{"id":235294,"date":"2018-01-15T05:00:54","date_gmt":"2018-01-15T13:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/getrichslowly.org\/?p=235294"},"modified":"2023-12-06T10:45:21","modified_gmt":"2023-12-06T17:45:21","slug":"how-to-get-out-of-debt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/how-to-get-out-of-debt\/","title":{"rendered":"How to get out of debt (without gimmicks or games)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/back-to-basics\/\">back to basics<\/a> month, let's use today to explore how <em>you<\/em> can get out of debt without gimmicks or games.<\/p>\n<p>After twelve years of reading and writing about money, I've come to believe that debt reduction ought to be a side effect and not a goal. Getting out of debt is a target, not a habit. And, as we've been discussing recently, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/smart-goals\/\">good goals<\/a> are built around actions instead of numbers. <strong>If you restructure your life so that you're <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/to-build-wealth-you-must-spend-less-than-you-earn\/\">spending less than you earn<\/a>, you <em>will<\/em> get out of debt.<\/strong> It's a natural side effect.<\/p>\n<p>Having said that, I realize that a lot of GRS readers are struggling to get to square one. Getting out of debt <em>is<\/em> their goal and primary obsession. That's okay.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Before you can begin repaying your debt, you <em>must<\/em> be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/saving-rate\/\">earning a profit<\/a>.<\/strong> Unless your income exceeds your expenses, your debt is actually <em>increasing<\/em>. If you\u2019re continuing to add debt, or if you\u2019re only able to make minimum payments, you must first find ways to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/best-way-to-spend-less\/\">spend less<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/earn-more-money\/\">earn more<\/a> until you have a positive &#8220;saving rate&#8221;. (Both businesses and people earn profits. But when individuals earn a personal profit, we call it &#8220;savings&#8221;.)<\/p>\n<p>After you're earning a personal profit, you can (and <em>should<\/em>) make debt elimination a priority.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why-you-should-pay-off-your-debt\"><\/span>Why You Should Pay Off Your Debt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Debt repayment can improve your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/credit-score\/\">credit score<\/a>, meaning you'll pay less on everything from rent to car insurance to future borrowing needs. Plus, debt reduction is one of the best returns you can earn on your money.<\/p>\n<p>Investing in the stock market provides an average annual return of about 10% \u2014 but that return isn\u2019t guaranteed. Some years the market is up 30%, but other years it drops by 40%. When you pay down a credit card, you earn a guaranteed return of 20% (or whatever your interest rate is). That\u2019s tough to beat.<\/p>\n<p>There are also non-financial benefits to paying off debt, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Simplicity.<\/strong> The more debt you have, the more bills you have. It's easier to manage your money when you have a simple, efficient financial infrastructure. Each time you pay off a debt, you move one step closer to this ideal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cash flow.<\/strong> Whenever you eliminate a debt, the money formerly used for that monthly payment becomes available to pursue other goals \u2013 including fun stuff like ski trips and knitting supplies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Freedom.<\/strong> When you have monthly payments to meet, you\u2019re chained to your job. You\u2019re unable to take risks. Once your debt is gone, a wider range of options becomes available to you.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Peace of mind.<\/strong> Best of all, once you\u2019re debt-free, you can sleep easier at night. You\u2019ll put less pressure on yourself, and you\u2019ll have fewer fights about money with your partner.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When I first tried to get out of debt, I lacked a system. Without a plan, I sent extra money to one credit card and then another. As a result, I never seemed to make any progress.<\/p>\n<p>After deciding to become <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/you-are-the-boss-of-you\/\">boss of my own life<\/a>, however, I researched how to get out of debt. Many books recommended a strategy called the \u201cdebt snowball\u201d. Although I was skeptical, I gave it a try. The method worked. Using it, I managed to eliminate my debt and begin saving for the future.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"stop-acquiring-new-debt\"><\/span><strong>Stop Acquiring New Debt<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This may seem self-evident, but the reason your debt is out of control is that you keep adding to it. <b>Stop using credit.<\/b> Don't finance anything. Cut up your credit cards.<\/p>\n<p>That last one can be tough. Don't make excuses. I don't care that other personal finance sites say that you shouldn't cut them up. Destroy them. Stop rationalizing that you need them.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You don't need credit cards for a safety net.<\/li>\n<li>You don't need credit cards for convenience.<\/li>\n<li>You don't need credit cards for cash-back bonuses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>You don't need credit cards <i>at all<\/i>.<\/b> If you're in debt, credit cards are a trap. They only put you deeper in debt. Later, when your debts are gone and your finances are under control, maybe then you can get a credit card. (I don't carry a personal credit card. I don't miss having one.)<\/p>\n<p>After you destroy your cards, <b>halt any recurring payments<\/b>. If you have a gym membership, cancel it. If you automatically renew your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/lessons-about-money-from-the-world-of-warcraft\/\">World of Warcraft<\/a> account, cancel it. Cancel anything that automatically charges your credit card. Stop using credit.<\/p>\n<p>Once you've done this, call each credit card company in turn. Do not cancel your credit cards (except for those with a zero balance). Instead, <b>ask for a better deal<\/b>. Find a low interest credit offer online and use it as a bargaining wedge. Your bank may not agree to match competing offers, but it probably will. It never hurts to ask.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"establish-an-emergency-fund\"><\/span>Establish an Emergency Fund<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For some, this is counter-intuitive. Why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/emergency-fund\/\">save for an emergency fund<\/a>&nbsp;<i>before<\/i> paying off debt? Because <b>if you don't save first, you're not going to be able to cope with unexpected expenses<\/b>. Do <i>not<\/i> tell yourself that you can keep a credit card for emergencies. Destroy your credit cards; save cash for emergencies.<\/p>\n<p>How much should you save? Ideally, you'd save $1,000 to start. (College students may be able to get by with $500.) This money is for emergencies only. It is not for beer. It is not for shoes. It is not for a Playstation 3. It is to be used when your car dies, or when you break your arm in a touch football game.<\/p>\n<p><b>Keep this money liquid, but not immediately accessible.<\/b> Don't tie your emergency fund to a debit card. Don't sabotage your efforts by making it easy to spend the money on non-essentials. Consider opening an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/best-online-high-yield-savings-accounts\/\">online savings account<\/a>. When an emergency arises, you can easily transfer the money to your regular checking account. It'll be there when you need it, but you won't be able to spend it spontaneously.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"green-border aligncenter\" title=\"How to get out of debt without gimmicks or games\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/38905792564_be58a89e50.jpg\" alt=\"How to get out of debt without gimmicks or games\" width=\"640\" height=\"420\"\/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-debt-snowball\"><\/span>The Debt Snowball<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>With the debt snowball, you set aside a specific amount of cash each month to pay off the money you owe. At first, progress is slow. In time, however, you begin to make rapid progress, picking up speed like a snowball rolling downhill.<\/p>\n<h3>Step One<\/h3>\n<p>The first step is to make a list of your debts. For each obligation, include the balance you owe, the interest rate, and the minimum payment. <strong>Arrange the list so that the debt with the highest interest rate is on top.<\/strong> Next comes the debt with the second-highest interest rate, and so on, until you reach the final debt on the list, which will be the one with the lowest interest rate.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, here\u2019s the actual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/the-spending-plan-budgeting-for-non-budgeters\/\">list of my debts from October 2004<\/a>, ordered by interest rate:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Computer Loan: $1116 @ 15% ($48 min)<\/li>\n<li>Business Loan $2800 @ 11% ($30 min)<\/li>\n<li>Home Equity Loan $21000 @ 6% ($100 min)<\/li>\n<li>Car Loan $2250 @ 5% ($170 min)<\/li>\n<li>Personal Loan $1600 @ 3% ($100 min)<\/li>\n<li>Personal Loan $6430 @ 0% ($60 min)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I had $35,196 in debt and my minimum payments totaled $508 per month.<\/p>\n<h3>Step Two<\/h3>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve listed your debts, decide how much you can afford to pay toward them each month in total. This should be at least the total of your minimum payments ($508 in the example above), and preferably more. In my case, I started by allocating $700 every month toward debt reduction.<\/p>\n<h3>Step Three<\/h3>\n<p>Now, for all of your debts <em>except<\/em> the debt with the highest interest rate, make minimum payments every month. Use the rest of the money you\u2019ve allocated for debt reduction to pay down the debt with the highest interest rate.<\/p>\n<p>The computer loan topped my list of debts with an interest rate of 15%. The minimum payments for the other debts combined to $460 per month. Under this plan, I\u2019d then take the remainder of the $700 I\u2019d allocated toward monthly debt reduction and apply it to the computer loan. Instead of making the $48 minimum payment, I\u2019d pay <em>$240<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h3>Step Four<\/h3>\n<p>Repeat this process every month until the debt at the top of the list has been eliminated.<\/p>\n<h3>Step Five<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Here\u2019s where this method gets powerful.<\/strong> With your first debt defeated, you don\u2019t use your improved cash flow to buy new things. Instead, you use the extra cash to attack the next debt on your list.<\/p>\n<p>If I start by applying $700 toward debt each month, for example, I continue to apply $700 toward debt each month until all of the debt is gone. After the computer loan is retired, I focus on the business loan. Because the minimum payment on my other debts would be $430, I could funnel $270 to pay off the business debt every month.<\/p>\n<p>When the business debt is gone, I\u2019d then throw $370 per month at the home equity loan, and so on. Ultimately, I\u2019d be left with a single loan: the $6430 personal loan at 0% interest. Every month, I\u2019d apply all $700 to get rid of this debt.<\/p>\n<h3>Pros and Cons<\/h3>\n<p><strong>The debt snowball is powerful and effective. Mathematically, it\u2019s the best way to get rid of your debt.<\/strong> There\u2019s just one problem.<\/p>\n<p>When you attack your debts from highest interest rate to lowest, you\u2019ll pay less money in the long run. Unfortunately, many folks \u2013 including me \u2013 find the going difficult. In my case, I hit a wall when I reached the third debt on the list, my home equity loan. That $21,000 balance was going to take years to repay. I didn\u2019t have that kind of patience.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, I learned there were other ways to order your debts. You don\u2019t have to tackle the high interest rates first.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Snowball\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/kamshots\/384814496\/\" data-flickr-embed=\"true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter green-border\" title=\"Snowball\" src=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/384814496_66df770b6e.jpg\" alt=\"Snowball\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\"\/><\/a><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"building-a-better-snowball\"><\/span>Building a Better Snowball<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Humans are complex psychological creatures. They\u2019re not adding machines. Many of us know what we ought to do but find it difficult to actually make the best choices. (If we were adding machines, we wouldn\u2019t accumulate consumer debt in the first place!) It\u2019s misguided to tell somebody so deep in debt that they <em>must<\/em> follow the repayment plan that minimizes interest payments. The important thing to do is to set up a system of positive reinforcement.<\/p>\n<p>Because of this, many people prefer slight variations on the debt snowball method. These methods ignore math in favor of psychology.<\/p>\n<h3>Dave Ramsey's Debt Snowball<\/h3>\n<p>Financial guru Dave Ramsey has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/1595555277\/?tag=grsorg-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">popularized one variation<\/a> of the debt snowball. Instead of ordering your debts by interest rate, he suggests you attack those with the <em>lowest balances<\/em> first.<\/p>\n<p>Using Ramsey\u2019s method, my debts from 2004 would be ordered like this:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Computer Loan: $1116 @ 15% ($48 min)<\/li>\n<li>Personal Loan $1600 @ 3% ($100 min)<\/li>\n<li>Car Loan $2250 @ 5% ($170 min)<\/li>\n<li>Business Loan $2800 @ 11% ($30 min)<\/li>\n<li>Personal Loan $6430 @ 0% ($60 min)<\/li>\n<li>Home Equity Loan $21000 @ 6% ($100 min)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As with the standard debt snowball method, I\u2019d make minimum payments on each debt <em>except<\/em> the top one on the list. At it, I\u2019d throw everything else I\u2019ve allocated for debt reduction each month. When the top debt was eliminated, I\u2019d move on to the one with the next smallest balance.<\/p>\n<p>Ramsey\u2019s variation isn\u2019t as quick as paying high-interest debt first, and in the long-run, you\u2019ll lose slightly more to interest payments. (In my own case, the projections showed it'd take an extra month to repay my debt and I'd pay and extra $841.15 in interest.) However, there\u2019s a psychological advantage to doing things this way.<\/p>\n<p>By attacking your smallest debts first, you get some quick wins, which provide a mental boost. This psychological lift provides extra motivation to keep attacking that debt. Every few months, you get the satisfaction of crossing another debt off the list! Ramsey says this is \u201cbehavior modification over math\u201d, and he\u2019s right. In fact, I opted to use this variation of the debt snowball when I repaid my own $35,000 of debt in 39 months.<\/p>\n<h3>Adam Baker's Debt Tsunami<\/h3>\n<p>Other experts, including my buddy<a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/author\/adambaker\/\"> Adam Baker<\/a> from Man vs. Debt, suggest yet a third alternative they call <a href=\"http:\/\/manvsdebt.com\/debt-tsunami-the-ultimate-method-for-paying-off-debt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the debt tsunami<\/a>. They argue it's best to pay off your debts in order of their emotional impact. Attack your debts from smallest balance to highest, they say, but for added psychological boost, prioritize any debt that particularly bugs you.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI used to be addicted to gambling,\u201d Baker says, \u201cand I had debt that was specifically associated with gambling. To pay that off first changed me as a person. To pay off the $600 I owed on a credit card was great, but it didn\u2019t change me. It didn\u2019t signify that my life was going to be different and that I was going to live in a different way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But paying off his gambling debt did mean something to him, so Baker attacked that first.<\/p>\n<p>Here's another example: Many people borrow money from their parents. These loans may carry interest rates of only two or three percent (or maybe they\u2019re interest free), but they come with a lot of psychological baggage. This is another instance where it might make sense to pay down low-interest debt first because the non-financial rewards are so great.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The most important thing when paying off your debts is to pay off your debts; the order in which you do so is ultimately irrelevant.<\/strong> Find a system that works for you and develop the discipline to stick with it.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"highlight\"><p><em><strong>Note:<\/strong><\/em> It\u2019s less imperative to repay low-interest debt. Businesses use \u201cleverage\u201d to borrow money cheaply so that they can earn higher returns elsewhere. You do the same when taking out a mortgage at low rate (like three percent) or using school loans to improve your education (which will, in theory, provide high future returns). It\u2019s good to repay all of your debt, of course, but it\u2019s okay to make repaying the mortgage a long-term goal instead of lumping it in with your debt snowball.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"supplementary-solutions\"><\/span>Supplementary Solutions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You can do other things to improve your money situation while you're working on these three steps.<\/p>\n<p>First, focus on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/the-most-important-money-tip\/\">the fundamental personal finance equation<\/a>: to pay off debt, or to save money, or to accumulate wealth, you <i>must<\/i> spend less than you earn.<\/p>\n<p><b>Curb your spending.<\/b> Re-learn frugal habits. (Frugality is something with which most college students are all too familiar.) You can find some great ideas in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/basics\/frugality\/\">archives of this site<\/a>. Also check <a href=\"http:\/\/frugalforlife.blogspot.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Frugal for Life<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While you work to spend less, <b>do what you can to increase your income<\/b>. If possible, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/how-to-list-an-ebay-auction-for-maximum-profit\/\">sell<\/a> some of the stuff you bought when you got into debt. Get an extra job. (But don't neglect your studies for the sake of earning more. Your studies are most important.)<\/p>\n<p>Finally, go to your local public library and borrow Dave Ramsey's <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/0785263268\/?tag=grsorg-20\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Total Money Makeover<\/a>. Don't be put off by the title \u2014 this is a fantastic guide to getting out of debt and developing good money habits. I rave about it often, but that's because it has done so much to help my own personal finances. After you've finished, return it and borrow another book about money.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"simple-not-easy\"><\/span>Simple, Not Easy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Human beings are complex creatures. Some of us are highly logical. Some of us are emotional. Most of us fall someplace in between. <b>We rarely make decisions based on optimal paths; more often, we choose what makes us happy <i>in the short term<\/i>.<\/b> I'm not saying that this is the right thing to do \u2014 it's just what happens. For those who routinely make financial decisions based on emotion, it can be difficult to turn things around.<\/p>\n<p>Complaining that personal finance is easy and &#8220;why doesn't everyone do what they ought&#8221; is like saying that running a marathon is easy so why can't everybody run one? Most of us understand how to prepare for a marathon \u2014 eat right and run a hell of a lot \u2014 but few of us have the dedication and mental fortitude to complete one. However, with a little discipline and some hard work, most people <i>can<\/i> complete a 10k race.<\/p>\n<p>It's the same with personal finance. It's easy to say, &#8220;To build wealth, you must spend less than you earn&#8221;, but it's another thing to do it, especially over the long term. In some ways, building wealth is more difficult than running a marathon. Training for and completing a marathon takes months. Dedicating yourself to a sensible financial plan is a lifetime process.<\/p>\n<p><b>If personal finance were really as simple as understanding the math, we would all be rich.<\/b> But it's not. And we're not. That's why I think any small financial victory is important. That's why I run this website, and why I share whatever tips I can find.<\/p>\n<p>I always say <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/do-what-works-for-you\/\">&#8220;do what works for you&#8221;<\/a>&#8220;. Some people are able to succeed by paying high-interest debt first. But some people \u2014 myself included \u2014 have only been able to succeed by trying another approach. The approach may not be best from a mathematical viewpoint, but <b>I believe that any method that actually helps you meet your goals is better than one that doesn't.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Personal finance concepts might be <u>simple<\/u>, but that doesn't mean they're easy. I don't mean to imply that they are. It took a lot of hard work (and a little luck) for me to get out of debt. It didn't happen quickly, and it wasn't easy.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"the-bottom-line\"><\/span>The Bottom Line<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As I mentioned at the start, I've come to believe that debt repayment is a side effect and not a goal. You shouldn't make it your primary purpose.<\/p>\n<p>If you do the other things I recommend, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/personal-mission-statement\/\">creating a personal mission statement<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/saving-rate\/\">boosting your profit margin<\/a>, you'll naturally pay off debt as a matter of course. But you'll enjoy a benefit many people don't have once their debts are gone.<\/p>\n<p>You see, a lot of people feel lost once they've dug out of debt. Search online and you'll find <em>tons<\/em> of questions and conversations about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=what+to+do+after+you+pay+off+debt&oq=what+to+do+after+you+pay+off+debt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">what to do next<\/a>. Debt repayment had given them purpose, and now that purpose is gone. As a result, they lose financial direction. And like a dieter who had aimed for a weight instead of a lifestyle change, an unfortunate few of the newly debt-free find themselves resuming bad habits.<\/p>\n<p>If you're pursuing other goals and intentionally building good habits, you'll get out of debt. <strong>And once you get out of debt, the good times will continue: That debt snowball you've been building will transform itself into a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wealth-snowball\/\"><em>wealth<\/em> snowball<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Congratulations! You're on your way to financial freedom!<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"actionitem\"><p>Have <em>you<\/em> ever had to dig out of debt? What methods did you use? Were some more successful than others? If you had to do it over again, would you have done anything differently? What advice would you give to others who have just taken on the role of money boss in their lives?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As part of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/back-to-basics\/\">back to basics<\/a> month, let&#8217;s use today to explore how <em>you<\/em> can get out of debt without gimmicks or games.<\/p>\n<p>After twelve years of reading and writing about money, I&#8217;ve come to believe that debt reduction ought to be a side effect and not a goal. Getting out of debt is a target, not a habit. And, as we&#8217;ve been discussing recently, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/smart-goals\/\">good goals<\/a> are built around actions instead of numbers. <strong>If you restructure your life so that you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/to-build-wealth-you-must-spend-less-than-you-earn\/\">spending less than you earn<\/a>, you <em>will<\/em> get out of debt.<\/strong> It&#8217;s a natural side effect.<\/p>\n<p>Having said that, I realize that a lot of GRS readers are struggling to get to square one. Getting out of debt <em>is<\/em> their goal and primary obsession. That&#8217;s okay.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3287,"featured_media":241020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[474],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235294"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3287"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=235294"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/235294\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/241020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=235294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getrichslowly.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=235294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}