Get out of Credit Card Debt Using Self Help Techniques

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Credit counseling - Will it work for you
"Cut Your Payments in Half!" the headline screams. "Consolidate Your Bills into One Low Monthly Payment!" When you see ads like this, they are often from Credit Counseling firms. In this article, I'll explain the principles behind the Credit Counseling approach and discuss the main problem consumers face when they join one of these programs. First, let's get our definitions ... Read debt consolidation article



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Online debt consolidation programs help individuals to research, apply and take part in debt reduction programs. The consumer can manage the financing of debts at the click of a mouse. With the problem of excessive debt growing on today, online debt consolidation programs are becoming easy and beneficial. An online debt consolidation program can allow a consumer to get a loan that will ... Read debt consolidation article



Get out of Credit Card Debt Using Self Help Techniques
Running up credit card debt, it's so easy to do, especially since we are all trying to achieve the American Dream - a new chair for the living room, braces for the kids, a new outfit for Saturday night dates, eating out with friends, and driving our new SUV that guzzles the gas and increases the insurance bill. It all seems to have become a part of normal daily living. We pay the minimum due, watch the balance go up, and put on a happy face because we've got it all.

Gerri Detweiler, author of Slash Your Debt, Save Money & Secure Your Future and founder of DebtConsolidationRx.com, notes,

"Americans are pretty optimistic so it often takes a long time for a consumer to realize credit card debt is a problem. Most of us are counting on something to help us get rid of the debt quickly. It could be a raise, business income, even an inheritance or lottery ticket."

That's what Chip and Shelley Smith of Midland, TX thought when they first got married. Happiness must at least partly come from keeping up with the Jones's. But years later and upwards of $50,000 in credit card debt Shelley says they had nothing to show for it. They aren't world travelers and they weren't having any fun. It was the daily trips to Target and Pier One Imports for items they didn't need but thought they might use one day that got them into trouble.

They finally woke up after attending a Dave Ramsey seminar and realizing the craziness of paying interest for pizza. After making changes in their lifestyle, selling lots of items on Ebay including family heirlooms, and working their way out of debt, Shelley now sleeps well at night free from wondering how to pay their bills.

You can sleep well too! Detweiler says if you have credit card balances running up with no idea how to make them start running down, if you have no idea how long it would take and how much it would cost to pay your balances off, or if you're paying off a credit card with another credit card it's time to get serious about your debt.

Create a Repayment Plan

This is the first important step in your journey because it lays out the path ahead. A repayment plan will clearly show you all your debts, how long it will take you to pay it off, and how much it will cost in interest and fees to pay it all back. It will also give you a good idea of what options you have. For example, Detweiler says if your plan shows it's going to take more than 3-5 years to pay off your debt on your current budget, then it's important to seriously consider debt counseling. Bankruptcy is also an option, but most consumer advocates stress that is should always be an absolute last resort.

For help on creating your plan, visit EveryDayWealth.com. The site offers everything from a personalized repayment plan to monthly credit reports, and ways to lower your finance and insurance costs, build better credit, monitor and protect your assets, and optimize your bill payments.

Finding Money for Your Payments

It's time consuming and costly to try getting out of credit card debt by paying only the minimum, especially if you continue to charge purchases. But at times it can feel almost impossible to find the extra money to be able to pay more. Here are some tips to help you get started.

The "B Word"

While it's not most people's favorite thing to do, taking one month to track every single penny you spend through a budget is an invaluable step in getting out of credit card debt. You're sure to find areas where you can cut back. The biggest areas of overspending are food and transportation. Detweiler says she's seen consumers discover they were paying $200 a month for pizza delivery or $160 a month at the office vending machine. Don't be discouraged, however, if you only find $10 as any little bit can help reduce your debt.

After tracking spending for a month you may find it necessary to make a few lifestyle changes. It may not be easy, but the changes aren't necessarily permanent either. Here are some ideas to get you started living a more moderate lifestyle.

If you have good local public transportation or good bike routes, consider living with only one car. If you do need two cars consider a trade down, which could also lower your gas and insurance bills.

Reduce your housing costs by setting the thermostat a little higher in the summer and a little lower in the winter. Or do you even have an extra room you could rent out? Maybe moving to a smaller place would save you money, assuming the savings outweighs the cost of moving. Perhaps it's a matter of dropping some cable channels or living without Internet access at home.

Cutting your food bill is one of the most effective ways to find extra money. Try not eating out as often, keep a price book, shop alone, eat a snack before grocery shopping, buy in season fruits and vegetables, eat less meat, and avoid cold cereal (hot cereal is cheaper and healthier).

Making minor lifestyle changes can help you achieve the new American dream freedom from debt for all!

Get Another Job

That's right! It might temporarily take a part-time job delivering pizzas to get you and your family back on the right path. Or if you are living off one income so mom (or dad) can stay home and raise the kids, consider opening a home daycare or other home based business. That way you still get to be with your own children and earn some extra money at the same time.

Sell Some Stuff

Chances are you have lots of sellable stuff you aren't using packed in the back of your closet or in boxes in your garage. And if you aren't the sentimental type go ahead and sell grandma's china. Even if you are sentimental, consider keeping only your most treasured heirlooms. Try not to overlook something that doesn't appear valuable. The Smiths inherited a painting that hung in her grandmother's garage for years and it ended up being auctioned off for $40,000 at Christie's in Boston!

Tap Into Your Assets

If you do have some savings, consider pulling some of it out to pay off your debt. You typically don't earn near enough interest in a savings account (typically around 1-2%) to outweigh the interest you're paying on credit card debt (typically around 15%). You can consider tapping into a 401K plan too, but be cautious with this option. You will need retirement savings some day and according to Detweiler, these types of accounts are usually protected during bankruptcy proceedings. It may be a good idea to speak with a lawyer about bankruptcy options before using retirement money.

Moving Forward

Once you've found some extra money to start paying more than the minimum you're ready to move forward. Determine a fixed monthly payment you can put towards the debt. Pay only the minimum on all your credit cards except the one with the highest interest rate toward which you will pay as much as your budget allows. Detweiler adds,

"For most people paying the highest interest rate credit card is best. Once it's paid off, then move on to the next highest interest rate keeping your same fixed monthly payment."

Another option that worked well for the Smiths is paying the lowest balance credit card first. Smith said that quickly getting rid of the first credit card debt gave her the confidence and motivation to move onto the next.

Contact Credit Card Issuers

It's always a good idea to contact your credit card issuer to try and negotiate a lower interest rate. If they won't give you a lower rate, try applying for a new low-rate credit card. The "Card Reports" section of CardRatings.com is a great place to shop and compare credit card offers. If you do get a new low-rate card then immediately transfer as much of the balance from your higher rate card(s) as possible. If possible, try not to exceed 50% of the credit limit of any of your cards as doing so could lower your credit score. By staying under the 50% mark you may find new low-rate credit card offers appear in your mail box, which could give you a valuable tool in negotiating.

If you are behind in your payments, some credit card issuers may even be willing to set you up on a hardship plan where your required payment is reduced. Credit counseling agencies may even be a better alternative. Detweiler notes,

A hardship program done directly with the credit card issuer won't have this advantage, so as long as you are paying less than the contractually agreed upon amount your account will have a negative standing.

Final Thoughts

Getting out of credit card debt is never an easy process, but it can be done. The extra effort definitely pays off, not only financially but also when it comes to your peace of mind. We sincerely hope that these self-help techniques will help you achieve the new American dream freedom from debt for all!

Amy L. Cooper-Arnold has been a staff writer for http://www.cardratings.com CardRatings.com since 2004. Her articles have been republished by respected publications throughout the country, including Young Money Magazine, E/The Environmental Magazine and About.com. Amy recently graduated with honors from Austin Peay Univ. and is currently taking graduate-level classes.

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Debt - Do it right the first time

Sure, if you had your choice, you'd avoid debt, spend only what you earn, and save a ton of money for the future. But sometimes it just doesn't work out that easily. Life throws you those little curve balls, such as repairs on your car or home, doctor visits for your children, or any of those costs that add up and make it near impossible to get ahead. Plus, it doesn't help that your health benefits keep going up in cost, along with the cost of gas, while your paycheck seems to be staying at the same level indefinitely.

Debt, in other words, sometimes has to be a way of life if you're going to keep on keeping on. So that leaves with you the option of wracking up debt on high-interest credit cards, which will charge you nearly double-digit interest and will take forever to pay off. Or you could put your hands in your bank and hope they will loan you a second or third mortgage. Or as one last option, you could head to the casinos and put everything you own on red and spin the wheel.

How about choosing the safest path in the middle. That is, don't mortgage your future, your home, or your family by taking out a risky line of credit on your home. And definitely don't risk your sanity by hitting the tables at the nearest casino. You might hit it big, but most likely, you just hit the heartache in a big way. No, your best bet is to find the right vehicle for your debt that charges relatively low interest and is safe and secure.

Believe it or not, there are some credit cards now out there that can help you service your debt in this manner. Some of the best cards on the market now are called secured cards, and they are some of the safest out there because they protect your identity and your privacy. For example, if you shop online often or pay your bills on the Web every month, your secured credit card can make it so you don't have to fear.

One of the scariest things about using plastic on the Web is that hackers, crooks, and other cyber thieves can tap into your account numbers, your birth date, or even your social security. With that vital information, they could then steal your identity, ruin your credit, and make it so you can never take out debt again.

With secured credit cards, though, build up a responsible amount of debt without fear of your identity being snatched from you. You can feel safe with these cards shopping at virtually any site on the Web. One reason is because these cards come with a feature called zero liability. That means that if a thief steals your card, or just your number online, you are not responsible for anything that he bought the card with. Many normal cards, on the other hand, would require that you pay at least $50 or more of the thief's spending spree.

Some newer secured cards have also what is called one-time, or virtual temporary numbers. With these, every time you shop online, your card changes its account number, so that only you know it. With these features, and then some, you can finance your debt without fear of losing yourself in the process, figuratively and literally.

Having done his own Debt Consolidation himself, Duncan is a bit of a guru by experience. You can learn more of his Tips and Tricks on how to step out of Debt


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Get out of Credit Card Debt Using Self Help Techniques
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