If you want to get out of credit card debt, it takes action on your part. So whether or not you are being swallowed by the sink hole of credit card debt or you are just starting out to dig yourself into credit card debt – you have to take action before it’s too late in order to be come debt free.
The six tips listed below will help you get out of credit card debt…if you use them.
1. Stop using your cards – By using your credit cards you are paying additional interest on the credit card balance you owe on which you’ve already been charged interest. Unless you pay the new charges when you are billed you are accumulating additional interest on both present and past charges.
2. Figure out how much credit card debt is costing you. How you may question! You can find out how much credit card debt is costing you by seeing how much interest rate you have to pay. This is done by reading the fine print on your latest credit card statement. If you do not know then you call your credit card company and have them clarify it to you. (By law they have to clarify it to you.)
3. Lower that interest rate!!!! Lowering your interest rate is the most effective and simplest way to get your credit card debt problem under control. You can lower the interest rate you are paying by transferring high interest rate amount balances to lower or no interest credit cards.
4. Call your credit card companies and tell them to lower your interest rates. Since you already know the interest rates it is time for you to question your banks and credit card companies to lower the interest rates. You should call them and question to speak with a supervisor. The supervisor has the authority to give you a lower interest rate. (Don’t take no for an answer)
This is what you tell them: The rates are too high and you want it lowered. And also let them know that if they are not willing to lower your interest rate you are considering to close your account and transfer all your credit card balances to the company that is willing to give you the lowest interest rate. (since they don’t want to loose the future profits from you they may lower your rate in order to keep your business.)
5. Consolidate your credit card debts – transferring all credit card balances to one credit card – is an effective way of getting out of credit card debts. So when negotiating to get a lower interest rate you should let it be known that your ultimate goal is to get out of credit card debt at the lowest possible cost and not credit card shuffling.
6. Cut your savings in half. It would be foolish to be paying high interest rates while continuing to save the usual amount, if you are indeed saving. Once you have removed the credit debt you can really increase your savings by adding the former “credit payment” to your savings account.
It works like this. Get all your credit card balances. Divide each balance by the minimum amount you are required to pay each month. This tells you how long it would take to pay off each balance. Start by paying off the one that takes the least amount of time (half your savings + minimum payment). Continue making minimum payments on the rest. When that least payment is finished you would pay the next least payment and so on. You would continue using this tactics until you are no longer in debt.
If you follow the above tips and tactics you should be on your way to getting out credit card debts in very small order.