3 WAYS TO ..get out of debt.

Byline: BY GINA EDWARDS

Here's how to get out of the red and into the black

1 PRIORITISE YOUR SPENDING

IT SOUNDS obvious but unless you get lucky on the Lottery, only spending less and saving more will get you out of debt.

Itemise your income and outgoings, then start budgeting. Prioritise what you spend money on. If you only use the gym once a month, cancel it and jog. Ask yourself if you need to use your phone so much or if you really need another pair of jeans. Just taking lunch into work could save pounds 25 a week - that's pounds 1,300 a year.

2 SHOP AROUND

SET aside time to get the best deals on everything. Start with your mortgage. Could you get a better deal elsewhere?

The same goes for credit cards. Try to pay off credit card bills as soon as they arrive to avoid staggering interest rates.

Investigate your energy supplier. With the average family expected to pay pounds 100 more over the next year, it's worth it. Visit www.uswitch.com for details on your cheapest supplier. When your car and home insurance need renewing search the internet for better deals.

3 BOOST YOUR EARNINGS

CONSIDER selling anything you don't want on an auction site such as ebay - your junk could be someone else's treasure.

Think about what talents you have that could earn money. Could you teach a musical instrument or a language? Enquire at work if there's any paid overtime you could do.

Or think about whether you could fit in shifts at a local bar. Put that money in a high-interest savings account such as an ISA.