Beginner · Debt & Credit
Get Out of Debt
See the numbers, stop new debt, pay in a smart order and get help early. Short lessons, plain words, round example numbers.
Course complete. You have finished every lesson.
What you’ll learn
- How interest, rates and time make a debt grow, and why minimums keep you stuck
- How to list every debt and find money in your budget to pay it down
- Snowball or avalanche: which debt to pay first, and what research says
- How to talk to lenders, and when consolidation or a balance transfer helps
- Where to find free help, how to spot debt-relief scams, and how to stay out of debt
This course is for beginners anywhere in the world with credit card balances, loans, overdrafts or pay-later plans who want a clear way out. You don’t need a finance background. Each lesson takes about two minutes and teaches one step, with simple pictures, round example numbers and plain words.
Lessons
Chapter 1: How debt works
Why it feels stuck, how interest grows, and the minimum payment trap.
- Lesson 1 Why Debt Feels Stuck, and the Way Out See why your balance barely moves, why money worry is common and not a flaw, and the four-part plan this course follows. 3 min Completed.
- Lesson 2 How Interest Makes Debt Grow: Amount, Rate and Time Learn the three things that decide what a debt costs, how interest grows on itself, and why paying more each month is your strongest lever. 2 min Completed.
- Lesson 3 The Minimum Payment Trap and How to Escape It See why paying only the card minimum can keep you in debt for years, and how a fixed payment above the minimum gets you out sooner. 2 min Completed.
Chapter 2: Your payoff plan
List every debt, find the money, and choose snowball or avalanche.
- Lesson 4 How to List Every Debt You Have in One Place Put every debt on one list with five columns, add up the totals, and keep it current with a short weekly money check. 2 min Completed.
- Lesson 5 Find Money to Pay Down Debt and Stop New Debt Build a budget from real spending, find the gap, pay priority bills first and stop new debt with a small starter emergency fund. 2 min Completed.
- Lesson 6 Snowball or Avalanche: Which Debt to Pay First Compare the two best-known ways to pay off several debts, and pick the order that suits you: lowest cost with the avalanche or quick wins with the snowball. 2 min Completed.
Chapter 3: Getting help
Talking to lenders, consolidation and balance transfers, free help and scams.
- Lesson 7 Talk to Your Lenders: When to Call and What to Ask Learn when to call your lenders, what to ask for, how to keep a record, and why you should never ignore court papers. 2 min Completed.
- Lesson 8 Consolidation Loans and Balance Transfers: Costs to Check Learn what consolidation loans and balance transfers are, which costs hide in the small print, and why moving debt is not the same as reducing it. 2 min Completed.
- Lesson 9 Free Debt Help and How to Spot Debt-Relief Scams Learn where to find free, honest debt advice, what a good adviser does, and the warning signs of debt-relief scams. 2 min Completed.
Chapter 4: Staying out
Credit scores, pay-later plans, your cushion and your debt plan.
Videos coming soonAbout this course
Each lesson is a written page with pictures, a “Try it” step and the full script. A short video of each lesson is coming soon. Follow the lessons in order, or jump to the step you need.
What you need: your latest statements, and a notebook or a spreadsheet for your debt list.
The lessons draw on our How Debt Works guide, the other debt and credit articles and our budgeting guides, plus two consumer-agency guides on consolidation and debt-relief scams. This course is general education, not financial or legal advice. Interest rules, credit scores and help services differ by country, so check your local rules. If you can’t keep up with payments, talk to your lenders early and contact a free debt advice service in your country. If money worry is wearing you down, talk to a doctor; in a crisis, call your local emergency number.
Good questions
Answers, plainly
How long does the course take?
10 lessons, about 22 minutes in all. Most lessons take about 2 minutes, so one fits into a short break. Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.
Do I need to sign up or pay?
No. Every lesson is free and open, with no account and no email address. Your progress ticks are saved in your own browser only.
Can I watch it instead of reading?
Not yet. Every lesson is a written page with pictures and the full script. Short videos of each lesson are coming.
Who is it for?
Complete beginners, anywhere in the world. Plain words, round example numbers and no background needed.