Are you reaching for a debt free lifestyle? If winter was especially hard on you, you might feel like it’s absolutely impossible to really get the type of life you really want. I’m happy to tell you that the life you ultimately want is out there. Now that spring is here, it’s time to really think about what you actually want, versus what you think that you deserve. The truth is that debt freedom is something that’s worth fighting for in every season. However, if you’re like most people, you find winter to be the hardest part of the year. You find that getting out of debt means that you have to struggle temporarily. I have to put that out there first and foremost, because it’s hard to get past the fact that you’re going to have to work very hard in order to connect everything else together.

The first step is always mental. No matter what others tell you, there’s a bit of sacrifice involved in getting the job done. You might struggle a little bit, but it’s going to be worth it in the long run when you can step back and know the best is yet to come.

Here’s how to put it into action, if you’re stuck for ideas.

A lot of people think that they have to start hacking away at everything quickly. That’s not the way you really get things done. Even though it sounds good in theory, the reality is that you’re going to drive yourself crazy doing it this way. You’ll feel deprived. Think of the last time you wanted to lose weight. If you tried to be a good person by cleaning out your fridge of everything remotely indulgent, it didn’t last long. Your willpower went out the window the moment someone went by eating an ice cream cone. It’s the same way when it comes to debt.

If you’re in the UK, you need to take advantage of the amazing resources provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau. You can also get help from your local building society as well. Everyone wants you to succeed in reducing your debts. It’s not going to be something overnight, but it can be something that actually lets you breathe for a change.

The truth is that when you’re facing a lot of debts, you can feel like you just can’t breathe. You can’t seem to see any type of life outside of your debts. This isn’t something that you have to deal with forever. It’s only temporary. You have to keep telling yourself that. Sure, you might see friends around you that are continuing to spend money. You might think to yourself, “Why do I have to sacrifice while they get to spend money wildly?” The truth is that your friends may be spending themselves into debt. Is that really a path that you want to continue walking down? You don’t have to live like everyone else.

There will come a day where you can take a vacation without worrying about every single thing. You can also look forward to a day where you can buy something you really want without batting an eyelash. If the car breaks down and needs repairs, it’s not a major emergency. It’s something that requires you to tap into your savings account.

But to get there, you’re going to have to completely change the way you think about money and finance in general.

What about sources of money that you haven’t thought about? If you’ve taken out a loan in the last ten years, you could have paid PPI without thinking about it. This means that you’re going to have to get a PPI refund. But you have to file a claim in order to unlock that type of money. This is best done by using a PPI claims company to make the process straightforward. Basically, they do all of the heavy lifting for you, leaving you to just collect the money. It doesn’t get more complicated than that. You will be able to get them involved in the case, and all you have to do is let them take a percentage of what you win. This means that it doesn’t cost you anything upfront to get your money back. Plus, you get to stand up for yourself and protect your own rights. That’s always a good thing, no matter how you look at it.

Writing down your goals will help you stick to them. It can be helpful to remind yourself of what you’re actually fighting for. It’s hard to stay the course when everyone else is doing whatever they want to do. But it’s definitely worth it. So this spring, brush off the concerns of winter’s past and embrace a bright, blooming future — you can do it!