The Best Strategy To Erase Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt is a growing sickness in the United States and Europe. It is very important to eliminate debt and take control of your financial health.

In the below section, I have listed the best strategy to erase credit card debt. This strategy is tried and true and often recommended by financial planners and debt consolidation firms.

  • In an Excel spreadsheet list all your credit cards, balance, credit card interest rate and minimum payment from your most recent credit card statement. If you are not computer savvy, you can list them on paper.

  • Sort the list in ascending order of interest rate so that the credit card with highest interest rate is at the top and the credit card with lowest interest rate is at the bottom.

  • Make a count of minimum payment of all the credit cards in the list you just created.

  • Now calculate how much money you can save to pay off your credit card debt and become debt free. If you cannot pay off more than the minimum payment, it is time to do some budgeting to save more and pay towards your credit cards.

  • Each month pay off the minimum on all your credit cards. However, on the credit card with the highest interest rate, pay the minimum plus the additional amount you have saved to pay off your credit card debt.

  • Continue to follow this strategy until the credit card with highest interest rate is completely paid off. In a similar manner, work on paying off your second credit card but remember to make minimum payments on the remaining cards.

  • Besides the above golden strategy, you can call your credit card companies to request for a lower interest rate. Due to stiff competition, many of the credit card companies will readily agree. Lower interest rates mean you can pay off your debt much faster.

  • In some cases, credit card companies will not be willing to reduce your interest rate. This might be a good time to hop on the internet and do some research on credit cards and get a new low interest card. Many companies will allow you an introductory rate for your new credit card.

"@Copyrights 2005" - Bill A Smith is a debt consolidator for Ameri debt consolidation services. Bill has over 10 years of experience in providing debt consolidation, debt counseling and debt management services to clients.


AddThis Social Bookmark Button

American Express
In The News:


Washington Times

RPT-Norway govt sets export industry credit package
Forbes, NY - 1 hour ago
... it would boost the framework for such guarantees through GIEK, a state agency responsible for furnishing guarantees and insurance of export credits. ...
Norway adds $7B to export credit fund The Associated Press
UPDATE 1-Norway proposes boost in state aid for exporters Forbes
all 81 news articles

Credit security freeze a tool against ID theft
Newsday, NY - 9 hours ago
BY GREGORY KARP | The Allentown Morning Call Credit security freezes, a consumer's best defense against the worst types of identity theft, are becoming ...

Credit-card companies raising the bar
Seattle Times, United States - 8 hours ago
By Nancy Trejos According to Mintel Comperemedia, a marketing-research firm based in Chicago, 1.34 billion credit-card direct-mail offers were sent out in ...

Ottawa Citizen

Betting AmEx Could Prosper in Spite of the Credit Crisis
Wall Street Journal - 13 hours ago
Wall Street is worried about several things, including rising losses on AmEx's credit cards, slowing consumer spending and the company's ability to gain ...
Would Buffett Find Berkshire a Value? Wall Street Journal Blogs
Finally, Berkshire Looks Undervalued Barron's
What's Wrong With Berkshire Hathaway? Motley Fool
all 150 news articles

MediaPost Publications

Retailers may take hit as credit tightens and shoppers swear off ...
Indianapolis Star, United States - 11 hours ago
By Dana Hunsinger As the nation's economy continues to deteriorate, some consumers are devising cash-only shopping strategies -- dropping credit card use ...
Advice on Giving, and Receiving, Gift and Pre-paid Bank Cards eNews Park Forest
Holiday shoppers picking cash over credit: survey Reuters
google news commentComment by Marshal Cohen Chief Industry Analyst, The NPD Group, Inc.
Baltimore Sunall 348 news articles

Strategies for Car Shopping in a Time of Tighter Credit
New York Times, United States - Nov 21, 2008
But for consumers, the credit crunch may have a silver lining. “Dealerships are desperate to sell cars,” said William Ryan, who follows the auto finance ...

7 sentenced in phony tax-credit scheme
Atlanta Journal Constitution,  USA - 9 hours ago
AP Valdosta —- A federal judge in South Georgia has sentenced seven people in a tax-fraud scheme involving $5 million in phony credits for diesel fuel ...

Film tax credit is ripping off Ariz. taxpayers
Arizona Republic, AZ - 15 hours ago
The Arizona Department of Commerce this month released its mandated review of Arizona's film tax credit, and from this report and the first two years of the ...

Credit market freeze may claim local governments as victims
Los Angeles Times, CA - Nov 22, 2008
By Michael A. Hiltzik The worldwide credit market freeze may be claiming a new set of victims: states, cities and other government entities that issued ...

Web sites offer detailed comparison shopping for cell phones ...
Chicago Tribune, United States - 10 hours ago
The free site attempts to simplify two often annoying comparison-shopping chores: choosing the right wireless phone plan and the right credit card. ...
credit - Google News
Your Ad Here

Games at Buy.com

Holiday Home Store at Buy.com

Convenience Can Be Costly

You've just opened your credit card bill and attached to your statement you find a "convenience check" included. It may already be filled out with a dollar... Read More

How Creditors Measure Your Credit Rating

Creditors will measure your credit rating based on the following three main things.CapacityCollateralCharacterThe three "C's" show creditors your:"Capacity" or income to pay the debt"Collateral" or assets to... Read More

Bailiffs & Council Tax - Knowing What To Do

This article is about bailiffs who may call trying to collect Council Tax or Community Charge (Poll Tax) arrears. If a bailiff has contacted you to collect... Read More

Your Consumer Rights

If you have ever fallen behind on your debts you already know that dealing with your creditors can be a hassle. Sometimes it can be downright humiliating.... Read More

Understanding Credit Report Score

Understanding credit report scores is important when you see your credit report because you need to be able to make some sense of it.Your credit score is... Read More

Check Your Credit Before Shopping For That Home Loan

Review Your Credit Score.Nearly every bank, credit union, and mortgage lender relies on a three digit score provided by one of the three major credit bureaus to... Read More

Credit Cards, Merchant Accounts, and Your Bottomline

Q: I'm opening a gift shop and want to be able to accept credit cards. I talked to the branch manager at my bank, but he didn't... Read More

Beware of Falling Minimum Payments

If you opened a credit card statement recently and were pleasantly surprised to find that your minimum payment due was lowered, don't be so quick to "jump... Read More

Fun with Credit Cards

For those of us who know how to use them properly, credit cards can actually be quite fun and lucrative. To those who do not know how... Read More

The Three Largest Factors In Your Interest Rate

There are three major factors that affect how much you pay for a loan. Understanding these factors can save you time, money and frustration.1. The Federal Reserve... Read More

Is Plastic Making You Happier?

If you're like most people, you probably own at least one.And like most people, you've maybe never thought what it's really costing you?At a recent conference held... Read More

Credit Card Incentives

Credit card companies want your business. After all, lending money to people is profitable. Besides the interest fees that you'll be charged, the credit card company also... Read More

Addressing Bad Credit Card Debt

Spending HabitsSo you've just got your credit card. The first thing you need to be wary about is that a credit card is very easy to use... Read More

Four Tips How Homeowners Can Rebuild Their Life After a Foreclosure

Let's face it, if you are facing the possibilities of losing your home due to a foreclosure and you think that you may never be able to... Read More

Myths and Truth about Credit Scoring

Credit score is the key factor determining approval of almost any type of credit. It is based on the information contained in your credit report files. The... Read More

Which Citi Mastercard Is Right For You?

You've decided to apply for a Citi MasterCard, but with so many different cards to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you?... Read More

Credit Card Disclosure Table ? Do You Understand It All?

In addition to the APR (annual percentage rate) and the finance charges, most credit cards have a number of 'fees' associated with their use. Some fees are... Read More

Credit Card Tips

Here are some useful credit card tips for you to consider before applying for a credit card. Before applying for a credit card, you should decide why... Read More

Credit Problems? Heres How to Manage Your Creditors

If you find that creditors are calling you almost daily or that one of more of your bills has been turned over to a collection agency, you... Read More

10 Ways To Protect Your Financial Identity Being Used For Someone Else?s Shopping Spree

Someone impersonating you could be spending your hard-earned money.Impossible! Not really, check, loan, and identity fraud are a real problem. In 2002, the federal trade commission estimated... Read More

Understanding the Process of Credit Counseling

Many of us have seen the advertisements on television. "Get out of debt fast!" "We can solve all your credit problems with only one call!" These sound... Read More

Credit Repair Companies and Credit Counseling

Let's be crystal clear, right up front. Paying someone to "fix" your credit is a waste of your time and money, since the negative issues that are... Read More

Teaching Students To Keep Out Of Credit Card Debt - The Parents Role

Parents have the full responsibility for their children and their education. It is up to parents to teach their children what's right and what's wrong, how to... Read More

Credit Traps Snag Consumers

Nearly 20 years ago I worked for a small consumer advocacy organization in Washington, DC. Each week we received sacks full of mail from consumers across the... Read More

What To Look For In A Credit Card

When you are deciding what type of credit card to get it is important to compare credit cards to each other and find the best deal for... Read More

Five Credit Card Billing Problems and How to Fix Them

It goes without saying that your first and best defense against paying fraudulent or unfair charges on your credit card is knowing what your bill says! When... Read More