5 How to Steps to Eliminating Credit Card Debt
#1 Make a List - Identify and Acknowledge ALL Your Credit Card Debt
List all of your credit cards. You may want to create a multi-column form to organize the data. Include the following 4 items of information - for each card listed:
-Interest Rate or Rates
-Minimum Payment Percentage
-Current Outstanding Balance from Last Statement
-Minimum Payment Due from Last Statement
Doing this, Writing it down, what you owe can be to be a stressful and painful experience or process, but just don’t panic. You are taking the first step to taking back control of your finances and returning your credit back to the right track.
#2 Total the Columns listing the Current Outstanding Balance and Minimum Payments.
These 2 figures will be needed for you to understanding and developing a plan towards eliminating your credit card debt. So, if you have 7 different credit cards, you are looking to find the total current outstanding balance owed on all 7 cards and also the total of the 7 different minimum payments due from each.
#3 Which Card Has The Highest Interest Rate?
Find this one on your list, circle it. This will be the credit card you that is charging you the highest interest rate. You’re going to work on this card first in your efforts to eliminating your credit card debt.
#4 Create A Budget for your Personal Finances.
This is a necessity in this taking back control process. A personal budget using budgeting spreadsheets (monthly is the best) can provide you with what you have coming in (income) monthly and what you are spending each month (expenses), the difference remaining (income less the expenses) will be what you will use towards eliminating your credit card debt.
#5 Now to the Payment and Debt Elimination.
Using the card you identified in Step #3 with the highest interest rate, this will be the card we will work on eliminating the total balance due. Don’t forget, you will need to pay the minimum balance on each of the credit card you have EXCEPT this one. Since this one has the highest percentage rate, you will pay as much as you can on top of the minimum balance.
Here’s an Example to go by, if your minimum monthly payment due is $85.00, and based on your budget, you budgeted to pay an extra $100 toward your credit card debt, you would then make a payment of $185.00 to this credit card.
Continue to pay on this highest interest rate credit card first, until the total balance is paid off. Keep in mind, for this to benefit you the most, do not use this credit card for anything. If you have many different credit cards, you may want to cut the actual card up so that you can’t use it. You want to bring the balance to ZERO as quickly as possible. Once the total balance for this first high interest card is paid off, move to the next highest credit card percentage rate. Continue this process until you have paid off all your credit card debt.
You may be able to also speed up your debt reduction plan by calling your credit card companies and asking them to lower the percentage rate. You may be able to negotiate a lower interest rate, thus saving you money!
A major key to creating your personal finance plan that you can work with is to take it one step at a time. If you can’t plan your future, clear your debt, and create a budget all in one day… you’re likely to need a vacation or to just throw up your hands and go shopping (spending more money you don’t have). Take it slow and think about your budget first. This is the most important key to gaining and taking control over your personal finances and money management.
It’s time now, to take control of your money management, credit card debt and personal budget. Consultant, Kim Parsley with over 25 Years of Accounting Experience at all levels, has experienced & discovered strategies, techniques and secrets to setting up and implementing systems in New & Small Businesses. She wishes to share this with people over the world through her works. Discover more at: http://www.EasyMoneyManagementSystem.com
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To Your Success In All That You Do and Dream Of…. Kim Parsley
Add comment September 30th, 2008

