Balancing finances as a busy working professional can become more challenging than you may have initially thought. Between mortgage payments, family expenses, and the rising cost of living, finding yourself in debt is easier than ever.

If you're in this situation, it's important to know that there are outlets and resources to help you find your way out. The idea of debt relief may seem out of reach for many working professionals, but, in reality, there are concrete steps you can take to rid yourself and your family of those high-interest payments. Using the tips in this article, you can become another step closer to financial freedom.

In this article, we'll explain five straightforward routes you can take to become debt-free.

Route One: The Snowball Method

The snowball method has become a popular alternative for anyone looking to pay down their debt independently. The concept is simple - start by paying off your smallest debts while still making minimum payments on the others. Once you've paid off the smallest amount, move on to the next-largest and continue this pattern until you've reached your most considerable debt.

Route Two: Use Your Savings

This particular step applies to anyone who has managed to procure any savings. Getting out of debt is the current focus, and if paying off your high-interest debts means using your cash savings, it's a worthwhile resource to take advantage of.

Route Three: Alternative Options

In some cases, there are no savings to draw from, and if that's the case, it's important to know your external options. Traditional lenders have often been the go-to for personal loans, but in many cases, long wait times and extensive paperwork have made the process less than convenient.

Borrowers are looking for alternative lending options like FlexMoney for quick, convenient cash that they can use to pay down their debts. With new automated systems and efficient direct deposits, borrowers need fast and reliant alternatives to traditional lending that they can then use to pay off their interests and consolidate their debt.

Route Four: Look for Ways to Earn Additional Income

Earning more money could be a simple solution to paying off outstanding loans when it comes down to it. In some cases, a part-time job can help you earn the money you need, and once you've successfully paid down your debt, you can leave and focus on your full-time employment.

In other cases, you may have marketable skills that could be parlayed into earning additional income, whether you excel at marketing, cooking, sewing, coding or any number of services that people will often pay healthy amounts for.

Route Five: Sell, Sell, Sell

You don't need to necessarily sell off all your belongings. However, if you have particularly expensive or sought-after items in your home that could earn a reasonable price, it may be time to scale down so that you can focus on becoming debt-free. Whether it's clothing or trading in your new car for a lower-priced, used model, it's important to reevaluate how you've spent your money so far and make the sacrifices you need to find the financial freedom you deserve.