WELCOME

TO
DEBTOR’S
ANONYMOUS

Newcomer’s
Packet
New Jersey/E PA Intergroup Website www.njpada.org
DA World Service Website www.debtorsanonymous.org
DA General Service Office (781)-453-2743

This packet is a publication of the New Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania

Debtors Anonymous Intergroup

Revised 12/6/2013
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page 2 Table of Contents

Page 3 History of Debtors Anonymous

Page 4 Tools of Debtors Anonymous

Page 5 12 Promises of Debtors Anonymous

Page 6 12 Traditions of Debtors Anonymous

Page 7 Signposts on the Road to Becoming a

Compulsive Debtor

Page 8-10 Frequently Asked Questions

Page 11-12 Getting Started

Page 13-14 Spending Plan Templates

Page 15 Debt Reduction Schedule

Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the
things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

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 What is Debtors Anonymous?

Our Primary Purpose

“In D.A., our purpose is threefold: to stop incurring unsecured debt, to pass our
experience on to the newcomer and to reach out to other debtors.”

Responsibility Pledge

“I pledge to extend my hand and offer the hope of recovery to

Anyone who reaches out to Debtors Anonymous.”

History of Debtors Anonymous

Debtors Anonymous started in 1968 when a core group of recovery members from
Alcoholics Anonymous held their first meeting to discuss the problems they were
experiencing with money. They first called themselves the “Penny Pinchers” and later
“Capital Builders”.

The members of this group made daily deposits of their funds into savings accounts
because they believed that their financial problems stemmed from an inability to save
money. As days and months passed, the group’s members began to understand that
their monetary problems did not stem from an inability to save, but rather from the inability
to become solvent.

By 1971, the essence of the D.A. program unfolded in the discovery and understanding
that the act of debting itself was the threshold of this disease, and the only solution was to
use the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

After two years the group of recovering A.A. members disbanded. Meetings came and
went. D.A. reemerged in 1976 when two or three people began meeting on Wednesday
evenings at St. Stephen’s Rectory in New York. Within the year, a second meeting was
organized, and Debtors Anonymous was reborn. Today, there are over 500 meetings
throughout the United States and in at least a dozen countries.

Reprinted with permission, as Group 547, from Debtors Anonymous General Service Board, Inc @2000

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 The Twelve Tools of Debtors Anonymous

Recovery from compulsive debting begins when we stop incurring new, unsecured debt, one day at a time.
(Unsecured debt is any debt that is not backed up by some form of collateral, such as a house or other asset.)
We attain a daily reprieve from compulsive debting by practicing the Twelve Steps and by using the following
Tools.

1. Meetings We attend meetings at which we share our experience, strength, and hope with one another.
Unless we give to newcomers what we have received from D.A., we cannot keep it ourselves.
2. Record Maintenance We maintain records of our daily income and expenses, of our savings, and of
the retirement of any portions of our outstanding debts.

3. Sponsorship We have found it essential to our recovery to have a sponsor and to be a sponsor. A
sponsor is a recovering debtor who guides us through the Twelve Steps and shares his or her own
experience, strength, and recovery.

4. Pressure Relief Groups and Pressure Relief Meetings After we have gained some familiarity with the
D.A. program, we organize Pressure Relief Groups consisting of ourselves and two other recovering
debtors who have not incurred unsecured debt for at least 90 days and who usually have more
experience in the program. The group meets in a series of Pressure Relief Meetings to review our
financial situation. These meetings typically result in the formulation of a spending plan and an action
plan.

5. Spending Plan The spending plan puts our needs first and gives us clarity and balance in our
spending. It includes categories for income, spending, debt payment, and savings (to help us build cash
reserves, however humble). The income plan helps us focus on increasing our income. The debt
payment category guides us in making realistic payment arrangements without depriving ourselves.
Savings can include prudent reserve, retirement, and special purchases.

6. Action Plan With the help of our Pressure Relief Group, we develop a list of specific actions for
resolving our debts, improving our financial situation, and achieving our goals without incurring
unsecured debt.

7. The Telephone and the Internet We maintain frequent contact with other D.A. members by using the
telephone, e-mail, and other forms of communication. We make a point of talking to other D.A. members
before and after taking difficult steps in our recovery.

8. D.A. and A.A. Literature We study the literature of Debtors Anonymous and of Alcoholics Anonymous
to strengthen our understanding of compulsive disease and of recovery from compulsive debting

9. Awareness We maintain awareness of the danger of compulsive debt by taking note of bank, loan
company, and credit card advertising and their effects on us. We also remain aware of our personal
finances in order to avoid vagueness, which can lead to compulsive debting or spending.

10. Business Meetings We attend business meetings that are held monthly. Many of us have long
harbored feelings that “business” was not a part of our lives but for others more qualified. Yet
participation in running our own program teaches us how our organization operates, and also helps us to
become responsible for our own recovery.

11. Service We perform service at every level: personal, meeting, Intergroup, and World Service. Service
is vital to our recovery. Only through service can we give to others what so generously has been given
to us.

12. Anonymity We practice anonymity, which allows us freedom of expression by assuring us that what
we say at meetings or to other DA members at any time will not be repeated.\

© 2005 Debtors Anonymous General Service Board, Inc. Revised 2005

Registered D.A. groups have permission to copy these Tools for distribution to their members.

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 The 12 Promises of Debtors Anonymous
In the program of Debtors Anonymous, we come together to share our journey in recovering from
compulsive debting. There is hope. In working D.A.’s Twelve Steps, we develop new ways of
living. When we work D.A.’s Twelve Steps and use D.A.’s Tools, we begin to receive these gifts of
the program:

1. Where once we felt despair, we will experience a newfound hope.

2. Clarity will replace vagueness. Confidence and intuition will replace confusion and chaos.
We will live engaged lives, make decisions that best meet our needs, and become the
people we were meant to be.

3. We will live within our means, yet our means will not define us.

4. We will begin to live a prosperous life, unencumbered by fear, worry, resentment, or debt.

5. We will realize that we are enough; we will value ourselves and our contributions.

6. Isolation will give way to fellowship; faith will replace fear.

7. We will recognize that there is enough; our resources will be generous and we will share
them with others and with DA.

8. We will cease to compare ourselves to others; jealousy and envy will fade.

9. Acceptance and gratitude will replace regret, self-pity, and longing.

10. We will no longer fear the truth; we will move from hiding in denial to living in reality.

11. Honesty will guide our actions toward a rich life filled with meaning and purpose.

12. We will recognize a Power greater than ourselves as the source of our abundance. We will
ask for help and guidance and have faith that they will come.

All this and more is possible. When we work this program with integrity and to the best of our
ability, one day at a time, a life of prosperity and serenity will be ours.

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 12 Traditions of Debtors Anonymous
1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends
upon D.A. unity.

2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God
as he may express himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are
but trusted servants; they do not govern.

3. The only requirement for D.A. membership is a desire to stop incurring

unsecured debt.

4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other

groups or D.A. as a whole

5. Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the
debtor who still suffers.

6. A D.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the D.A. name to
any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money,
property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

7. Every D.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside

contributions.

8. Debtors Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our

service centers may employ special workers.

9. D.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service

boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. Debtors Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the

D.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion;
we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press,
radio, and films.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever

reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Reprinted with permission, as Group #547, from Debtors Anonymous General Service Board, Inc.  2000
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Signposts on the Road to Becoming a Compulsive Debtor
1. Being unclear about your financial situation. Not knowing account balances,
monthly expenses, loan interest rates, fees, fines, or contractual obligations.

2. Frequently “borrowing” items such as books, pens, or small amounts of money

from friends and others, and failing to return them.

3. Poor saving habits. Not planning for taxes, retirement or other not-recurring but
predictable items, and then feeling surprised when they come due; a “live for
today, don’t worry about tomorrow” attitude.”

4. Compulsive shopping: Being unable to pass up a “good deal”; making impulsive

purchases; leaving price tags on clothes so they can be returned; not using items
you’ve purchased.

5. Difficulty in meeting basic financial or personal obligations, and/or an inordinate

sense of accomplishment when such obligations are met.

6. A different feeling when buying things on credit than when paying cash, a feeling of
being in the club, of being accepted, of being grown up.

7. Living in chaos and drama around money: Using one credit card to pay another;
bouncing checks; always having a financial crises to contend with

8. A tendency to live on the edge: Living paycheck to paycheck; taking risks with
health and car insurance coverage; writing checks hoping money will appear to
cover them

9. Unwarranted inhibition and embarrassment in what should be a normal discussion

of money.

10. Overworking or under-earning: Working extra hours to earn money to pay

creditors; using time inefficiently; taking jobs below your skill and education level.

11. An unwillingness to care for and value yourself: Living in self-imposed deprivation;
denying your basic needs in order to pay your creditors.

12. A feeling or hope that someone will take care of you, if necessary, so that you
won’t really get into serious financial trouble, that there will always be someone
you can turn to.

Reprinted with permission, as Group #547, from Debtors Anonymous General service Board, Inc  2000

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 Recovery from problems with debt Contact Us | Site Map

Home > About DA > Frequently Asked Questions

Can DA Help Frequently Asked Questions

You? 1. What is the requirement for DA membership?
About DA
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop incurring
12 Traditions unsecured debt.
12 Concepts
2. Does it cost anything to join DA?
History
FAQS There are no dues or fees for DA membership; we are self-
supporting through our own contributions.
Literature
Events 3. What happens at a DA meeting?
News Media While formats vary from region to region and meeting to meeting,
Helping there are some common elements to all of them: a reading of the
Professionals preamble, a member chairing the meeting, announcements, a
collection for the meeting’s financial support, and sharing by
Business Debtors
others. Additionally, meeting may dedicate time to read the
Anonymous
Twelve Steps, the Twelve Traditions, the Signs of Compulsive
(BDA)
Debting, the Tools of DA and other literature. Usually meetings
Public allocate time during or after a meeting on a monthly basis to hold
Information a business meeting.
Start a DA Why is it important for newcomers to attend meetings regularly?
Meeting We gain a sense of hope. We identify with others. We meet
people who can help.
Find a DA 4. What is compulsive debting?
Meeting
Compulsive debting is a disease. We have found that it is a
Contributing to
disease that never gets better, only worse, as time goes on. It is
DA
a disease, progressive in its nature, which can never be cured but
En Español can be arrested.
Service This disease affected our vision of ourselves and of the world
Recovery Stories around us. It led us to believe that we were "not enough" - at
home, at work, in social situations, in love relationships. It also
Open Service
led us to believe that there is not enough out there in the world
Positions
for us. The disease manufactured a sense of impoverishment in all
that we did and saw. In reaction to this, we withdrew into a
dream world, fretted over money, and avoided responsibilities.
5. What is compulsive spending?
Compulsive spending is one of the symptoms of the disease of
debting, and begins to lose its hold on us only after we have
stopped incurring any new unsecured debt one day at a time.

6. What is anonymity?

We respect the anonymity of others. The principle of anonymity

means we do not take outside the meetings what we hear and see
in the meetings. Most of us like our identities and stories to
remain confidential. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all
our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before
personalities.

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7. What are the 12 Steps of DA?

1. We admitted we were powerless over debt--that our lives

had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could

restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the
care of God as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of

ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human

being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects

of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became

willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible,

except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were

wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our

conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying
only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry
that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these

steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive
debtors, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

8. What is Solvency?

Solvency, the primary purpose of Debtors Anonymous, is the

practice of not incurring any new unsecured debt one day at a
time. Unsecured debt is any form of debt that is not backed up by
collateral.

9. What are Pressure Relief Groups and Pressure Relief

Meetings?

After we have gained some familiarity with the D.A. program, we

organize Pressure Relief Groups consisting of ourselves and two
other recovering debtors who have not incurred unsecured debt
for at least 90 days and who usually have more experience in the
program. The group meets in a series of Pressure Relief Meetings
to review our financial situation. These meetings typically result in
the formulation of a spending plan and an action plan.

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Can DA Help You? | About DA | Literature | Events |News Media |Helping Professionals | Start a DA Meeting | Find a
DA Meeting

Debtors Anonymous General Service Office PO Box 920888 Needham, MA 02492-0009

Toll Free: 800-421-2383 - US Only 781-453-2743 781-453-2745 (FAX)
[email protected]

© 2006 - 2011 Debtors Anonymous General Service Board Inc.

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 Recovery from problems with debt Contact Us | Site Map

Home > Can DA Help You? > Getting Started

Can DA Help Getting Started

You?
Stop incurring any new unsecured debt
15 Questions First and foremost, we suggest that you stop incurring any new
Signs of unsecured debt, one day at a time. Unsecured debt is any debt
Compulsive not backed up by some form of collateral. Although refraining
Debting from compulsive debting may be difficult and painful, it
establishes a solid foundation for our recovery.
Getting Started
12 Steps Attend D.A. meetings regularly
Recovery Tools Attending meetings gives us a sense of hope, an opportunity to
identify with others, and a chance to meet people who can help
About DA
us. Find a meeting in your area.
Literature
Events Record your expenses and your income
A good way to do this is to buy a small notebook or planner that
News Media
is easy to carry. Throughout each day, we write down everything
Helping we spend and any income we receive, no matter how small the
Professionals amount. Do not be discouraged if you cannot keep perfect
Business Debtors records. If you lose track, begin again as soon as you can. We
Anonymous believe in progress, not perfection.
(BDA)
Read D.A. literature
Public
You will find useful suggestions and new insights. We also find it
Information
helpful to read these books: A Currency of Hope, Alcoholics
Start a DA Anonymous, and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of
Meeting Alcoholics Anonymous. .
Find a DA
Meeting The Twelve Steps
We suggest that you begin by working the Twelve Steps and by
7th Tradition practicing the D.A. Tools. Because we did not arrive overnight at
En Español the circumstances that brought us to D.A., solving our problems
Service has required time and effort. While using the Tools of D.A.
provides some relief from compulsive debting, working the Steps
Recovery Stories leads to recovery.
Open Service
Positions Work the Steps
We suggest that you work the Twelve Steps in order, preferably
with a sponsor or an experienced D.A. member who has worked
and continues to work the Steps to the best of his or her ability.
For us, true, long-lasting recovery results from a spiritual
experience gained by working the Steps.

Step One
We recommend beginning with Step One. The sense of despair or
"hitting bottom" we felt when we first came to D.A. was the first
step in our recovery. We saw that our own attempts to scheme
and manipulate our debts did not work. We admitted that we
were powerless over debt. We were ready to ask for help.

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 Find a Sponsor
To help you work the program, we suggest asking someone who
lives the recovery you want to be your sponsor. Sponsors help us
work the 12 Steps, use the D.A. Tools, and carry out our Action
Plans.

Ask for a Pressure Relief Meeting

After you have recorded your income and expenses for
(preferably) 30 to 45 days, attended at least six meetings, and
made a commitment to D.A., we suggest that you ask two
members of D.A. (usually a man and a woman) to meet with you
in a Pressure Relief Meeting. These two D.A. members should
have abstained from incurring unsecured debt for at least 90 days
and had two Pressure Relief Meetings, and if possible they should
have recovery from issues similar to yours. As the members of
your Pressure Relief Group, they will help you review your
situation and formulate a Spending Plan and an Action Plan.

Anonymity
We suggest that you practice the principle of anonymity. Who we
see and what we hear at meetings and in private conversation is
kept confidential. This principle allows all members the freedom to
speak openly and honestly without fear that our words or deeds
may be used to harm us. Please respect the anonymity of all D.A.
members.

If you decide that D.A. is not for you, keep us in mind for the
future. You are always welcome. Debtors Anonymous will be here
when you need it.

Can DA Help You? | About DA | Literature | Events |News Media |Helping Professionals | Start a DA Meeting | Find a
DA Meeting

Debtors Anonymous
General Service Office
PO Box 920888
Needham, MA 02492-0009
Toll Free: 800-421-2383 - US Only
781-453-2743
781-453-2745 (FAX)
[email protected]

© 2006 - 2011 Debtors Anonymous General Service Board Inc.

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Spending Plan for _________________, 20________________________

Week Week Week Week Total for Month Month

#1 #2 #3 #4 Month Planned Difference
Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual

INCOME
Salary
Salary
Income from Part time
Income from Investments
Other Income
Gifts
TOTAL INCOME 0

Fixed Expenses
Mortgage/Taxes/Rent
Car Payment
Cable Service
Car Insurance
Home Insurance
Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Retirement Contribution
TOTAL FIXED 0

Variable Expenses
Heat/Light/Power
Home Maintenance/Repairs
Phone/Internet/Cell
Car Maintenance
Gas & Tolls
Food In - Groceries
Food Out
Household Supplies
Personal Care
Clothing
Laundry/Dry Cleaning
Unreimbursed Health Care
Pet Care
Education
Entertainment
Vacation
Gifts
Debt Repayment
Charitable Donations
Debt Reduction
Savings
TOTAL VARIABLE 0
Plus Total FIXED 0
TOTAL EXPENSES 0
Surplus/Shortfall for Month 0
Spending Plan for _________________________________________
First Half Month Second Half Month
Month
Planned Actual Planned Actual Planned Actual Difference

Income
Salary
Pension
Social Security
Investments
Other
TOTAL INCOME

Fixed Expenses
Mortgage/Rent
Utilities
Cable Service
Car Payment
Car Insurance
Life Insurance
Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
TOTAL FIXED EXPENSES

Variable Expenses
Home Furnishings
Phone
Car Maintenance
Gas & Tolls
Food In
Food Out
Reserve for Taxes
Personal Care
Clothing
Laundry/Dry Cleaning
Unreimb Health Exp
Education
Entertainment
Vacation
Gifts
Charitable Donations
Savings
Prudent Reserve
TOTAL VARIABLE EXPENSES
PLUS FIXED EXPENSES 0
TOTAL EXPENSES 0

TOTAL INCOME 0

Difference 0
DEBT REPAYMENT SCHEDULE
Acccount:_________________
Creditor___________________________ Interest Rate_______________

Date Amount Check Interest Remaining

Due Date Payment Paid # Amount Balance

MAKE A SEPARATE SHEET FOR EACH

DEBT/CREDITOR YOU HAVE