According to Pew Charitable Trusts report, eight out of 10 Americans are in debt with the median amount owned at $67,900. Over the past 30 years, American families have taken on increasing amounts of debt. If you want to get out of debt, you have to ask yourself this question: “Why you got into debt in the first place,” says certified financial planner John Gajkowski. “Was it a one-off type of thing? Was it a medical expense you weren’t ready for? Or was it your lifestyle? If you have a $60,000 lifestyle and a job that only produces $50,000 in income, you’re always going to be in debt, so you either have to modify your lifestyle or change careers to earn the money for the lifestyle you want to create. A lot of people never come to that realization.” Debt management is a lifelong process just like weight management. You need to keep this question in mind to successfully control your personal finance.