6 Clever Ways To Crush Your Debt (2024)

DEBT HELP - DEBT RELIEF

Paying off debt is easier than you think if you have the right plan.

Last updated Oct. 27, 2023 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

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Debt is a universal struggle. High interest credit cards, hospital bills, or student loans, car payments — everyone knows the challenge. If you feel like you’re drowning in it, you’re not alone. A recent study shows that over 80% of Americans are in debt.

So how do you get out of it?

Crushing your debt is easier than you might think, as long as you have the right plan. It'll take some work and dedication, but we're here to help. Below you'll find 5 clever ways you wouldn't normally consider to help you crush your debt.

Imagine how great it will feel when you no longer have it looming overhead!

Pay off $10,000 or more of your debt

Credit card debt is suffocating. It constantly weighs on your mind and controls every choice you make. You can end up emotionally and even physically drained from it. And even though you make regular payments, it feels like you can never make any progress because of the interest.

National Debt Relief could help you resolve your credit card debt with an affordable plan that works for you. Just tell them your situation, then find out your debt relief options.

How to get National Debt Relief to help you resolve your debt: Sign up for a free debt assessment here. (Do not skip this step!) By signing up for a free assessment, National Debt Relief can assist you in settling your debt, but only if you take the first step.

Try it

Stop overpaying when you shop online

Shopping online has its perks. It's super convenient, but it can be time consuming to find the best deals. Instead of hunting for coupon codes (that don't always work!) and opening tons of browser tabs comparing prices, you can try Capital One Shopping.

Capital One Shopping makes saving money effortless. Just add the browser extension and when you check out, it'll scour the internet for coupon codes to help you save cash. And before you check out at 25+ major retailers, Capital One Shopping will notify you with a friendly pop-up if the item you're buying is available cheaper somewhere else.

Capital One Shopping is free to use and won't show you ads. Add it today and stop overpaying!1

Get Capital One Shopping now

Pay no interest on balance transfers until September 2025

Imagine getting 18 months with 0% intro APR on a balance transfer. Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with this industry-leading card - the Citi Double Cash® Card(Rates and fees).

If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the leading get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After the intro period for balance transfers, the APR is 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable). Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest!

It doesn't stop with balance transfers though. Cardholders can also earn double cash back — 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. The best part - you can redeem your cash back as direct deposit, a statement credit, or even a mailed check! You can turn your everyday purchases into cash back and make a dent in your debt, regular bills, or save for the future.

The best part? There's no annual fee.

Click here to apply here for the Citi Double Cash® Card(Rates and fees)

Borrow up to $50k to finally crush your debt

Looking for some cash to pay off credit card debt? A personal loan could help.

Our partner AmONE will match you with loan providers to fit your specific needs. Just fill out one quick application and they’ll show you multiple loan offers. There's no application fee and no minimum credit score needed to apply.

Why not check if you qualify? As long as you’re approved, you could receive your loan as early as the next business day.

Get a loan offer here

Ask this company to pay off your late tax debt

Each year, the IRS forgives millions in unpaid taxes. If you have more than $10,000 in tax debt, or have 3+ years of unfiled taxes, you could get forgiveness too. You might be eligible to lower the amount you owe, or eliminate your tax debt completely.

Easy Tax Relief could help you lower or get out of your tax debt for good. They’re well respected in the industry and have been recognized for their ethical standards when dealing with tax debt. While most tax companies just put you on a payment plan and file your taxes for you, Easy Tax Relief talks to the IRS directly. They can help you pay off your tax debt faster while potentially reducing what you owe.

Important: Not everyone will qualify. To take advantage of this special program you must owe more than $10,000 in past-due taxes.

Fill out this form to get started

Cancel your car insurance

We've got bad news. You could be wasting $500 every year on overpriced, second-rate car insurance. And you should probably cancel your existing insurance right now, because there's something much better.

This new tool from FinanceBuzz can tell you if you're overpaying for your car insurance in just a few clicks. We match drivers with companies that report saving drivers up to $500 or more per year when they save! Each driver’s savings will vary by driving history and how many discounts you’re eligible for. And once you try it out, you'll never have to look for affordable insurance again because we find you the lowest rates that other companies can't match.

Oh, and it's also free. And come on — you can't tell us you don't want to save up to $500. To find out if you're losing up to $500 or more a year, just enter your zip code here, answer a few questions and see if you're overpaying. It takes less than 2 minutes.

See if you're overpaying

Ask this company to help pay off your credit card debt

If you owe over $10,000 in debt tap a state below, answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!

— Select a state below —

Try National Debt Relief

6 Clever Ways To Crush Your Debt (2024)

FAQs

How can I crush my debt fast? ›

Tips for How to Get Out of Debt Fast
  1. Lower your expenses. Once you've made your budget, go through it line by line and see where you can cut back on your spending. ...
  2. Increase your income. Think of your income as a shovel. ...
  3. Cut up your credit cards. ...
  4. Know your why. ...
  5. Take Financial Peace University.
4 days ago

How to get rid of $30k in credit card debt? ›

How to Get Rid of $30k in Credit Card Debt
  1. Make a list of all your credit card debts.
  2. Make a budget.
  3. Create a strategy to pay down debt.
  4. Pay more than your minimum payment whenever possible.
  5. Set goals and timeline for repayment.
  6. Consolidate your debt.
  7. Implement a debt management plan.
Aug 4, 2023

What does the 20/10 rule tell you about debt? ›

The 20/10 rule follows the logic that no more than 20% of your annual net income should be spent on consumer debt and no more than 10% of your monthly net income should be used to pay debt repayments.

How long will it take to pay off $30,000 in debt? ›

It will take 41 months to pay off $30,000 with payments of $1,000 per month, assuming the average credit card APR of around 18%. The time it takes to repay a balance depends on how often you make payments, how big your payments are and what the interest rate charged by the lender is.

How to aggressively pay off debt? ›

Make debt payments beyond the minimum.

Making more than your required minimum payment can help you pay off debts more quickly and save money in interest charges. Earmark unanticipated funds, such as your tax return or a bonus, for debt payments.

How can I get out of $20000 debt fast? ›

Use a debt consolidation loan

With a debt consolidation loan, you borrow money from a lender and roll all of those debts into one loan with a single interest rate. This allows you to make one monthly payment rather than paying multiple creditors.

How to get out of debt with no money and bad credit? ›

How to get out of debt when you have no money
  1. Step 1: Stop taking on new debt. ...
  2. Step 2: Determine how much you owe. ...
  3. Step 3: Create a budget. ...
  4. Step 4: Pay off the smallest debts first. ...
  5. Step 5: Start tackling larger debts. ...
  6. Step 6: Look for ways to earn extra money. ...
  7. Step 7: Boost your credit scores.
Dec 5, 2023

How long will it take to pay off $20,000 in credit card debt? ›

Keep in mind that at 0% interest, you would need to pay over $550 per month to pay $20,000 off in three years. Moreover, balance transfer credit cards typically come with transfer fees. So, you'll need to consider these fees as part of the debt repayment plan.

Is 20k in debt a lot? ›

“That's because the best balance transfer and personal loan terms are reserved for people with strong credit scores. $20,000 is a lot of credit card debt and it sounds like you're having trouble making progress,” says Rossman.

What are the 3 C's of credit? ›

Character, capital (or collateral), and capacity make up the three C's of credit. Credit history, sufficient finances for repayment, and collateral are all factors in establishing credit. A person's character is based on their ability to pay their bills on time, which includes their past payments.

What are four mistakes to avoid when paying down debt? ›

And by avoiding these common mistakes, you won't feel trapped or make the repayment process more painful than needed.
  • Ignoring Debt Consolidation Options. ...
  • Not Using Balance Transfer Opportunities. ...
  • Forgetting To Budget. ...
  • Not Factoring In Your Interest Rates. ...
  • Shopping Without A Reason. ...
  • Sacrificing Too Much.
Jul 27, 2023

How much debt is too high? ›

Generally speaking, a good debt-to-income ratio is anything less than or equal to 36%. Meanwhile, any ratio above 43% is considered too high. The biggest piece of your DTI ratio pie is bound to be your monthly mortgage payment.

What is the debt avalanche method? ›

The debt avalanche is a systematic way of paying down debt to save money on interest. Individuals who use the debt avalanche strategy make the minimum payment on each debt, then use any remaining available funds to pay the debt with the highest interest rates.

What is the avalanche method? ›

In contrast, the "avalanche method" focuses on paying the loan with the highest interest rate loans first. Similar to the "snowball method," when the higher-interest debt is paid off, you put that money toward the account with the next highest interest rate and so on, until you are done.

What is the snowball method of paying off debt? ›

Debt snowball is a strategy for paying down debts that involves paying off your smallest debts first, then moving on to the next smallest. The debt snowball method can be ideal for people who want to stay motivated seeing their debt fully paid down.

How to pay off debt with no money? ›

How to get out of debt when you have no money
  1. Step 1: Stop taking on new debt. ...
  2. Step 2: Determine how much you owe. ...
  3. Step 3: Create a budget. ...
  4. Step 4: Pay off the smallest debts first. ...
  5. Step 5: Start tackling larger debts. ...
  6. Step 6: Look for ways to earn extra money. ...
  7. Step 7: Boost your credit scores.
Dec 5, 2023

How do I get out of debt I can't afford? ›

How to get out of debt on a low income
  1. Sign up for a debt relief program.
  2. Cut expenses to free up extra cash.
  3. Take advantage of opportunities to earn more money.
  4. Use financial windfalls to your advantage.
Feb 29, 2024

How can I pay off $40 K in debt fast? ›

To pay off $40,000 in credit card debt within 36 months, you will need to pay $1,449 per month, assuming an APR of 18%. You would incur $12,154 in interest charges during that time, but you could avoid much of this extra cost and pay off your debt faster by using a 0% APR balance transfer credit card.

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