Article by Madonna Jeffries
Are you caught in the credit card spiral?
Do you owe more on your credit card than you can comfortably afford to repay?
Do you find yourself stressing when ever your credit card repayment statement is about to arrive in your letterbox?
If you answered yes to these questions then you have joined the many millions of Americans who have exceeded their ability to effectively control their credit card debt. It is thought that the average American household owes more than ,000 in combined credit card debt. This is a very significant personal debt yet the vast majority of credit card users only ever make regular payments of the minimum amount required, which is usually 3 to 5 percent of the outstanding balance. The Banks and other credit card issuers absolutely love this practice as it would take virtually 30 years to payoff by making only the minimum monthly repayment. Imagine the amount of interest and monthly service charges the institutions actually earn on your credit card outstanding over this period of time.
Sensible people have worked out a system to beat the banks and this involves the repayment of the total outstanding balance on the credit cards each month. This allows you to use the bank's money for your regular purchases in the short term as credit card debt should never be used for anything considered a medium or long term debt.
The Banks and credit card companies do not particularly like to have their customers repay the outstanding amounts each month because this deprives them of vast amounts of interest which is at much higher rates than they get from other customers who borrow the bank's money using other banking products like home and investment loans. These types of loans are usually made at interest rates that are a fraction of the interest rates charged on credit card products.
It is a fact of life that many people get into high levels of credit card debt and are unable to make even the regular monthly repayments, often resulting in them defaulti! ng on th eir credit card loans. If you are in heavy credit card debt and unable to meet your repayment obligations then you should immediately contact the credit card issuers and disclose your predicament to them.
By opening frank and candid discussions with your credit card issuer it is possible that you might be able to negotiate a credit card debt settlement agreement with your bank or credit card company. You can quite easily do this on your own rather than through a debt relief service.
A credit card debt settlement is in effect based on two factors being, the amount of principal and accrued interest that you owe and the rate of interest you pay. The basis behind a negotiated credit card debt settlement is as simple as recognizing that the lending bank wants the repayment of the outstanding debt and they would like to achieve this without having to instigate legal action or avoid the debtor declaring themselves formally bankrupt. To achieve this the Bank or credit card company is often willing to work with the borrower in structuring a more suitable repayment plan and lowering interest rates so the debt can be fully recovered. During your negotiations remember that a credit card debt settlement can be a favorable outcome for both the lender and the borrower.
So if you are currently caught up in the credit card woes then it is in your interest to contact your credit card issuer as soon as possible. Have an open discussions about your financial difficulties and determine if they are prepared to negotiate a credit card debt settlement that will help you overcome your financial problems and also assist you in paying off what you owe them.
About the AuthorFor online advice on credit card debt settlement and debt consolidation visit Debt Control Guide.
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