Things really went downhill when I moved out on my own. After six months I lost my job and my credit got even worse: I owed $11,000. I bought a car in my name for my boyfriend who agreed to pay the car note. He stopped making payments and the car was repossessed. I ended up owing $8,000 dollars on top of the $11,000 that I already owed. During this time I was working full-time, making $21,000 a year.

I put myself on a budget and set up payment plans with each creditor. I found a parttime job to help pay down my debt. I worked both jobs for one year. By the end of the year, I saw results and had paid down some of my debt. However, the entire process to become completely debt-free took four years. Here are 10 techniques I used to pay my debt:

1. Reduce expenses. Reduce your expenses to find extra money to pay down your debts such as: pack your lunch for work every day; buy items on sale or shop at a wholesale store such as Costco; carpool or take public transportation to work; cancel your cable, cell phone or Internet service or get the cheapest plan possible; buy energy efficient appliances, programmable thermostats or hot water insulator jackets.

2. Sell some items. Sell some assets such as jewelry, a second car and clothing, or hold a yard sale to sell unused items.

3. Set up a debt payoff plan. Setup a debt payoff plan to prioritize your bills. By using the debt snowball method you will be able to quickly pay off some of your debts. Start by paying off the smallest bills first, then use the money paid towards a previous bill and apply it to the next bill, and continue this process until all your debts are paid.

4. Set up a payment plan. Set up a payment plan with each of your creditors to pay off your debts. Be honest, humble and sincere. Identify any terms and negotiations you would like to make and stick to the terms.

5. Reduce your interest rate. If you have a decent credit score and have not made any late payments in the past year, you can negotiate with your creditors to lower your interest rate.

6. Pay more than the minimum monthly payment. If you pay only the minimum monthly payment, you will end up paying 2 to 3 times what you actually charged due to the interest and finance charges that accrues on your balance. Try to send extra towards your balance each month.

7. Don’t transfer balances. Transferring balances to another credit card may lower your credit score and there may be fees associated with transferring the balance. It is important to pay off the full balance before the introductory rate special ends, because after the introductory rate ends the interest rate may drastically increase.

8. Collection Accounts. An account is usually reported to a collection agency if the account is 90 to 120 days late. Contact the original creditor to see if you can set up a payment plan. If you are unsuccessful, contact the collection agency to set up a payment plan.

9. Settlement. Some creditors will negotiate with you by asking for a reduced amount “settlement” to settle the account in exchange for paying the debt quickly; however, it is best to pay the full amount because a settlement reported on your credit report may lower your credit score.

10. Pay with cash. Pay for purchases with cash until your credit card balances are paid in full. If you pay for an item with a credit card you end up paying 112% the original cost of the item.

While you are in the process of paying off debts, if a creditor continues to call you and is harassing you, inform them of your particular situation, get the persons name, date and time they called and tell them when you will be able to make a payment. Don’t apply for new credit, get a payday loan or cash advance. Following these 10 tips will help you get out of debt and be on your way to a debt-free life.

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When the phone rings, you cringe to think that there is another creditor on the line to inform you that you havent been paying your bills. You dread getting your daily mail knowing that there will be threatening letters about the money that you owe to several different credit card companies. Does this sound like you? Have you decided that its time to change that? If you decide to consolidate bills, you can have the peace that you desire.

If youre afraid that your next paycheck will not be enough to cover the bills that seem to be mounting each month, do not hesitate. Do not wait one more day to consolidate bills and take back your financial independence. The pressure that you feel due to unpaid bills and late notices can be relieved through the use of consolidating bills.

If you are afraid that you will have a hard time with consolidating bills due to poor credit scores, do not wait any longer. There are all kinds of programs out there to help out those that have low credit. You will end up paying a little bit more in interest rates, but your overall monthly payments will still be lowered, which will allow you extra money each month to use to pay off your debts.

Whether your credit is good or bad consolidating your bills will lower your monthly payments by giving you one lower interest rate than what youre currently paying on your credit cards. Again, if your credit is bad and you consolidate through a loan, chances are that youll pay a higher interest rate. This means that your payment wont be as low as it could be and youll pay a little longer than if your credit was good, but saving money will still happen. You will still pay less each month than you do currently to the credit card companies. If youve been late with payments to any or all of the credit cards, you may be paying anywhere from 21 to 25% interest. Even with a low credit rating, a consolidation loan will allow an interest rate lower than 20%; therefore, you will pay less each month once you consolidate all of your debts.

Consolidating bills makes sense. It is a way to handle your financial situation that will not hurt your credit rating. In fact, if your credit rating is already low, consolidate bills and it can help you bring that credit rating up. Your finances can be a stress free subject again once you decide to take control.

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When you seem to be drowning in debt, turning to debt consolidation can help you get back on solid financial ground. By reducing your interest rates and making your monthly payments more manageable, you can eliminate your debt faster. You will also have additional breathing room in your monthly budget.

Benefits Of Debt Consolidation

Not only does debt consolidation reduce paperwork hassles, it also saves you money. With lower rates on your debt, you have the choice of reducing your debt faster or spending the extra money in other needed areas.

Refinancing your debt also gives you the option to select more favorable loan terms. So you may decide to extend your loan period to further reduce your monthly payment. Or you may want to shorten your loan schedule to get out of debt faster. It is up to you.

Number Of Financing Options

Depending on your finances, you have a number of ways to consolidate your debt. For the cheapest loan, use your home equity. With your equity securing your financing, you get approved for some of the lowest rates and can qualify for tax deductions.

If a home equity loan isnt an option, consider applying for a personal loan. Rates will usually be five to ten points less than credit card rates. There are more limits with a personal loan, such as caps at $25,000 and maximum five year loan periods.

Other option is to transfer credit card debt to a new account. Usually when you open a new credit card, you qualify for especially good deals on balance transfers. In some cases, you dont have to pay any interest. This can give you a chance to really cut your principal.

Be A Smart Credit Shopper

Make sure you get the best deal on financing by being a smart credit shopper. Look at recommended financing companies and ask about loan quotes. Compare these with other offers before signing any contract.

Debt consolidation helps you make your money go farther and get out of debt sooner. Make it part of your larger financial goals to get on track.

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