Free yourself from credit card debt

Free yourself from credit card debt
by Nick Cox

If your debts are starting to build up to uncomfortable levels then now is the time to act! Procrastinate at your peril, because a debt problem that is ignored will just grow and grow, until you are left with a mountain to climb.



An increasing amount of people are struggling with what feels like insurmountable debt. As debts worsen, many are forced to search for more credit to help meet monthly outgoing demands. Debts then begin to spiral out of control as more and more credit is sought to help keep afloat.



If this sounds familiar, then now is the time to stop and take stock of your situation. There are things you can do to help improve your situation.



If your debt is serious then seek professional assistance. Services such as the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Consumer Credit Counselling Service provide free advice.



It could be time to assess your lifestyle. If you are using your credit cards to fund your social life then this has to be one of the things that must be swiftly curtailed. Credit cards should never be used to fund anything that is non essential to your life. It's time to cut up your credit cards to avoid accumulating more debt.



Check to see if your credit card balance can be moved to a new 0% balance transfer card. Once you have done this, make sure your old credit card is destroyed. This avoids the temptation of maxing out your old cards and thus worsening your situation.


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Credit Card Debt Reduction Strategy

Credit Card Debt Reduction Strategy - A Simple 3 Step Mantra
By Gary Worthington

Sometimes, you know things are quite uncontrollable. Einstein was once asked by someone as to what according to him was the greatest force. And in his humor, he had replied, Compound Interest. Now that is precisely what hinders, and to a great extent pulls you down in your attempts to formulate and execute any credit card debt reduction strategy that you think is your "damnedest best"!

No, I do not mean to sound like that, but the thing most people do not understand about debt reduction solution is that your efforts to reduce the credit card debt or pay them off is seriously devastated by interest on your balance. If you don't know how to proceed exactly, you will find yourself deep in debt - even if you had tried very hard to divorce your credit card!

One of the main reasons people don't succeed in paying off credit card debt is inconsistency and impatience. Aside from that, in many cases, I've found that people are not especially calculative about their debt reduction strategy. Here's a plan that works wonders when you follow it seriously...

I call it the 3E formula. Estimate, Enumerate And Execute.

1. ESTIMATE
Number one thing you need to do before you actually start - and if you wish to have a great start - is to estimate the total debt, the APR or the EAR (rates of interests), and other such trivial and important details. That is the first and best part of any debt reduction strategy or plan. Once you estimate and understand your position, you will know how long you need to be patient and put-in the effort.

Remember, no debt is non-eliminateable - if that word exists. You can eliminate every debt, but by constant efforts. Estimate.

2. ENUMERATE
This is a number game. Supposing there's an amount of balance that seems frightening, we tend to move away from it - and in the process, do not pay up at least (and even) a part of it. What happens then is that as Einstein said, compound interest increases the balance and in the end, you have got a terrifying amount. If the initial balance was frightening, this one was terrorizing!

What you need to do here, is to find out an approximate percentage of the balance - say about 3-8% - and pay that every month. That way, you decrease the balance for which the interest is calculated and thereby, the percentage of amount you pay also decreases! And by the end of an year or so, who knows? You might just become a debt-free man or woman!
Enumerate!

3. EXECUTE
This is where most of the credit card debt services tend to lose their reputation. Psychologists say, you need to be motivated bluntly to get you started in the actual process of "credit card debt pay off". I do not completely agree with them, but I think sometimes they are wiser. So, here I am, forcing you plainly, screaming in your face bluntly, GO AND DO IT.

Start your game today, and you will be debt-free soon. Think about doing it tomorrow, and you are lost. Which do you wish to be? A Winner or A Loser?

Gary is a debt-management freak - who loves to help people solve their debt-problems. He is so "freaky" that he has a personal blog on paying off credit card debt where he frequently rants about credit card debt reduction strategies. Visit his blog to know more about credit card debt pay off.

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Bankruptcy IS NOT The End

Guidelines For Buying Things After Bankruptcy Proceedings
By Wade Robins

There are special guidelines you need to follow when filing for bankruptcy. There are also things to remember about buying things after a bankruptcy. Can you get a loan? Can you Can you get a credit card? The answer is simple, do you want to get back into debt after getting out.

After bankruptcy, you may find it a little harder to obtain a loan or a mortgage, but it can be done. Many bad credit programs pop up everywhere and make it easier for people who had the unfortunate bankruptcy filings on their credit report to obtain financing for a loan or a mortgage, even a credit card.

More companies want to help people with bad credit obtain car or home loans and offer many different types of loans for this specific reason. Many people who want to purchase a car or a mortgage will want to check into the many different options. One reason people become qualified is that people cannot file for bankruptcy again for at least seven years after the first filing. This is all part of the guidelines for bankruptcy that you receive when you file.

Before trying to buy anything after a bankruptcy, you should work on building your credit score and watch any credit card balances to make sure that your total debt is not over fifty percent of your income. By adding positive credit history to your credit report helps to raise your credit score. You can apply for a credit card even if it is small as three hundred dollars for the limit, use it, and pay it off many times. This builds positive credit.

Knowing what creditors look for when giving out credit helps you prepare for obtaining credit. You might need to talk to creditors or a credit repair counselor to see what you might do to help your chances of getting a loan. Every lender has a different standard when it comes to dealing with people with poor credit reports and scores.

Two things you can count on them wanting are a down payment and income verification, but also they want you to wait at least two years after bankruptcy to apply for a loan. Of course, you need to make all payments you have for anything, on time, including your repayment plan.

If you need a down payment, you can borrow from family or friends or try a program for assistance for receiving a down payment. You might obtain a grant from these organizations and use that towards your down payment. Another way to obtain a down payment is by borrowing from your 401K plan as a way to provide you with a down payment.

You can also find more info on Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and Personal Bankruptcy. Filingpersonalbankruptcyhelp.com is a comprehensive resource to get help in Bankruptcy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Robins
http://EzineArticles.com/?Guidelines-For-Buying-Things-After-Bankruptcy-Proceedings&id=633151