AeF asked:
I currently have around US $4,500 in credit card debt, spread over three separate cards. I have US $1,300 in savings and I earn anywhere between US $2,000 and $3,000 each month.
I currently have around US $4,500 in credit card debt, spread over three separate cards. I have US $1,300 in savings and I earn anywhere between US $2,000 and $3,000 each month.
I have zero expenses.
My question is, how do I pay off my credit card debt as quickly as possible whilst also building on my savings?
Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!
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There’s no quick way, but if you really have to borrow money, make it from family so you dont go into dept for them. Also dont eat out a lot, even though it may seem like small money it can really add up if you make your own meals
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You DON’T pay off your debt quickly WHILE building your savings. You put EVERYTHING toward paying off the cards, THEN you build your savings.
With or without the debt, the BEST thing to do is make a WRITTEN budget at the beginning of EVERY month to control your spending. If you don’t PLAN how you will spend your money, you will spend some of it on things you don’t really want and can’t remember buying.
first pay the least amount, out of your 3 cards.
There are many ways you can quickly get out of the credit card debt. IF you have many credit card bills pending then you can go to consolidate your bills.
I tried it few years back so it helped me at lot. The best ways is to go for consolidation and settlement.
See the following options to find the solution that is best for you:
~Credit Card Balance Transfer
A balance transfer is the simplest way to consolidate debts so you can find relief from numerous minimum payments that get you nowhere. If you decide to use a balance transfer, you must commit to paying more than the minimum on the new combined balance. To do this, total up all of the minimum payments on your previous debts. Now add an additional amount, whatever you can free up from your budget. Pay that entire amount to the new balance every month. With determination, you can probably pay off the entire balance before the interest rate offer expires.
~Credit Card Debt Consolidation
If you owe more debt than you can reasonably pay during the balance transfer offer period, you should consider a debt consolidation loan. These come in two forms: personal and home equity. If you don’t own a home or your home doesn’t have equity, then you should apply for a personal debt consolidation loan. Interest rates are higher than home loans, but lower than credit card rates.
~Credit Counseling
If you need help paying off your credit card debts, contact a local credit counseling service. The service will review your debts, income, and expenses, and work with you to create a payment plan. They may suggest a debt management plan. The service negotiates with your creditors to reduce your interest rates and set a fixed monthly payment. Once your debts are enrolled in the program, you no longer have access to the cards, which prevents you from creating new debt. In addition, you make a single monthly payment to the service, which then distributes it to your creditors as agreed.
~Credit Card Debt Settlement
If you owe significantly more than you can pay, and can’t reduce expenses or increase your income any further, a credit counseling service may recommend debt settlement. Also called debt negotiation, debt settlement actually reduces your total balance due. The service contacts your creditors to negotiate a new lower balance and a new payment plan. You may either be required to make a lump sum payment or monthly payments. In most cases, debts can be reduced by 40%. Before choosing this option, remember that debt settlement may damage your credit and you may owe taxes on the unpaid amount.
I have met this sort of situation before,here is the resource I found helpful.
All you can know about credit card from this site. You can get some affordable good links from that site. It will help you a lot as it helped me.
All the best.
I think this article may help you.
Please do not consolidate. It is not free, they will lower your payments by increasing the length of time until you are debt free, and you will take a hit on your credit score. Or they negotiate your debt down after telling you not to pay for awhile adding another hit to your credit score. Student loans are the only debt that can garnish your wages for non payment without taking you to court first. Just list them out on a piece of paper or a spreadsheet and follow the plan. If you work the plan, the plan will work for you.
A. Have a garage sale and sell anything that you no longer need or want.
B.Get a temporary part time job, if you have one, get another.
Here is a plan that can help you. If you work the plan, the plan will work for you:
1. Make a budget. Make the budget a week before you get paid. A budget is not a punishment! It is a tool which will free you from ever having to worry about money again. Put everything in your budget. Especially those annual, biannual, or quarterly bills like car registration, insurance, etc. Give every dollar you are going to bring home the name of where it is going. Add an “emergency fund” category to your budget for 25 dollars and save up until you have 1000-1250 dollars. Your emergency fund will help keep you from getting into new debt because of an emergency. If you can, set up a direct transfer to a savings account for your emergency fund. That way it moves automatically and you don’t even have to worry about it. You must cut your spending and live on less than you make.
2.First get current on all of you debts and make no more late payments. Stop using your credit cards immediately. Do not take on any more debt. Credit cards are like quicksand only the death is much slower. Make a list of all of your debts in order of highest interest rate to lowest interest. Use cash only for your spending from now on.
3.Pay the minimum due on all of your debts and then put your extra money towards paying off the highest interest one first. After you get that one paid off, you put the money you were paying on debt #1 (the minimum payment and the extra payment) towards debt #2. That will pay debt #2 off faster. When that is paid off, you put all three payments towards card #3 and that one will be paid off pretty quickly. As an example:
To start :
Debt #1 (highest interest): minimum payment+ extra payment
Debt #2 (middle interest): minimum payment
Debt #3(lowest interest): minimum payment
Debt #1: paid off
Debt #2: minimum payment from Debt #1+ Minimum payment from Debt #2 +extra payment
Debt #3: minimum payment
Debt #1: paid off
Debt #2: paid off
Debt #3:Minimum payment from card #1+ minimum payment from Debt #2+ minimum payment from Debt #3+ extra payment.
That way, you will get them all paid off, on time, and pay the least interest. It will also help towards rebuilding your credit since you will no longer have any late payments. This works no matter how many different debts you may have.
4. After you get all of your debts paid off, add to your emergency fund until you have 6-12 months of income saved up. Put that emergency fund money into a liquid money market fund or into a Bank of America no-risk CD so that if you need the money you can take it out without penalty.
5a. When you have your emergency fund in place, add a category for “fun” to your budget. Save for a holiday, a vacation, a big screen, or dinners out, whatever goal you want. Remember to enjoy your life.
5b. When you have your emergency fund in place, start saving for your retirement. Join the 401(k) plan at work and contribute the maximum. Your employer probably matches at least part of your contribution so why give up free money? Open a Roth IRA and contribute the maximum on a monthly basis. If you start saving for your retirement now, you will probably retire a millionaire.
5c. When you have your emergency fund in place, start saving for your next car. Only buy cars, or other things that depreciate, with cash. Save up for a nicer car. That way you get the interest instead of paying the interest.
You can do it and it isn’t as hard as you think. Just follow the plan.