6 Ways To Help You Find Debt Relief

This article will show a few ways to find debt relief. Thousands of Americans are buried in debt. In our fast paced world of instant gratification it has become the norm to charge now, worry about paying for it later. This is a viscous cycle that the credit card companies love, but it puts you further and further into that deep hole of debt. It doesn't matter how much money you make, if you don't live within your means, you will become a slave to your creditors. But there is hope for the hopeless.
1) Tear up your credit cards. Take a pair of scissors and cut them up or run them through a shredder . Whatever it takes to destroy those money sucking leeches. Call the credit card companies and tell them to close your accounts. If you feel like you have to keep one card, choose the one with the lowest interest rate and call that company and place a spending limit on it.
2) Apply for a low interest rate credit card and transfer your balances. But make sure you read all of the fine print. A lot of companies will lure you in with an introductory low rate and after a few months jack the rate up high. This puts you back to where you started or sometimes even worse!
3) Pay off your highest interest rate card first. Make sure you pay a little more than the minimum each month. This will shave months off your debt. Continue to pay the minimum on your other cards. After card number one is paid off, move on to the second highest interest rate card. Use the same amount of money that you used to pay on the first card for the second. Stay disciplined and don't be tempted to use the money elsewhere. Continue on this way until all of your cards are paid.
4) If you find that you are unable to pay your bills, communicate with your creditors right away. Honestly explain your financial situation and ask them to reduce your payments or interest rate. The worst thing you can do is not communicate and the worse thing the creditor can do is say no.
5) If you own your home, you might consider a debt consolidation loan. This is a 2nd mortgage on your home that allows you to consolidate your debts into one payment. Interest on this loan may be tax deductible. But remember, if you sell your home, you must pay off both the 1st and 2nd mortgages.
6) Find a good credit counseling agency. You should look for a free service that can negotiate payments with your creditors for you. They should also be able to give you financial advice. Ask the company you contact what happens to your credit rating if you use their services.
These are just a few ideas to find debt relief. If you are able, you might take a second job for a while to earn extra money. Take this extra money and apply it to your bills. Overcome the temptation to spend it on yourself. It was easy to get into debt but it is not so easy to get out of it.