Credit Card Debt: How to Deal With It.

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Do you have a hard time paying your credit card bills? Starting to get notices from waiting creditors …

to pay? Worried that you might lose your properties like your house because of credit debt? Chin
up: Dealing with credit card debt is not as hard as you may think.

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  • 1. Credit Card Debt: How to Deal With It.
  • 2. Preface / Introduction@~~~>The LAST Time I Made This OFFER I was BURIED in calls so I am limiting this to theNEXT 3 PEOPLE ONLY CALL ME NOW - dont miss out! CALL ME NOW for your FREEInternet marketing consultation. ($100 value) Let an expert show you RIGHT NOW how to profitonline every single day without leaving home. CALL ME -- Liz English -- NOW, (315) 668-1591.LIVE 24/7/365.
  • 3. Table of Contents1. Credit card debt management2. Get a credit card with a low interest rate3. Credit card services and why we need those little cards4. Credit card debt: How to deal with it5. Whats the best credit card for me?
  • 4. Credit Card Debt: How to Deal With It.Credit card debt managementCredit cards that are used in moderation could be helpful in managing your finances. This meansthat splurging through the use of credit cards is almost financial suicide.Here are few tips to manage the way you use your credit card to prevent you from acquiring debtsthat could lead to your financial death (excuse the pun).1) Planning. Before purchasing any product using your credit card, make sure to provide yourselfwith a plan on how you will be able to pay for your credit card bills. Prioritize your needs beforeyour wants. Purchasing grand items that you dont really need might give you that temporary highthat impulsive buyers are addicted to. But that temporary high would eventually turn to long-termdown feeling due to your piled up debts.2) Limit. For you to be able to manage your debts and payments, never go overboard when it comesto your credit limit. If its possible, it will help a lot if you just use about two-thirds of your limit.3) Statement of account. Keep a record of all your credit card transactions for future reference. Inorder to prevent inaccuracies of bills and fraud, always remember to check the list of your purchasefor the month. If your list and the statement of account do not match, report this to your bank.4) Piled up debt remedies. There are a number of steps you have to do in order to escape thesefinancial problems.* Determine the amount you need to pay and provide yourself with a plan that would fix yourfinances without pressure.* Consider paying the minimum amount to be paid. Then, ask for debt consolidation options thatwould make it a lot easier for you to pay your debts. If you don?t know how to solve your financialproblems, there are financial advisers that could help you with your credit card management. Theymight offer you financial assistance through bank loans that would allow you more time to payaside from the debt consolidation method. But of course, remember to research on the agency beforegetting involved with them. Dont just go saying amen to whatever they offer since there is apossibility that they could cause the situation to aggravate.Self-control is the best way to prevent getting debts that you wont be able to pay immediately. But ifyoure already in the pits, considering the abovementioned suggestions wont hurt. Copyright Elizabeth English - 2013 4 of 9
  • 5. Credit Card Debt: How to Deal With It.Get a credit card with a low interest rateBefore you choose a credit card it would be wise to first find out the interest rates offered by all thecredit card companies and banks. While you compare credit card companies and banks, take note ofthe ones with low interest rates and offer the best benefits. Don?t miss the fine print as that is wherethe most important information is usually given. Fine prints almost always specify the conditionsapplied on using their service.It is generally a wise decision to go with a credit card that has a low interest rate. A low interest ratewould almost always mean that using the credit wouldn?t eat up your savings.One of the strategies of many banks and credit card companies to attract members is to offer anintroductory low interest rate then hike up the rate after a certain period. It is therefore advisable toinquire how long the initial low interest rate would last.To switch to them, some credit card companies and banks would waive fees if you transfer balancesto them from your old card. The fees asked by banks for transfers are actually interest rates indisguise. Make sure that a low fee, which is equivalent to a low interest rate, is charged to you whentransferring or you could end paying much more than you actually have to for clearing your debt.One thing you could do is pay for balance transfers through pre printed checks. Your best option isto transfer balances to over the phone by calling up the customer service line of the bank orcompany. Doing such would cost a lot less or nothing at all and because you chose a card with a lowinterest rate you know your expenses would be lower the next time.It is al important for you to know that incentives such as short term low interest rate will eventuallyrise even without due warning from your bank or credit card company.You could always ask the bank or company to give you a low interest rate provided that you have adecent credit history with the company or bank. If they refuse to give you a low interest rate thenyou can always switch to a service that offers you a better deal.Remember to use your credit card wisely. Keep a tab on your expenses while using this card, ensureyour dues are cleared regularly and ensure that the low interest rate remain low.CPP_author Copyright Elizabeth English - 2013 5 of 9
  • 6. Credit Card Debt: How to Deal With It.Credit card services and why we need those little cardsPractically everyone in the United States has credit cards. From teenagers to retirees, almosteveryone has at least one credit card. Everywhere we go we see ads - in the television, radio,newspapers, billboard advertisements - on credit cards. Some credit cards are even mailed directly toour homes. But what are credit cards and why should you have one?Simply stated, a credit card (or for many, just known as credit, is a financial arrangement betweenyou, the consumer or the card user, and an institution (in most instances a bank), that you have toborrow instant money from them and promises that you will repay them back in the future. Theinstitution agrees to that it will give the money you need and expects you to pay them over a certaintime period, like on a monthly basis. Your payment will include not just the entire money you owedthe group or institution but also an additional charge that is known as an interest rate, if you areunable to pay your full balance on time monthly.Credit can provide various services, making it an indispensable tool for todays consumers. Theseinclude:Convenience. You saw this wonderful dress in a shop. Perfect for tonights party, you thought. Butyou dont have money right now. Thanks to your card, you can buy anything you want right now.Credit cards give you that wonderful allowance not to bring that much cash and to order goods fromcatalogs. In addition, many of the online-based shops and stores, such as, mainlyaccept payment using credit.Emergency Protection. For emergency situation, credit cards can be an extremely helpful tool thatcould be your friend that could pay for your emergency needs, like when your car conked out in theroad, or your mother gets hospitalized, or any emergency situations that you need money but cantget it from the usual means.Putting you in the right budget. Want to keep a detailed record of your expenditures? Credit cardscan do that.Security. In todays world, carrying large cash has become a problem. If your cash gets lost, theresno way you can retrieve it. Compared with credit cards, money cannot be returned back when it gotlost or stolen. If your card, for example, got broken or it got lost or someone stole it from you, youcan always ask for a credit card termination or cancellation. You will have another card, a new onethat will replace it in a few days.Traveling. If youre quite a traveler, whether across the town or country, or outside the US, it isrelatively easier to travel with a credit card.When used responsibly, credit cards are can help improve our daily lives. With cards, life could beso much easier.CPP_author Copyright Elizabeth English - 2013 6 of 9
  • 7. Credit Card Debt: How to Deal With It.Credit card debt: How to deal with itDo you have a hard time paying your credit card bills? Starting to get notices from waiting creditorsto pay? Worried that you might lose your properties like your house because of credit debt? Chinup: Dealing with credit card debt is not as hard as you may think. If theres any consolation, yourenot the only one facing such situation. At some point, many people like you face financial criseswith credit card debt. But you must remember that your financial situation doesnt mean it should gostraight to the dogs, making it worse than as it is.Here are some tips to help you cope with your credit card debt:Make a Budget. If you want to have a grab of your financial situation before you lose everything,making a budget is what you should do first. Assess how much do you get from your income orother means and your expenditures. For example, if getting that posh apartment means you have tolimit your meals to once a day, then it is not a great and sound budgeting decision. Your goal isensure that you can answer for all the basic necessities: food, housing, clothes, health-related costs,among others.Contacting Your Creditors. Remember: Running away from your creditors is not the answer. It isnot a solution, and may in fact lead you to bigger problems. If you are having trouble paying offyour debts, address this immediately with your creditors. State to them sincerely and fully the reasonwhy it has become hard for you to pay these debts, and check if they could give you a revisedpayment arrangement that will put you at ease on your payment terms. Do not let creditors turn overyour situation to someone or an agency to do the collecting for them, as this means that they havegiven up on you.How to address Debt Collectors. There is a law that gives certain conditions for debt collectors as towhen and how they should ask you to pay. The federal law, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act,clearly states that those collecting debts may not bug you, give false assertions, or do practices thatare not fair when they are getting to collect money from you.Credit Counseling. You could also consider getting the aid of groups or institutions that will helpyou in your problems. If you managed to have an improved payment arrangement of your debt witha good credit counseling organization, creditors may approve of your proposition and accept yourmodified arrangement plan..Bankruptcy. Generally, personal bankruptcy is known as the last choice to fix your ballooning creditdebt. A bankruptcy unfortunately stays on your financial information report for years. Gettingadditional credit, buying a house, sometimes even getting a job might be hard for you. Technically,however, it is a legal way of addressing your credit debt.CPP_author Copyright Elizabeth English - 2013 7 of 9
  • 8. Credit Card Debt: How to Deal With It.Whats the best credit card for me?So, you have decided you need a credit card. However, you must remember that not all credit cardsare created equally. Your friends credit card doesnt mean that it is also the best for you. Beforegoing to this bank and get its credit card, you must consider the several factors that you should takeinto consideration when deciding which credit card you want to get. Some of those factors include:o Interest rate. When you are the type of person that pays off your balance monthly, you wouldprobably disregard the interest rate. Unfortunately, most people are having problems keeping withtheir credit card balance. Most people do carry a balance in their credit cards. If you sometimes latepaying and carrying a balance, then it would be the best decision to have a credit card with a lowinterest rate. Having a card with a low interest rate save you a lot of money. You might disregardthe difference between a 10 percent and 20 percent interest rate, but the difference could besignificant if you have balances for a long period of time. Major credit card companies like Visa,MasterCard, Discover, and AMEX, have low interest versions of their credit card.o Reward programs. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express and other major credit cardcompanies have reward programs. Reward programs give you special privileges or services forbeing a credit card holder. Some of these programs include frequent flyer programs, where you aregiven one frequent flyer mile for each dollar spent. If you are quite a traveler, then a credit card withthis program might be for you. Some offer cash-back options. Most common are discount offeringsat retail stores or online chains.o Annual fees. The annual fee is an important consideration, especially those who have a hard timepaying off their balances monthly. If you think that the annual fee you have to pay to keep your cardis way too high compared with the privileges you get from your card, it would be probably better tostop using the card.o Member benefits. Credit cards promise various benefits. Some have travel protection as part of thebenefits, while others offer roadside assistance. You have to consider your lifestyle in checking out acards benefits.Remember: On choosing credit cards, choose wisely. If you need to, discuss your specific financialneeds with your financial advisor.CPP_author Copyright Elizabeth English - 2013 8 of 9
  • 9. Credit Card Debt: How to Deal With It.ResourceRepublished with authors permission by Elizabeth English Copyright Elizabeth English - 2013 9 of 9