Even if you’ve been very responsible with your credit card debt, getting organized and getting a plan, the chances are high that something will come up that prevents you from sticking your debt payoff plan.

The car will break down. The kids will need braces. The pipes will burst. The list goes on and on!

So what do you do in that situation?

The first thing you need to do is realize that there’s nothing new under the sun. It’s practically guaranteed: this will happen to absolutely everyone trying to get out of debt. Something, at some time, will come along to derail their best-laid plans.

You need to say calm, stay organized and think creatively.

If you don’t have cash on hand to handle your emergency, then try the following solutions:

Continue paying your minimums, on time every time. Your credit report will thank you.

Try to obtain zero-interest or low-interest loans. Work with friends, family, lines of credit or low-interest introductory rate credit cards to temporarily pay for your emergency.

Ttry to find immediate sources of extra income to pay down the balance as soon as possible. Sell stuff. Have a garage sale. Work overtime. Pick up a quick, temporary part-time job. Ask friends or family to hire you to do special projects. Don’t eat out for a month. If you get really creative, you’ll come up with a whole host of ideas. Combine ideas to multiply your moneymaking efforts.

When you’ve paid down the balance you borrowed for the emergency, get right back on track with your debt payoff plan.

If you do have the cash to handle your emergencies but you were using it to pay down your debt then try these steps:

Use your extra cash to pay the immediate expense.

Get back on track with your debt payoff plan as quickly as possible.

Whatever you do, don’t get discouraged! It’s the exceptional person who stays focused and goes right back to their debt payoff plan when the emergency is over.

Once the emergency has passed, take the opportunity to learn from it.

Was this expense really unexpected? Or was it something you were just putting off or hoping would never happen? If it’s the latter, then you may want to divert some of your debt payoff funds to a savings account that will handle this “emergency” again. Perhaps you simply need to adjust your budget.

Once you’ve determined that your financial plan is still effective and up-to-date, help yourself stay motivated by closing your eyes and picturing yourself having this emergency when you’re debt-free. How will things be different? Instead of wondering where you’ll get the cash, will you simply write a check? Run to the bank?

The stress you feel now won’t be there once you’re debt free.

So as you deal with your current emergency, tell yourself that pretty soon, you’ll never have to feel this way again! Revel in your future success.

Next step: You’ve paid off your debts! Now what?

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