About DA & BDA

What is Debtors Anonymous?

Debtors Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with

each other that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from compulsive

debting. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop incurring unsecured debt.

There are no dues or fees for DA membership: we are self-supporting through our own

contributions.

DA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution; does not wish to

engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stop

debting one day at a time and to help other compulsive debtors to stop incurring unsecured debt.

Our Purpose

Debtors Anonymous is a non-profit organisation based on the Twelve-Step principles of Alcoholics

Anonymous. In DA, our purpose is threefold: to stop incurring unsecured debt, to share our

experience with the newcomer and to reach out to other debtors.

Debtors Anonymous offers a program of recovery that works. Those who wish to stop debting are

encouraged to attend meetings, read DA literature, seek the advice of a program sponsor and follow

the 12 Steps of Debtors Anonymous.

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 DA, we cannot keep it ourselves.

Anonymity

In Debtors Anonymous we practise Tradition Twelve, which is the principle of anonymity. This

assures us the freedom to express ourselves at meetings and in private conversations without fear

that our comments will be repeated. We keep what is shared at meetings confidential. As we work

the Steps and practise DA's Traditions and Concepts, we are reminded that recovery is possible and

that we are all here for a common purpose — to recover from compulsive debting one day at a time.

What is Business Debtors Anonymous?

Business Debtors Anonymous (BDA) is a distinct and dynamic, but not separate part of Debtors

Anonymous, created to focus on the recovery of members of the fellowship who are business

people. Together, members of BDA support one another in applying the DA principles and tools

when owning and/or running a business. However, as part of DA, there is no separate membership

for attending BDA meetings.

'[BDA is for] members who identify as business owners, whether they are sole proprietors, partners,

contractors, artists, practitioners, or other professionals. In BDA we have found that applying the DA

Steps to our business lives has offered new hope, clarity, and serenity. Many business debtors have

problems that are unique to planning, starting, and running a business, whether or not that business

has employees. For those who do not consider themselves to be current business owners, working

the Steps the BDA way can also provide help.’

from Debtors Anonymous Twelve Steps Study Guide for DA and BDA p83