subject: Debt Relief Help – How To Find Legitimate Credit Counseling Programs For Help [print this page] Debt Relief Help How To Find Legitimate Credit Counseling Programs For Help
Are you totally sick of hearing about, talking about, eating, drinking and breathing the subject of DEBT??? Talk of our national debt is in the news constantly, and it is frightening and appalling. How could this have happened? And what can we do about it? How it happened is probably because too many of us have not been paying enough attention. We have become complacent and free-spending. We have believed money was easy to come by, the future will always be brighter, and we can worry about debt tomorrow....let's live for today! Unfortunately, tomorrow has caught up with us. It is time to take action.
There is little we personally can do about our nation's trillions, but we can take action on our own debt.
So let's take a look at the positive side....talk of millions, billions and trillions of dollars actually makes our own debt look pretty tiny! But don't be fooled. You know....perhaps painfully so....if your personal debt is out of control, and now that it has your attention, it's time to do something about it.
We don't go into debt on purpose and often are taken by surprise at how quickly things get out of control. Situations in life often come up that are outside of our control. We have all had to make purchases for important items or emergencies when we didn't have the money on hand. Whenever those situations occur, having a credit card can be a real life-saver. Or perhaps at other times, our impulses get the best of us, and we just can't resist using our credit card for that hot new toy or gadget everyone is drooling over. Then the bills start rolling in.
When we allow things to get out of hand is when we suddenly realize we face a mountain of credit card debt. If you are also feeling uneasy about the security of your job or the stability of your company, it is time to buckle down, stop using your credit cards, and establish a strict payment plan for your existing debt. You may have difficulty paying it down otherwise, and you'll wind up paying a ton of interest for years after the purchase was made.
Since you have likely not yet racked up millions, billions or trillions of dollars in personal debt, you can take control and do something about it. Besides that, there are several options available to you. Some people can dredge up some self-discipline, roll up their sleeves, put on their money management hats, and figure things out. So they would rather deal with their credit card debt themselves. They know where they went wrong, they know they can fix the problem, and they need to just set up a plan to do it.
Most people with too much debt have more than one credit card or loan; so if you're going it alone, the first thing to do is list and review all your obligations and face up to that ugly place where you have arrived. Once you have all your information together, the next thing you should do is give your credit card companies a call. Ask the customer service representative if you can get a lower interest rate on your account. The call is usually toll-free, and within minutes you will know if you are eligible for this service. This might help lower your payments and make your plan more manageable.
There are a number of resources available that can either give you advice or that can help you get back on track in your goal to eliminate your credit card debt, including websites, books, and tapes on debt management. Some websites can link you live to a representative who will walk you through the steps you need to take to get your debt under control.
But what if you feel overwhelmed....don't know where to start....are uncomfortable dealing with credit card companies....or just aren't sure if you can ever pay off such a mound of debt? In these instances, debt credit counseling services and the use of a debt agency or debt settlement agency makes sense. If you feel you just can't handle it on your own, then you are right to seek professional advice.
