If you're reading this article right now I'm sure that you are looking for a debt elimination system that will help you get out from under you personal mountain of debt. Hopefully you're not looking for the magic pill that will suddenly dissolve your debt problem. I'm afraid that I have to tell you that there is no magic debt elimination system.

We get into debt either by our poor spending habits or by not being prepared for unexpected expenses and often a combination of the two. It is not uncommon to hear of someone who has poor spending habits and a somewhat manageable debt load who has had an unfortunate event that puts them into a financial tailspin.

To get out of debt and stay out of debt you must change your attitude about how you spend money or you will never stay out of debt. Getting a debt consolidation loan or going bankrupt will not help you. You must change your spending habits. You have to make up your mind that you will spend less than you earn or you will just go back into debt again.

There also are those who do not excessively overspend but they are not prepared for unexpected expenses. They may have little or no debt when suddenly something happens that takes them deeply into debt. This can be an illness, an engine blowing up in your vehicle, a tree falling on your house or any number of catastrophes.

Knowing this, the first step in getting out of debt is to change your attitude. You must decide that you will no longer accept living in debt and unprepared for life's uncertainties.

You must decide that whatever it takes, you will do it. Without this intensity it will be difficult for you to succeed. Without this intensity new cars and the shiny advertisements will draw you back into debt.

Remember, the first step to staying debt free must be an attitude change.

John Cook is the author of Finance For Families.com, a website designed to assist families in making smart financial decisions. The burden of seemingly insurmountable debt is destroying too many families. You can read more at http://www.financeforfamilies.com