Help to Resolve Debt

There is a connection between high debts and a lower credit rating, even when you never miss a payment. But by working to resolve debt and manage your finances responsibly, you can improve your credit score, increase your amount of spendable income, and more easily qualify for loans and other new accounts.

Proper Budgeting

Write out a monthly budget and be realistic about what you're able to spend each month to help resolve debt and prevent new debt. Creating a budget involves writing down every recurring monthly expense such as housing costs, transportation costs, food costs, utilities and insurance. You'll next take this figure and subtract it from your take-home pay (after taxes). Set aside a modest dollar amount for entertainment each week (perhaps $30 or $40 depending on your disposable income), and use the remaining income for debt repayment. Adhere to your budget closely to help improve your personal finances and be honest with yourself.

Underlying Issues

Keep a record of all your credit card statements to uncover any spending trends that contribute to debt. The inability to resolve debt may result from uncontrolled spending or maybe your present income isn't enough to meet everyday demands. Check statements to see where the bulk of your money goes. If the majority of charges come from restaurants or retail shops, scale back in order to save money and pay off your debt faster. If you use credit cards to pay other bills, perhaps it's time to seek other employment opportunities or look for a part-time job to generate additional household income.

Interest and Payments

Resolving debt quickly is often a matter of acquiring a lower interest rate and increasing monthly payments. The interest rates on credit cards are negotiable, and some credit card companies offer immediate reductions if a cardholder requests one. Getting a better rate generally entails a good payment history with the company, wherein you don't have a history of missing or sending in late payments. Once you've negotiated a better rate, start increasing your monthly payments. These two factors together result in paying less interest each month and bringing down your principal balance faster.

Debt Management Help

Debt help is available to people who can't seem to manage their debt balances on their own. These companies work with consumers to help them consolidate their debts into one bill and receive a lower rate and payment on debt. Debt management and consolidation companies aren't for everyone, and some companies only work with consumers who owe several thousands of dollars of credit card debt. But if eligible, debt management companies take over repayment of debts; and after reviewing a consumer's debt, the company devises a new payment strategy. Consumers begin forwarding one monthly payment to the company each month. The company takes this payment and pays the consumer's individual creditors. Follow up with your creditors to ensure payments are credited properly and only work with debt management companies with good reputations.