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Do It Yourself Credit Card Debt Reduction and Relief
Each year several million Americans file bankruptcy. Millions
more enroll in debt relief programs through credit counseling and
debt settlement companies. Oftentimes, however, a consumer is best
served by taking simple yet important steps for debt reduction. The
following is a brief list of basic ways consumers can get debt
relief without third party help:
1. Pay more than the minimum payments each month – This is the
simplest yet all too often overlooked path to debt reduction. With
high interest credit cards, finance charges can amount to far more
than the majority of the minimum payment. In other words, each time
a consumer pays the minimum very little of the principal balance
actually goes down.
2. Manage your debt with Excel or debt reduction software – By using
a system for paying your bills, the likelihood of late payments is
reduced significantly. By paying on time, consumers can avoid costly
late fees or triggering the high interest rates written in the small
print of every credit card contract. Some popular debt reduction
programs include Quicken and Managing Your Money by Microsoft.
3. Negotiate lower interest rates with the credit card companies
yourself – Before enrolling in a credit counseling debt relief
program, try negotiating lower interest rates with the credit card
companies on your own. In the end you can save far more money by
avoiding agency monthly maintenance fees, as well as the black mark
of being enrolled in a debt management plan (DMP) on your credit.
4. Budget more effectively – Figure out exactly what money you have
available to pay your credit cards. By doing this, you can use you
disposable income to put towards the card with the highest interest
rate. This will cut down on the timeline until you’re debt free,
which means you pay less to get out of debt.