I have 5 Credit cards with a total debt of $10,000. With interest fees i cant seem to get these paid off. my bills are more then i make. What can i do to solve this debt?
2007-03-15 09:27:22 · 5 answers · asked by Mike M 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Personal Finance
Also, im a full time college student. i am looking for other jobs, my cards are destroyed so i cant use them.
2007-03-15 09:36:36 · update #1
first - go get a 2nd job. It'll take a long, long time to pay this off without the extra income. Go flip burger, pump gas, or stock shelves evenings and weekends if you have to, or you'll have this hanging over your head for a long, long time.
Next - stop charging anything on the cards. Pay cash or do without. Put them away, don't use them, or even better, cut them up.
Next - make the minimum payment on all the cards except the one with the lowest balance. On that one, put every single extra nickel you have towards that bill. Stop going out for lunch and carry a bag lunch instead; stop drinking and smoking; stop playing the lottery, going to movies, drinking $4 cups of coffee; You can't afford them. All this has to go towards this one loan.
When that loan is paid off, cancel the account, and start the same process with the card with the next lowest balance. Keep doing this until you've paid them all off.
If you're behind on the payments on any of these cards, CONTACT THE LENDER NOW about it. Tell them you want to pay it off, and you're working on it. Tell them you have another job (if you actually went out and got one, that is). They would much rather hear from you and work with you than have to foreclose, or send this to collection. It's cheaper for them to work with you, and you'll have an easier time of it all.
Now that they're paid off, use the extra money that you were spending on credit card payments to fund savings and retirement accounts. Paying them off will probably take at least a couple of years - and you'll be used to living without this money by then, so why not continue, and build up a healthy nest egg?
2007-03-15 09:40:20 · answer #1 · answered by Ralfcoder 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take up the method of paying off one at a time like mentioned before. By claiming bankruptcy, you get your debt wiped out and then learn NOTHING from it. Go through the work, discipline yourself, and then before long you'll be saving that money and letting that compound interest work for you. Why should compound interest work for your credit card companies?
2007-03-15 10:06:46 · answer #2 · answered by Wah! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow i don't know take up a second or third job thats what my aunt did when they got in debt. personally i've never been in debt but i would say get rid of your credit cards and just use a check card
2007-03-15 09:31:36 · answer #3 · answered by haley m 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get debt consolidating assistance or another job.
2007-03-15 09:30:23 · answer #4 · answered by csucdartgirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may qualify for bankruptcy. I'd talk to a lawyer to see what your options are. Most lawyers will give you a free consultation in their office.
2007-03-15 09:44:19 · answer #5 · answered by Kiwi 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋