Credit Card Hacks That Can Help You Handle Your Finances Properly

Credit Card Payoff Strategies

If your credit card balances are higher than you expected, there's no need to beat yourself up. Everyone makes mistakes. It is important to recognize that your debt is costing money and create a plan to fix it. There are many options available to get rid of your credit card debt. Here are some common strategies for paying off credit cards.

The Debt Snowball

The debt snowball is a strategy to pay off credit cards. It requires that you list all outstanding credit card balances in order. You'll need to add the account with the lowest balance at the top of the list. The balances that you owe will determine the order in which you place the remaining accounts. After you have set the order in which you want your accounts to be paid off, you will continue to make at least the minimum payment for each credit card except the one in the first slot. Paying the minimum payment will help you avoid credit card debt. To make it pay off the first, you must pay as much as possible towards the account with the lowest balance. After paying off the lowest balance card, move on to the next one and rinse and repeat.

The Debt Avalanche

Another credit card payment strategy is the debt avalanche. This requires that you list all credit card balances in a specific order. This method, however, allows you to base your debt payment sequence on your interest rate, from the highest to the lowest. In the first payoff slot, you make the minimum payment on all your accounts, except the credit card. This card has the highest APR using the debt avalanche method. You then pay as much each month until you eliminate the outstanding balance on your highest-APR credit card. After you have paid off your highest APR account, you can rollover the amount you were paying each month on that debt and use it towards your second-highest APR card. Keep doing this until you have zero balance on all your accounts.

Debt Consolidation

Debt consolidation is a third option to reduce credit card debt. Consolidating debt is when you use a loan or credit card to pay off your existing balances. Consolidating debt means that you can get new financing at a lower interest rate to pay down your debt faster and save more money. You mustn't spend too much on credit cards when consolidating debt. You could end up with severe credit and financial problems if you pay off your existing cards and accrue a new balance to the old accounts. If you plan to apply for financing, it is best to have a good or excellent credit rating. Although it is possible to qualify with debt consolidation financing even if you have bad credit, the interest rates may not be favorable.

Pay More than Your Minimum Payment

The minimum monthly payment on your statement shows the minimum amount you can make to your account while remaining in good standing with the issuer. The monthly minimum payment is usually a small percentage of your total credit balance. It's almost like an annual check-in fee to ensure you are still there. It's nice to have that option, but interest doesn't sleep. Your balance is always accruing interest. As you are reading these words, it is going up. You will be on the hook for as long as you pay the minimum amount.

Try to pay more than the minimum monthly payment. You can reduce your long-term credit card debt costs if you do so. Make an effort to pay any amount that is more than the monthly minimum. Your credit card debt will be less expensive in the long run if you manage to do so and maintain your good habits. One unique yet successful strategy to tackling credit card debt one bite at a time is as follows: Specific purchases that show on your statement might be targeted. Dick's Sporting Goods is a retailer of camping equipment. Finished all of your lattes in a month. Give that present to your colleague's daughter who is having a bridal shower. They're those Johnston-Murphys from Amazon, aren't they? Researchers observed that individuals who review their bills and choose particular products for payback make 15 percent greater progress toward their debt repayment goals. Subjects said that paying off one item at a time decreases the feeling that they are up against an insurmountable mountain of debt; instead, they feel like they are making real progress with each purchase that is paid off.