Use These 4 Shortcuts To Help Pay Down $5,000 or More in Debt (2024)

DEBT HELP - DEBT RELIEF

Last updated Feb. 12, 2024 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

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Debt (especially credit card debt) is an epidemic. And virtually everyone has it.

But if your debt is over $5,000, it becomes much harder to pay off … mostly because the interest payments on that amount prevent you from making any real progress.

So here’s what to do:

Read our list of “debt shortcuts” below and try to implement one today. Even doing just one could lift the burden and help pay off your debt a little faster.

Ask this company to pay off your credit card debt

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $10,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly program payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!

Try National Debt Relief

Use Your Home for Quick Access to Extra Cash

If you want to pay a large expense now, like a home improvement project or credit card debt, you may have considered using your home equity as leverage to borrow a large sum of money.

But with interest rates rising in recent years, a cash-out refinance or home equity loan may not make financial sense.

Here’s a potential solution: Get a home equity line of credit (HELOC) instead.

Using LendingTree’s simple HELOC matching tool1 (yes, the company from the commercials), you can compare rates and see what works for you.

How a home equity line of credit is different: Your line of credit acts similar to a credit card, where you can withdraw funds when you need them, and you’re only responsible for minimum monthly payments for what’s called the “draw period,” which is usually 10 years. After this borrowing period ends, you pay off the rest of your balance during an extended repayment period, which is usually 20 years.

Plus, as a revolving line of credit, rates are usually variable, so you won’t be locked into a fixed rate if they ever go higher.

To get started:

  1. Check out LendingTree’s HELOC matching tool.
  2. Answer a few questions.
  3. Be matched with personalized offers for you.

Visit LendingTree

Pay no interest on balance transfers until nearly 2026

Imagine getting 21 months with an intro 0% APR on balance transfers. Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with this industry-leading low-interest card - the Citi® Diamond Preferred® 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 21 months. 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 just stop with balance transfers, though. Cardholders also get a generous intro APR of 0% for 12 months on purchases. After the intro period for purchases and balance transfers, the APR is 18.24% - 28.99% (Variable).

The best part? There's no annual fee.

Click here to Apply Now

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!2

Get Capital One Shopping now

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

Eliminate 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.

Fresh Start Initiative 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, Fresh Start Initiative 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

Get Out of $30,000 or More of Credit Card Debt

National Debt Relief Benefits

  • No upfront fees
  • One-on-one evaluation with a debt counseling expert
  • For people with $7,500 in unsecured debts and up

Visit National Debt Relief

Use These 4 Shortcuts To Help Pay Down $5,000 or More in Debt (2024)

FAQs

How can I pay 5000 off debt fast? ›

Credit card refinancing can help you pay off $5,000 in credit card debt much faster because a personal loan comes with a predetermined end date. Debt consolidation loans allow you to combine multiple debts into one loan. Some lenders will even send your loan funds directly to your former creditors.

What are four important steps you could take to pay off your debt? ›

Then, start making a plan with these 14 easy ways to pay off debt:
  • Create a budget.
  • Pay off the most expensive debt first.
  • Pay off the smallest debt first.
  • Pay more than the minimum balance.
  • Take advantage of balance transfers.
  • Stop your credit card spending.
  • Use a debt repayment app.

Is $5000 a lot of credit card debt? ›

$5,000 in credit card debt can be quite costly in the long run. That's especially the case if you only make minimum payments each month. However, you don't have to accept decades of credit card debt. There are a few things you can do to pay your debt off faster - potentially saving thousands of dollars in the process.

How long does it take to pay off a $5000 credit card? ›

It will take 32 months to pay off $5,000 with payments of $200 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 pay off $5000 debt in 6 months? ›

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.

Can you freeze your debts? ›

If you can't pay your non-priority debts

Explain that you're dealing with your debts and ask them to freeze interest and charges while you do this. This means that your debts won't increase. You can use our sample letter. You should also send a copy of your standard financial statement.

What is a trick people use to pay off debt? ›

Consider the snowball method of paying off debt.

This involves starting with your smallest balance first, paying that off and then rolling that same payment towards the next smallest balance as you work your way up to the largest balance. This method can help you build momentum as each balance is paid off.

What is the fastest way to pay off debt? ›

Here are five of the fastest ways to achieve debt freedom:
  1. Take advantage of debt relief services. ...
  2. Reduce interest where possible. ...
  3. Focus on your highest interest rate first. ...
  4. Take advantage of opportunities to earn extra income. ...
  5. Cut expenses where possible.
Mar 11, 2024

How do I reduce my debt quickly? ›

Here are seven tips that can help:
  1. Figure out your budget.
  2. Reduce your spending.
  3. Stop using your credit cards.
  4. Look for extra income and cash.
  5. Find a payoff method you'll stick with.
  6. Look into debt consolidation.
  7. Know when to call it quits.
Feb 9, 2023

What is the monthly payment on a 5000 credit card? ›

To pay off $5,000 in credit card debt within 36 months, you will need to pay $181 per month, assuming an APR of 18%. You would incur $1,519 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 to pay off $7,000 in debt fast? ›

7 ways to pay off debt fast
  1. Pay more than the minimum payment every month. ...
  2. Tackle high-interest debts with the avalanche method. ...
  3. Set up a payment plan. ...
  4. Put extra money toward paying off your debts. ...
  5. Start a side hustle. ...
  6. Limit unnecessary spending. ...
  7. Don't let your debt hit collections.
May 9, 2023

What is considered really bad credit card debt? ›

If your total balance is more than 30% of the total credit limit, you may be in too much debt. Some experts consider it best to keep credit utilization between 1% and 10%, while anything between 11% and 30% is typically considered good.

Should you pay off 100% of your credit card? ›

Carry a balance only when you need to

If you're under financial stress and can't afford to pay your credit card balance in full, it's best to pay as much as you can each month. Any amount will help to reduce the amount of compounded interest you'll end up paying.

Is national debt relief legit? ›

National Debt Relief ratings

The company is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and it has an A+ rating. On TrustPilot, it has a 4.7 out of five rating based on over 39,000 reviews. Customers praised the company's responsive customer support staff, affordable payments and user-friendly platform.

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.

How do I pay off debt ASAP? ›

Here are five of the fastest ways to achieve debt freedom:
  1. Take advantage of debt relief services. ...
  2. Reduce interest where possible. ...
  3. Focus on your highest interest rate first. ...
  4. Take advantage of opportunities to earn extra income. ...
  5. Cut expenses where possible.
Mar 11, 2024

What is the minimum payment on a $5000 credit card balance? ›

The minimum payment on a $5,000 credit card balance is $50, plus any fees, interest, and past-due amounts, if applicable. If you were late making a payment for the previous billing period, the credit card company may also add a late fee on top of your standard minimum payment.

How to pay off $6,000 in debt fast? ›

Pay off your debt and save on interest by paying more than the minimum every month. The key is to make extra payments consistently so you can pay off your loan more quickly. Some lenders allow you to make an extra payment each month specifying that each extra payment goes toward the principal.

How can I pay off my debt if I don't have enough money? ›

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

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