There are millions of Americans out there who have paid off heavy credit card debt, and you may be one of them. To get rid of credit card debt, it won’t be enough, however, to just make minimum monthly payments. In fact, you just need to do a little more than just paying the minimum monthly payments; you can save thousand of interests and shorten many years in settling your credit card debt. To give you a better picture how it work, let use a case study to elaborate the solution.

Case Study:

A friend of mine asked me to take a look at her monthly credit card statement; according to her, she has stopped using this credit card and try to pay it off, but feels like she isn’t getting anywhere.

The credit card statement record shows her balance is $5218.00 and she is paying 18% of interest; and she is paying the minimum payment at 3.5% or $10 whichever is higher. Like many who confuse with financial matters, she thinks that as long as she stops using the card and by just paying the minimum of monthly balance, her credit card debt will be cleared soon.

The Calculation Result:

If she has stopped using this credit card, and if she continues to make the minimum required monthly payment, as she has been, based on the way her bank calculates her minimum required monthly payment.

It will take her 181 months to pay off her current credit card balance of $5,218.00 and she will pay a total of $3762.35 in interest.

In other words, if she continues doing what she has been doing. It will take her 15 years and cost her $8980.35 to pay off her $5218.00 credit card balance. No wonder she feels like she is not getting anywhere.

So, what should she do?

Actually, it quit simple, if she able to pay the minimum payment of $5,218.00, which is $181.37, which means this is her affordable amount. Instead of paying the minimum payment as defined by the credit card company, she continues to pay $181.37 from now on.
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As you make your way towards a bunch of credit card types and offers, you may already be knowledgeable enough that there is no point in combating the 0% APR interest in your credit card. You as like the rest of the credit cardholders will typically be overjoyed to be rewarded with a 0% interest rate. Most of the times though, such credit card offer is only applicable during the introductory phase. As you get into the core of handling your credit card, you start facing interest charges for your committed transactions.

Here are valuable things to ponder on when it comes to dealing with the 0% APR on credit cards:
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Credit card debt is widespread amongst the average American household and seeking ways of consolidating debt usually means utilizing the equity in ones home or seeking a personal loan to service the credit card payments. Using the equity in your home to apply for an equity home loan and directing the funds towards debt management is an excellent method for getting your house in order in regards to your finances.

A personal loan without collateral may sound inviting but rest assured any financial institution or broker is going to want a higher return for the added risk. Using the equity in ones home has become a popular form of liquidity to finance and consolidate existing credit card debt, however not without its risks. Be sure you read the fine print & beware of the risks of defaulting on any repayments when using the equity in your home for a equity home loan as you could end up losing your family home to your creditors should you fail to meet the repayments!!!

Consolidating debt for some means digging into their 401K for immediate relief to the detriment of their future well being. Immediate relief from credit card debt and the high fees and interest associated with such debts is a huge incentive for some to look for the 401K alternative. The compromise to such action is that you are forgoing future savings and security for immediate relief, but if the timing is right and you are confident of repaying the loan it certainly is a viable proposition. It is a very appealing short term debt solution which has its benefits as well as draw backs.
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What Are Debt Consolidation Services?

Debt consolidation services are companies who specialize in helping you free yourself from the burden of debt. If you have debt that seems to pile up more and more each month, bills for which you can’t even afford the minimum payments, and the trend has been continuing for a long time with no end in sight, then a debt consolidation service may be just what you need to help you out of the tangle of debt you’re in.

How Can Debt Consolidation Services Help?

Did you know that your creditors are the ones who absorb most of the costs when you consolidate your debt? To those you owe, it is a better financial decision for them to accept partial payment from you than none at all if you file for bankruptcy or simply never pay. A debt consolidation services company representative will stand up for you and negotiate with those you owe and decrease your overall debt as well as get rid of interest payments and taxes.
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