst

Bankruptcy Attorney

Bankruptcy attorneys provide legal advice and representation to individuals and businesses facing financial difficulties and potential bankruptcy. This course may provide insight into personal finance, debt management, and debt reduction strategies. While not a substitute for legal training, this course may help you understand the financial challenges that lead individuals to consider bankruptcy and the strategies they may have already attempted.

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Real Estate Agent

Real estate agents help clients buy, sell, or rent properties. While this role focuses on property transactions, knowledge about debt management, particularly mortgages, is beneficial. This course offers insights into refinancing mortgages, mortgage modifications, and strategies for paying down a mortgage early. Understanding these aspects allows real estate agents to better advise clients on the financial implications of property ownership and help them make informed decisions. You may also be able to direct clients toward ways of paying down a mortgage faster, and the pros and cons of HARP.

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Financial Analyst

Financial analysts evaluate financial data, provide investment recommendations, and help businesses make informed financial decisions. This personal finance course focuses on debt reduction plans, assessing financial situations, and creating personalized financial statements. The analyst may gain an understanding of individual borrower circumstances. This information may give you insights into a company's practices and may improve your risk assessment.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Tax Preparer

Tax preparers assist individuals and businesses with preparing and filing their tax returns. This role requires a strong understanding of tax laws and regulations. While this course doesn't directly cover tax preparation, the knowledge of personal finance principles can be beneficial. This course may help you better assist clients with their taxes, particularly in areas related to deductions, credits, and debt management.

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Accountant

Accountants prepare and examine financial records, ensuring accuracy and compliance with regulations. While primarily focused on record-keeping, understanding personal finance principles can be valuable. This course helps you learn how to identify assets and liabilities, create personal financial statements, and understand debt reduction strategies. This knowledge might be applied to helping clients with their taxes, and may give you insights into personal financial habits.

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Insurance Agent

Insurance agents sell insurance policies to protect individuals and businesses from financial losses. While this role focuses on risk management, understanding personal finance principles can be beneficial. This course helps you learn how to assess finances, create personal financial statements, and understand debt reduction strategies. The course may also be useful when advising clients on how to protect themselves from debt.

See salaries and explore the career path for Insurance Agent

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Get Out Of Debt: Proven Plan for Debt-Free Personal Finances.

Build a Business You Love

Save

Comprehensive guide to personal finance, covering topics such as budgeting, debt management, investing, and retirement planning. It provides a step-by-step approach to achieving financial security. While the course focuses on debt reduction, this book offers a broader perspective on financial planning and can help students achieve long-term financial goals. It is commonly used as a practical guide for personal finance.

Build a Business You Love: Mastering the Five...

Kindle Edition

A 9-Step Path to Financial Independence

Save

Offers a holistic approach to personal finance, emphasizing the relationship between money, time, and values. It encourages readers to assess their spending habits and align their finances with their life goals. While the course focuses on debt reduction, this book provides a broader perspective on financial independence and can help students stay debt-free for life by changing their mindset about money. It good book for additional reading.

A 9-Step Path to Financial Independence

Paperback

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A 9-Step Path to Financial Independence

Kindle Edition

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