Late Fee 12-Step Program

Welcome to the Late Fee 12-Step Program, where you can finally face the music and pay your overdue bills.

Step 1: Acknowledge Your Debt

Take a long, hard look in the mirror and admit to yourself that you're a slave to your creditors.

Learn more about acknowledging your debt

Step 2: Make a Budget (That You'll Never Stick To)

Try to create a budget, but let's be real, you're probably going to end up eating Cheetos for dinner every night.

Get tips on budgeting for the financially hopeless

Step 3: Prioritize Your Expenses (Rent Last)

Put off paying your rent until the last possible minute, then scramble to come up with some creative ways to beg for an extension.

See examples of how to pay your rent last

Step 4: Seek Professional Help (a.k.a. Google)

Call up your mom, your dad, or a random stranger on the internet for advice on how to pay off your debt.

Find out how to Google your way out of financial ruin

Step 5: Face Your Creditors (Literally Face Them)

Go to the nearest coffee shop, order a $5 coffee, and stare intensely at your creditors until they give you a better deal.

See examples of this technique in action

Step 6: Make Amends (a.k.a. Send a Check)

Send a check, but not before you've had a chance to eat an entire pizza by yourself.

Learn the art of sending checks without getting too hungry

Step 7: Sustain Your Progress (a.k.a. Repeat Steps 1-6)

Just keep on repeatin' the cycle, like Groundhog Day, but with more overdraft fees.

See how to keep on keepin' on with the cycle of debt

Step 8: Share Your Experience (a.k.a. Complain on Social Media)

Tell all your friends and family about your financial woes, and get sympathy and free advice from strangers.

Find out how to post about your financial struggles on social media

Step 9: Make Amends to Yourself (a.k.a. Take a Nap)

After all that stress and anxiety, you're going to need a nice long nap to recover.

See examples of self-care for the financially stressed

Step 10: Find the Silver Lining (a.k.a. Use Your Debt as a Tax Write-Off)

Hey, at least you can write off your debt as a business expense!

Learn how to spin your debt into a tax benefit

Step 11: Make Peace with Your Creditors (a.k.a. Bribe Them)

Just give 'em some cash, and they'll totally forget all about that pesky interest rate.

See examples of this technique_goalsSee examples of this technique in action

Step 12: Get Back to Where You Started (a.k.a. Repeat Step 1)

And that's it! You made it through the 12 steps, only to start all over again. Congrats!

Learn how to repeat the cycle