7 Best ways to manage credit card debt – Share to Inspire Blog (2024)

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It takes time and determination to manage credit card debt but it’s not impossible. There are ways to manage credit card debt and if you keep reading you’ll find some solutions to your financial problems.

Common sense financial advice is to avoid credit cards or personal debt. Credit cards usually have high-interest rates and they are not taxed deductible. However, they are unavoidable sometimes. When you are in debt and struggling to get out of it, you’ll need the right strategies and the right financial tools.

Managing credit card debt can be challenging. A lot of people are struggling with bad credit but you don’t have to do it all alone. There are short-term financial solutions like creditloan.com personal loan calculator to help you. These financial tools can help show you the way when mapping your debt management.

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Here are ways to manage credit card debt

The goal in life is to have a balanced financial journey. And one of the first steps in doing so is to eliminate and manage your debt wisely, whether it’s credit card bet, mortgage, or personal loans. Here are a few bits of advice so you can manage your credit card bet well.

1. Build healthy spending habits

The distribution of money varies from person to person. We all spend our money differently but how healthy are your spending habits? I used to be an impulse buyer and this is what got me into having a mountain of credit card debt.

I was using my credit cards like debit. Not long after, I found myself stuck in paying off my credit card debt while living paycheck to paycheck. This is something you don’t want to be in. So, why not start building healthy habits now?

2. Prioritize eliminating your credit card debt

If you want to eliminate and pay off your credit card debt, you have to make it a priority. Plan to manage your debt. No matter how much your debt is, if you have a decent and realistic plan, it will surely brighten your situation.

You can start with automating your payments. It’s good when your payments are made just a day after your payday. This way, you won’t miss any payments.

3. Freeze your credit card

This does not mean literally putting your credit card in the freezer (although you can if you have to) This is one of the best ways to manage credit card debt and to help you eliminate debt.

When you stop using your credit card, you won’t have new purchases so you can focus on paying what you have spent.

Eliminating credit card debt takes a lot of effort. It takes hard work and commitment but it is doable by cutting off your extra expenses.

4. Have an emergency fund

Sometimes in life, we hit choppy waters. The pandemic has taught us an important lesson that people can instantly find themselves without a reliable source of income. These are times when emergency funds come to our aid, especially when we are paying off debt.

A good rule of thumb is to save cash for at least a month or two of your salary’s worth for an emergency fund. Here’s how you can save for an emergency fund.

5. Look for financial guidance

If you want to speed up managing credit card debt well, you got to look for guidance. Financial counselors are there to help with your debt management plan.

Stay updated with financial topics and constantly learn about finance. This should not be difficult since there are lots of resources online such as creditloan.com to do this.

6. Pay more than the minimum payment

If your budget allows, pay more than your minimum payment. This way to manage debt will speed up the process.

The monthly minimum payment is the least you can pay to avoid late fees. This helps you as well as maintain a good repayment history as well but if you can, pay more than the minimum. A little bit of increase in the interest rate helps.

7. Diversify your income

To beat debt, a diversified income is a smart move and there are a lot of ways to diversify your income.

Diversifying your income not only helps you manage credit card debt but also prepares you for the future as a backup to losing your sole job.

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Do you have other ways to manage credit card debt?

It’s true that no matter what your financial situation is, the future always remains uncertain. The pandemic has taught us a valuable lesson. That is to map out and prepare your financial future. As said above, the first step to achieving this is to manage credit card debt or any loans you have. I hope these pieces of advice help you get closer to your financial goals.

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7 Best ways to manage credit card debt – Share to Inspire Blog (2024)

FAQs

What is the best strategy for managing credit card debt? ›

Pay More Than Your Minimum Payment

Credit card companies love it when customers pay the lowest amount required to avoid late fees. It barely reduces the overall balance and the interest charge. You'll do yourself a huge financial favor by paying as much as you can every month.

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.

How to pay off $5000 credit card debt fast? ›

Debt avalanche: Make minimum payments on all but your credit card with the highest interest rate. Send all excess payments to that card account. Once you pay that account off, send all excess payments to your next highest rate. Repeat until all of your debts are paid off.

How to pay off $8000 in credit card debt? ›

To pay off $8,000 in credit card debt within 36 months, you will need to pay $290 per month, assuming an APR of 18%. You would incur $2,431 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.

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

The minimum payment approach

If you only make the minimum payment each month, it will take about 460 months, or about 38 years, to pay off that $30,000 balance.

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

It will take 47 months to pay off $20,000 with payments of $600 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.

What is considered excessive credit card debt? ›

There are a couple ways credit card debt can damage your credit score: High balances: A major factor in your credit score is your credit utilization ratio (your credit card balances divided by their credit limits). Once this number gets above about 30%, it's bad for your credit.

Is it better to pay off one credit card or reduce the balance on two? ›

Snowball method: pay off the smallest balance first

Some financial advisers suggest tackling the smallest balance first, while maintaining the minimum payments on the others.

How to pay off credit card debt when you have no money? ›

  1. Using a balance transfer credit card. ...
  2. Consolidating debt with a personal loan. ...
  3. Borrowing money from family or friends. ...
  4. Paying off high-interest debt first. ...
  5. Paying off the smallest balance first. ...
  6. Bottom line.
Apr 24, 2024

How to pay off debt when living paycheck to paycheck? ›

Tips for Getting Out of Debt When You're Living Paycheck to Paycheck
  1. Tip #1: Don't wait. ...
  2. Tip #2: Pay close attention to your budget. ...
  3. Tip #3: Increase your income. ...
  4. Tip #4: Start an emergency fund – even if it's just pennies. ...
  5. Tip #5: Be patient.

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.

Does the government help with credit card debt? ›

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a government-sponsored program for credit card debt relief.

How to wipe credit card debt? ›

Outside of bankruptcy or debt settlement, there are really no other ways to completely wipe away credit card debt without paying. Making minimum payments and slowly chipping away at the balance is the norm for most people in debt, and that may be the best option in many situations.

What is the average credit card debt? ›

The average American household now owes $7,951 in credit card debt, according to the most recent data available from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Is freedom debt relief real? ›

Is Freedom Debt Relief legit and can you get away with paying only a percentage of your debts just like that? FDR is a real company and its debt settlement program can save you real money. The catch is your credit report will catch fire. At least that's what it'll look like from a lender's point of view.

What is the best way to wipe out credit card debt? ›

Outside of bankruptcy or debt settlement, there are really no other ways to completely wipe away credit card debt without paying. Making minimum payments and slowly chipping away at the balance is the norm for most people in debt, and that may be the best option in many situations.

What is the most effective strategy for paying off debt? ›

Prioritizing debt by interest rate.

This repayment strategy, sometimes called the avalanche method, prioritizes your debts from the highest interest rate to the lowest. First, you'll pay off your balance with the highest interest rate, followed by your next-highest interest rate and so on.

What is the best order to pay off credit card debt? ›

Pay off high-interest credit cards first

This is called the “debt avalanche method.” While some advocate for paying off your smallest debt first because it seems easier, you may save more on interest over time by chipping away at high-interest debt.

How to manage a credit card effectively? ›

How to use a Credit Card effectively and smartly
  1. Leveraging the Credit Card billing cycle. ...
  2. Know how your Credit Card's interest is calculated. ...
  3. Pay Credit Card bills on time. ...
  4. Check Credit Card statements regularly. ...
  5. Smartly manage Credit Card bill repayments. ...
  6. Use free offers and rewards on Credit Cards.
Jan 23, 2024

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