5 surefire ways to eliminate credit card debt
DESCRIPTION
ÂTRANSCRIPT
Source: www.taggedsearch.net/Article/127/10018
www.taggedsearch.net
5 Surefire Ways To Eliminate Credit Card DebtDo you have enormous credit card debt? You are certainly not alone. According to research,
the average family in the United States has $7000 in credit card debt and pays about $1000
in interest each year! Throw in a late payment or two, or an over-the-limit charge, and that
number skyrockets. Imagine what you could do with that $1000 if it weren't being spent on
interest.
Let's imagine for a moment that you have $5000 debt on one credit card that is charging you
17.5% APR. Let's also imagine that you pay only the minimum due of $25/month on this
card. Guess what? You will never pay it off! The interest alone on this card is $73/month!
That means that each month you get further and further into debt. By the time you have been
paying on this $5000 for 10 years, assuming you have not used the card during this entire
period of time, you will owe $20,385! That's over $15,000 in interest. If you triple your
payment to $75, it will take you over 20 years.
So, what do you do? How do you get out of debt and use that money towards other
necessities, savings, and investments? Here are a few simple methods that you can use
without having to go to an expensive financial counselor.
Tip #1: Cut Up Your Cards
The very best way to reduce your credit card debt is to STOP using your credit cards! There
is no need to have more than one card, so pick the one with the lowest interest rate and cut
up the rest. The one you keep should be deemed an 'emergency card." These are true
emergencies, not mere inconveniences. For instance, buying a new TV would not be an
emergency, but renting a car in order to get to the bedside of a dying loved one would be.
You can carry your emergency card with you, but don't make it too easy to use. One good
suggestion is to cover the card tape and paper and write on it: For Emergencies Only.
Tip #2: Move Your Debt
If you have more than one credit card payment, you may want to consider moving debt from
a card with a higher APR to one with a lower APR. This will lower the amount of money you
are spending towards the interest and get you out of debt faster.
Tip #3: Use the Snowball Principle
List all of your credit card debts, and the amount you are paying each month. Pay off the
lowest amount first. Then use that money to start paying off the second lowest amount. And
then the next and the next. Let's look at an example.
If you have a $7000, $5000, and $2000 card with payments of $150, $125, and $100, you will
finish paying off the $2000 card first. Once it is paid off, you take that $100 and put it towards
the $5000 credit card. That means you are now paying $225/month. You have increased
your payments which will pay off that credit card sooner and will have you paying a lot less in
interest. Once that is paid off, you apply the $225 to the $7000 card, making your monthly
payment $375. This will greatly accelerate the payment of this card, reducing your interest
payments even further. When everything is paid off, you now have $375/month extra to put
towards savings or investments!
Tip #4: Prioritize Your Debt Repayment
One of the best ways to pay off your debts is to get rid of the highest interest payment first.
Looking back at the snowball example, you took the lowest and paid it first. If, however, the
$2000 card had the lowest interest rate, you would want to pay off the card with the highest
rate first. This will save you much more in interest payments.
If the math gets too hard here, don't despair. There are many places on the Internet where
you can find good debt reduction calculators. It is then just a matter of punching in your
numbers and reading the report.
Tip #5: Consider Consolidation
If you own a home, you may want to consider consolidating your debt using a home equity
loan. Since a home loan is a secured loan (they can take away your house if you don't pay)
you have a much lower interest rate than you do on your credit cards. Paying a lower interest
rate is always a good thing! Not only that, but the interest you pay on your home loan is tax
deductible. This is NOT true for credit cards.
By following these tips, anyone can take control of and completely eliminate credit card debt.
Wesley Atkins is the owner of http://www.credit-cards-advisor.com- which aims to get you
fitted with the best credit cards to suit your situation. With numerous credit card articles and
easy online credit card applications you will never choose the wrong credit card again.