Credit cards are tempting and devious tools. They seemingly offer “free” money, but of course that isn’t true. It is simply that a credit card offers us the chance to make a big purchase when we don’t necessarily have the cash on hand for it, delaying the moment when we actually have to pay the piper. This can lead to people making big purchases they can’t readily afford, and it can lead to us giving in to our worst impulses — impromptu buys and expensive purchases.
As such, it is important to fight these urges and tendencies. The best way to fight credit card debt is to not carry debt. Having a little bit of debt that you can safely pay off each month is healthy — it builds your credit score. But consistently carrying loads of debt that you can’t pay off is dangerous.
Sometimes, debt overwhelms people. This can happen by mistake, or it can happen unexpectedly. It can also happen because the debt has been building for some time and it eventually become too great for the individual to handle. When this debt becomes too great to handle, you have a a few options.
You can try to diligently budget your finances and pay off the debt. You can try to negotiate with your creditors to try to find an acceptable solution to the problem. And if both of these options fail, there is always a bankruptcy filing that could help you with your debt.
Source: Motley Fool, “2 Credit Card Debt Tips to Know,” Selena Maranjian, April 11, 2017