Debt consolidation - More Options for Reducing Credit Card Costs


Borrowing money against your credit cards has always been among the most expensive ways to borrow money, and when you fail to pay your bill in full each month, borrowing is exactly what you're doing. You're not alone; the average American household now carries more than $8000 in credit card debt. It's easier to accumulate credit card debt than other types of debt for the following reasons:

• They're easy to use. It's far easier to borrow spend money on a credit card, even thousands of dollars at a time, than it is to go to the bank and secure a loan. Convenience can easily lead to overindulgence.

• The interest rates are higher than for other types of debt. The interest rate on your mortgage may be 6%. The interest rate on your credit card may be 25%. That adds up in a hurry, especially if you are carrying a balance.

• There is no set repayment schedule requiring you to pay back a set amount each month. The only requirement is that you pay at least 2% of your outstanding balance. Many people pay exactly that, and no more, causing the interest to accumulate quickly

• Credit card lenders tend not to be very forgiving. If you make a late payment, you could end up with a late fee of as much as $39 in addition to having your interest rate increase.

• Many credit cards come with annual fees, which can add to your debt, especially if you don't pay them in full. Then you end up paying interest on the annual fee!There are number of solutions available. All they require is a bit of time and diligence. Besides shopping around for the card with the best rate and doing a bit of debt consolidation to place all of your credit card debt on the lowest interest card you own, you might also consider the following:

• Ask your lender to waive your annual fee. The competitive nature of the credit card business means that your lender will often waive these fees just for the asking. They would usually rather waive your fee rather than lose you as a customer. It costs nothing to ask. If they do waive the fee, add the fee amount to your next payment.

• Pay more than the monthly minimum payment. The minimum payment may soon go to 4%, which may place many borrowers who currently pay only the 2% minimum in a bind. Get in the habit of paying more each month, or pay your bill in full, if you can.

• Did you get a large tax refund? Send it to your credit card company. Sure, it would be nice to spend it on a new TV, but if you spend it on a TV while carrying a balance on your credit card at 25%, you are effectively paying 25% interest on your TV.• Use your debit card instead of a credit card. They have the same convenience and ease of use, but few of the drawbacks.

Paying off the national average of $8000 in credit card debt can take a lifetime if you only make the minimum payments. That is a trap that you should make a concerted effort to avoid and by taking a few simple steps, you can keep your debt to a minimum.

©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling, and HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information regarding home equity loans.


More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Debt Consolidation Information:

Related Articles

Thinking Beyond Debt Consolidation Loans
Planning to devise a permanent solution to the problems of debt? The chances of success, to be exact, are lesser, given the features which characterize the debts. Debts are the result of the disequilibrium in the relationship between income and expenditure.
Perks and Pitfalls of Debt Consolidation
Whether you want to pursue debt consolidation in order to make a good financial situation better or to pull yourself back from the brink of bankruptcy you will want to consider the good and bad things that may result from the choices you make.Perks and Potential Benefits of Debt Consolidation1.
Considering Debt Settlement? What You Should Know
Your credit card bills are stacking up and for whatever reason you don't have the means to pay the debt. You definitely have choices when you are in this predicament.
Debt Consolidation Loans: Thousands Now Out Of Debt, Who Never Thought They Would Be!
A Debt consolidation loan: Is a personal loan you use to pay all your debts. You may odtain it from a finance company, bank, credit union, debt consolidation company, merchant association, debt pooling service, or nonprofit consumer debt service.
Debt Consolidation Benefits
If you've ever been in a situation where you needed money that you didn't have, you probably already know about loans and credit cards. Here is a brief Explanation on What both are:LoansA loan is a type of financial aid which must be repaid, normally with interest.
Negotiate Your Way Out Of Debt
Eliminating your debt is a daunting task. What can you do to get out of debt fast? Believe it or not, negotiation along with proper financial responsibility is your foothold out of the rat race.
The Burden of Debt
Over recent years personal debt in the UK has exploded. Since 1997 the total debt including mortgages was in the region of £940 million.
Debt Consolidation - Can You Negotiate with Your Credit Card Company?
The average American household has nearly $10,000 in credit card debt, and many people are only able to make the minimum payment of 2% of the balance. Even 2% is $200, and by paying the minimum payment, you could be paying on the balance for decades before you finally pay it off.
Is A Debt Consolidation Loan Your Best Option?
For many people the lure of easy credit has taken them into the forbidden zone of debt. Between debt on regular credit cards, shopping store credit cards, home equity lines of credit, mortgages and car payments it's no wonder consumers are finding themselves financially and emotionally drained as they float in a sea of debt.
Credit Cards Debt Consolidation
Consolidating credit card debt is never easy. Too often people run up their debts without even realizing it until it is too late.
Before Considering Debt Consolidation
If you believe in the good in people then you probably also believe that few people take out loans, or other forms of credit, with the intention of skipping the bill. With credit counseling, debt consolidation, and even bankruptcy on the rise, it's a little hard to believe in the good in people.
How To Get Rid Of Debt Problems Step 4 -- How To Get Interest On Your Debts Frozen
The first thing to understand is that there is categorically noguaranteed way to get interest frozen.Each of your creditors has the right to refuse any change in thedetails you initially agreed.
Shocking Facts - What Debt Settlement Companies Dont Tell You
If you're thinking about using a debt consolidation or debt settlement service to help you get out of debt faster and save money on your monthly payments, make sure you do your homework before choosing a company. There are definitely shams and scams out there.
Debt Consolidation Confusion
Learning about debt consolidation can be quite a confusing venture for your average person. There is plenty of conflicting information to be found about debt consolidation.
Debt Consolidation for Homeowners: Saving Grace for Inept Borrowers
You cannot understand the importance of being a homeowner until you enter the loan market for debt consolidation. Debt consolidation for homeowners is a responsible way of getting out of debt.
Debt Consolidation -- Choose Your Credit Counselor Carefully
Recently passed by Congress, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 will require people who are filing for bankruptcy to first undergo mandatory credit counseling.This is probably not a bad idea; after all, many people with problem debt could probably benefit from credit counseling.
Debt Consolidation: How it Works
As long as consumerism flourishes most of us will be tempted to overspend thus creating a financial bind. While some people do manage to get themselves out of debt others, for a number of reasons, including job loss, divorce or hospitalization cannot.
Individual Voluntary Arrangement IVA, an alternative to bankruptcy
Individual Voluntary Arrangement, IVA is an alternative to bankruptcy - which could provide you with a real solution to your debt problems.An Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) is an alternative to bankruptcy.
Cheap Debt Consolidation Loans - Inexpensive Way of Winning Financial Freedom
The rising cost of living can force you sometimes to overburden your pocket with loans. It may solve financial issues for the time being but eventually then they are to be paid back.
Debt Consolidation Primer - Four Things You Can Do to Get Out of Debt
Problem debt is rampant throughout America. In addition to mortgages and auto loans, the average household in the U.