It is said that a pet tiger cub can become dangerous if it tastes blood. It will stop at killing no one, not even the people who brought it up. Similarly, once we get the taste of money and the freedom of purchasing through credit, we seem to know no bounds. What do we land up with? Heaps and heaps of debt.

Most of us feel rich at the beginning of the month and end up feeling like worms at the end of it. To relieve us of this feeling, credit cards have made their entrance with full gusto. And we have been literally swept off our feet. We can afford to be rich even on the last day of the month. We can buy whatever we want for the kids, for the house and for ourselves, credit cards showing us the green signal all along. Little do we think of the unpaid bills ready to storm us anytime the following month.

OK. Now, its paytime folks! Have you seen the first Harry Potter movie? The scene in which sealed letters for Harry, from Hogwarts, begin to pour into the house from all openings and outlets? Unpaid credit card bills begin to pour into our lives just like that. Lightning strikes on a bright sunny day and darkens our lives big-time. There are two clear roads for you to take. One, mortgage everything you have, sell all valuables, take your children out of school, sell your car - in one word, commit suicide. The other way is to think wisely (at least this time) and look for ways to get out of debt.

One of the first things people think of doing is file bankruptcy. This is again one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make. For a debt of $7000, you will end up ruining your credit score forever. And the social and psychological pressure of bankruptcy is not a matter of joke. Meanwhile, creditor calls are causing you sleepless nights. What's the best way out? Consolidate all your debts. Contact a local but well-known debt consolidation firm and take their advice and help.

Debt consolidation programs condense multiple debts into one and reduce your debts. They contact your creditors and make them stop calling you. Then they make you pay one low payment every month and eliminate debts much faster than you would have done on your own. Debt consolidation programs not only eliminate debts but they also draw up a budget for you. If you follow this budget, you can become debt-free in months and never ever incur debts again.

Of course, in keeping with the saying, prevention is better than cure, you should try and not get into debts in the first place. True, easier said than done, but it is not wholly impossible. Make a list with two columns. One has details of your income and the other, your expenses. Do away with anything you want, but don't really need. You want to go for a trip abroad, but you need a new dishwasher. Go for the dishwasher. Whatever you are left with after paying all your bills, try keeping your money in the bank. If possible, open a savings account. This is a good way of paying your self instead of paying creditors.

Careful and wise thinking not only saves you a lot of trouble, but it also keeps you out of debt. If required, keep your credit cards out of reach. When you go out shopping, make a list beforehand and calculate the amount you need to spend. Carry cash, if it is very difficult to resist temptations. This will make you yearn for things you would love to own but, in the long run, it will save you from untold miseries. Small sacrifices have always saved the world. Make smaller sacrifices to protect your world from crumbling down. To get out of debt, don't get into it in the first place!