Credit Information

How To Eliminate Credit Card Debt


There is almost nothing more troublesome than having too much debt to pay each month. Consumers incur debt for many different reasons. Sometimes illness, accidents, or just bad luck can make it seem impossible to get finances under control. Other times it is simply because we spend more money than we earn. The first step toward taking control of your financial situation is to learn how to eliminate your credit card debt.

Develop a budget. Start by listing all sources of income. First list fixed expenses such as mortgage payments, insurance premiums, and auto loans. Next, list the expenses that vary from month to month such as utility bills, recreation and clothing. If there is any hope of controlling your credit card debt you must create and stick to a budget.

There are different kinds of debts. Mortgages and auto loans are debts secured by collateral. In the event of default on a secured debt, a lender may foreclose on your home or repossess your car. Unsecured debts are loans with no collateral and often have variable interest rates and are assessed a fee for late payments. In the event of default on an unsecured debt a lender may report to a credit-reporting agency, contact the debtor repeatedly by mail or telephone, and in general make life miserable for those who find themselves in financial trouble.

If you are among the millions who have found themselves in a financial crisis, consider your options - budgeting, debt consolidation, or bankruptcy. Which works best for you? It depends on your level of self-discipline, how much debt you have, and your future financial prospects. While eliminating debt may seem next to impossible, your life does not have to go from bad to worse.

Self-help may be the easiest, cheapest way to eliminate debt. First, stop charging now. Incurring more debt will only compound the problem. Make a list of all your credit card bills starting with the smallest. Pay as much above the minimum payment as you can afford on the card with the lowest balance. Continue until this debt is paid in full, and then proceed to the next card. Systematically paying off your credit cards one by one will reduce your debts dramatically. The fastest way to eliminate credit card debt is to put every penny you can towards paying off your credit cards. Do not underestimate the effect an extra five or ten dollars paid repeatedly over time can have on eliminating debt.

You may be able to reduce the amount of your combined monthly payments and lower the interest rate by obtaining a home equity line of credit or a second mortgage. Think carefully before taking this route. Your home becomes collateral with these loans. If you make late payments or miss payments you could lose your home. These types of loans may provide certain tax advantages but the fees can really add up. The same goes for debt consolidation. You eliminate or reduce interest rates and the amount of your monthly payments, but the length of the contract and the fees can be more than your original debt.

As a last resort, bankruptcy could be considered. A bankruptcy remains on your credit report for 10 years, making it difficult to obtain credit, get life insurance, or buy a home. However, it can be a fresh start for those who cannot otherwise satisfy their debts.

About The Author

Noel Hynes is the owner of http://1st-for-credit-cards.com. Easy online credit card applications.


MORE RESOURCES:

Seattle Post Intelligencer

Is the era of easy credit over for the long haul?
The Associated Press - 11 hours ago
For Clark, and for a nation of consumers heavily dependent on credit, there are growing signs that those rough times could prove to be more than just a ...
Credit Card Charge-Off Collapse - the Next Economic Crisis PR Web (press release)
Tighter credit card limits add to woes MiamiHerald.com
The Next Meltdown: Credit-Card Debt BusinessWeek
The News Journal - WTHR
all 147 news articles


Christian Science Monitor

GM Likely to Seek Direct Loan From Fed
Barron's - 3 hours ago
Reserve Banks currently do not establish an interest rate for emergency credit, but Regulation A specifies that such a rate would be above the highest rate ...
Credit unions ready to lend: As banks tighten credit, credit ... Crain's Detroit Business
Anatomy of the American Financial Crisis: How It is Turning into a ... Center for Research on Globalization
Credit freeze sees small cracks CNNMoney.com
MSNBC - The Associated Press
all 1,409 news articles


Telegraph.co.uk

It's Wait and See for Bond Traders
Wall Street Journal - 3 hours ago
"The bond market will take its cues from whatever equities do tomorrow," said Ira Jersey, interest-rate strategist at Credit Suisse in New York. ...
Lehman Credit-Default Swap Payout Could Climb as High as $365 Billion Washington Post
Lehman Credit-Swap Auction Sets Payout of 91.38 Cents (Update1) Bloomberg
Dubai CDS widen amid concern over refinancing of $22bn debt Gulf Times
ireport - New York Times
all 237 news articles


Fed's Fisher: Open to all options to restore credit
Reuters - 12 hours ago
By Mark Felsenthal WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The US Federal Reserve will consider all options in seeking to stabilize credit markets in a period that may bring ...
Fed's Fisher Says All Options Weighed to End Crisis (Update2) Bloomberg
Fed Will Seek Different Tools To Restore Economy, Dallas Fed Chief ... AHN
all 28 news articles


US small businesses squeezed in credit crunch
Reuters - 6 hours ago
Tightening consumer credit has likewise taken its toll, especially on sales of cars and other big-ticket items. "The most difficult part of all this is it ...


European Companies Batten Down Hatches as Credit Crisis Worsens
Bloomberg - 2 hours ago
By Fergal O'Brien Oct. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Europe's worsening credit crisis is forcing companies from carmakers to fashion designers to reduce investment and ...


Is the era of easy credit over for the long haul?
International Herald Tribune, France - 11 hours ago
For Clark, and for a nation of consumers heavily dependent on credit, there are growing signs that those rough times could prove to be more than just a ...


'They're talking about credit and liquidity, but not ours'
guardian.co.uk, UK - 2 hours ago
Short-term credit has dried up in California, and the state is asking for emergency federal loans. Any way you look at it, reasons Bob, programs like his ...


UK CFOs see no upturn in credit in 2009-Deloitte
Forbes, NY - 1 hour ago
The report, called 'Digging in for the Downturn', said with chief financial officers planning for a prolonged period of distress in credit markets, ...


Credit squeeze strangling businesses
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - 6 hours ago
Minnesota entrepreneurs are finding that they can't find credit for their good business ideas. By HJ CUMMINS, Star Tribune joeeee, the government did NOT ...

Credit - Google News

home | site map
© 2006