Get Educated
The more you know, the less you will spend. Learn as much as you can on your own about the divorce process. Your local library and the internet have a wealth of information regarding divorce in the state of North Carolina. Our website is also a great place to start the research process with articles such as this one provided to you for free. Use the information that is out there to your advantage. When it is time for you to involve an attorney you will already be well informed and the communication you have with your attorney will be much more efficient.
Stay out of the Courtroom
If at all possible, first try to work through things by negotiation or mediation. Litigation can not only be expensive, but also can be extremely painful emotionally. Considering a cooperative approach to ending your marriage by trying a collaborative divorce process may save you a lot of heartache and money. Sometimes litigation is impossible to avoid, but if you want to save money, it should be your last resort.
Figure Out What You Agree on
Come up with a list of things you and your spouse want that you both agree to. Getting this done before involving others to split things up will keep costs down. Additionally, by making the list and agreeing on things, you may find there isn’t much left to fight over. Those things that are not agreed upon can be those saved for the professionals to help resolve.
Run a Cost-Benefit Analysis
You need to remain as unemotional as possible when making decisions regarding your divorce. You can avoid making rash choices by taking some time in the beginning to analyze your situation as logically as possible. Keep focused on the goal, the final divorce, so you can move forward with your life. It can be easy to get caught up when negotiating for items, so just try to keep in mind what is really important to you and what isn’t.