Credit Card Debt: How to Get Rid of It

This method is simple, but requires some discipline.

First, you have to stop any new spending on your cards.

Second - you'll need to examine all of your spending. You'll need to know how much extra money you'll be able to put towards paying off your cards.

Credit card companies generally determine the minimum payment to be 2 - 2.5% of the outstanding balance. So if you owe $1,000, for example, your minimum payment will be 20 - $25 per month.

Some part of that $25 goes to the interest on the balance, some to pay off the actual balance. How much goes where depends on the interest rate. Your credit card statement will give you the exact numbers.

Let's say that $20 of the $25 goes to the actual balance. To pay off $1,000 at $20 per month will take 50 months. Just over four years. You'll also have paid $250 in interest alone.

Here's how you pay them off:

Look at the interest rates on all your credit cards. Take the one with the highest rate. That's the one you're going to work on first and we'll call it card #1.

After examining your spending you may have found some money to put towards your payments. All of this extra money to pay off your card debt goes to this one card. The idea is to pay as much extra to card #1 as you can. Until it's paid off.

Pay the minimum balances on all the other cards until card #1 is done.

Then take the card with the next highest interest rate and add to its payment the total of the payment you were making to card #1. In other words, send the regular monthly payment you used to send for card #1, plus any additional amounts that you used to pay on card #1, plus the monthly minimum for card #2- all to card #2. Do this until card #2 is done.

Then take the total you were paying to cards #1 and #2 and add that to the payment on card #3, and so on.

Here's an example:

Let's say you have four, maxed out, credit cards. Each with a balance of $5,000 ($20,000 total.)

Say the minimum payment on each card is $100 (yours may be different) making your monthly minimum payment total $400.

Now let's say you have $500 per month to pay these off, which you found through analyzing all your spending.

Card #1 has the highest interest rate and you'll send $200 per month to that card and pay the minimums ($100) on each of the others.

And you're not adding any new spending.

The extra $100 you're sending in to card #1 goes to the actual balance of the card, not the interest. This will let you pay that card off a lot faster. You might be able to kill this card in two years, instead of 5.

Eventually, card #1 is dead. The entire payment, $200, that you were making to card #1 gets added to the payment on card #2, for $300 total. ($100 minimum plus the extra $200 from card #1.)

The balance on card #2 will be less than $5,000 since you've been making your minimum payments all along. Adding the $200 from card #1 to the payment of $100 that you've been making to card #2 will make this card go away much faster than the first card did.

When card #2 is gone you take the $300 per month that you were paying to #1 and #2 and add it to the payment on #3, which will now be $400/month.

When #3 is done you repeat the procedure for card #4, but now you're sending the whole $500/month to that one card.

Obviously this system will take years, but at the end of that time you have:

* Four dead cards (hopefully you cut most of them up,)

* Spending and budgeting discipline earned from going through the whole process, and

* $500/month to put into a savings account or where ever.

Good luck!

Greg has a degree in biology so, naturally, went into teaching martial arts. Now he builds websites on whatever topic happens to be of interest. For more articles on easing your credit card debt, visit Credit Card Debt Help.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Debt Relief Information:

Related Articles


How to Negotiate Debt Settlement
People over extend themselves financially as a result of a change in their lifestyle. In today's economy were company mergers, and such; creates a displacement and hardship to the major of the workforce.
Credit Card Debt Freedom is Possible
Credit card debt have you drowning financially? You're not alone. The average American household carries $9,205 in credit card debt, according to CardWeb, an online industry tracker.
Drowning in Debt? Tips and Tricks for Getting Out of Hot Water with Creditors
Do you, like millions of other Americans, feel like you're sinking in an ocean of credit card debt? Well, fear not--there are many options for reducing your debt way before you have to be concerned about receiving notices or daunting telephone calls from debt collectors. The important thing to remember is to be proactive in handling your credit card debt.
Debt and Financial Optimism in the UK Continue
With £1.3 trillion pounds worth of debt in the UK, Scotland's Citizens Advice Bureau has welcomed a new Bill to regulate lenders and protect borrowers from creating un-repayable levels of personal debt.
Budget the Luxuries First!
Strictly speaking, his advice was preceded by another Heinlein maxim as well. "Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without.
A History of Money and Banking Secrets That Banks Dont Want Published
A History of Money and TradeTo start with a history of money and debt, we must go back many years ago when people used to trade their wares for the things they wanted and needed.In place of money or Federal Reserve Notes, you could trade a well made pistol for a cow, which you could eat or trade a remainder of for other items like clothing.
Learn The Five Key Debt Reduction Steps You Must Take Immediately!
Step 1. The purpose of this first step is to bring you back to reality.
Solutions to Single Mothers in Debt
As a single mother, lets admit it, times get tough. You are fortunate enough to have your children that mean the world to you, but it doesn't come cheap.
Help for the Single Mother with Managing Credit and Debt
Today's consumers benefit drastically from the usefulness of credit. Credit cards are especially useful for large purchases, emergency situations, making reservations, identification, and protection from fraud.
Reduce Your Debt
Do you want to reduce your debt? Having trouble paying your bills? Getting dunning notices from creditors? Are your accounts being turned over to debt collectors? Are you worried about losing your home or your car?You're not alone. Many people face a financial crisis some time in their lives.
Is Debt Negotiation Bad?
Educating yourself about the ins and outs of debt negotiation is a good first step. Please note that the term 'debt negotiation' is also known as debt arbitration or debt settlement.
Bankruptcy - Is It The Right Choice For You?
Bankruptcy is one of the tougher choices we as adults face in today's society where it is the norm to be in debt, albeit some more so than others. Credit card offers materialize whether you are looking for credit or not.
Debt Settlement
What is debt settlement?Debt Settlement is a process to settle your debts with the creditors. With debt settlement, a third party or you yourself negotiate with your creditors to come up with a reduced debt that you agree to pay.
Two Ways To Debt Relief
There are many debt relief programs out there both off line and online. Sometimes it can be difficult to chose one from the other.
Ten Ways to Get Out of Debt
1) Use your AssetsIf you have assets with some significant equity, such as a home or a car you may be able to use these to get control of your debt. For example, you could get a loan on your home sufficient to pay off your debts.
Bankruptcy Abuse
Bankruptcy is little more than a smack on the hand these days. Creditors are certainly not going to look at you as a wise credit risk after bankruptcy, but that will probably not stop them from extending credit to you anyways.
Debt Relief with this Simple Formula
Is there a way to get out of debt without getting a second job or having to increase your income in some way? Can the averageperson take his or her current income and pay off his or her bills in a matter of a few years, including the car and mortgage payments?The answer is YES!!! You can do it without having to cut out all of your fun and extra-curricular activities as well. Now, you may need to cut down on going to the movies or going out to eat, but you will not have to stop altogether.
Debt Reduction, a Necessary Endeavour
Massive debt is something many Americans face. Debt reduction is now becoming more and more of a necessity.
How to Become Debt Free
In today's consumer society it is all too easy to get into debt. If you have a few credit cards, car loan, mortgage and possibly student loans it can easily add up.
Is Filing for Bankruptcy an Option for You?
Bankruptcy laws give debtors a way to resolve debt by dividing their assets among their various creditors and in some cases will allow debtors to be freed of outstanding debts that cannot be paid, even after the division of assets. For individuals who find themselves unable to pay their debts, bankruptcy can be a viable option.