The typical American household that has at least one credit card holds over $15,000 in credit card debt. Add in car payments, student loans, and more, and it’s easy to see that many Americans are deeply in debt. Is there a way out? Fortunately, there is.

For those looking to get out of debt and build a more secure financial future, there is a way. It takes some effort, as does anything worthwhile, but it can be done. Here’s how.

1. Establish a plan. You must have a solid plan as to how your debt will be paid off. Set goals, realistic ones, and stick to meeting them. You have to execute the plan if you are going to see results.
2. Be disciplined. A lack of discipline is what leads people into debt in the first place. Once the plan has been put into place, you must have the discipline to stick to it.
3. Eliminate credit cards. Many households have too many credit cards, especially cards with high interest rates. As you work on paying off your credit cards, cut them to avoid the temptation of using them again. It may be advisable to keep one card for an emergency situation, but remember to stay disciplined.
4. Consolidate debt. One of the first things you can do to reduce your monthly debt obligations is to consolidate your debt into one smaller monthly payment. If, for example, you have three credit card payments, a student loan payment, and a car loan payment; you could consolidate all of those into one new loan with a payment less than what you were paying separately. Doing so will make your debt much more manageable.
5. Use a small loan. In some cases, it may make sense to use a small loan, to be repaid quickly, to help get out of debt. The easiest small loans to obtain are those such as a car title loan. Embassy Loans, for example, can process a vehicle title loan within 20 minutes to an hour. The funds can be used to pay off other higher interest debt.
6. Credit counseling. For those with serious problems, credit counseling may be the answer. You will meet with a credit counseling agency that will review your financial history and your current debt. The agency will help you work out a plan with your creditors to get the debt paid off. You will make payments to the agency, which will pay the creditors.