subject: Getting Help From Your Credit Card Provider [print this page] Getting Help From Your Credit Card Provider
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, perhaps the last place your would think to look for help is your credit card provider. It is the common mindset of people to think that credit card providers will simply railroad you into making payments at the detriment of all your other financial obligations. The truth is that there is nothing farther from the truth than this.
In general, credit card providers and any other financial institution that offer loans will be more than willing to help you find a solution to see you through your financial difficulty. They recognise that there are unforeseeable events that could lend even the most conscientious of their borrows to have a hard, if not impossible, time making repayments on loans. When they approved your credit card application, they were well aware of this risk and as such, are prepared to take steps to help you so that you can pay them back. Granted that there might be companies out there that care nothing about you, it is to their detriment because it simply isn't good practice not to help you find ways to be able to make repayments.
Knowing that this is the mindset of credit card providers, the first thing that you should do when you find yourself in financial difficulty is to find a way to trim down your expenses. Once you know how much money you can spend on repaying your creditcards and other loans, list down all of the minimum monthly payments on each card and each loan. After you have all the information you need, it is time to contact your credit card provider. If you several cards, phone the issuing bank where you either have the biggest balance on your credit card, or that has the highest interest rates. Explain your situation to them and give them detailed information on your financial status. If their service is any good, they should be willing to restructure your account so that you will be able to make repayments regularly. This is important because it will ensure that you won't be flagged for making late payments, so that your credit rating won't be affected adversely. If they are not helpful, contact another credit card provider and submit a credit card application for a 0 balance transfer card. This will essentially lower the interest rate on the remaining balance and give you better repayment terms. Just make sure that you communicate with the new credit card provider to ensure that they give you a monthly minimum that you really can afford to pay regularly, or you will simply be in the same spot you are at right now.
