If you want to tackle your debt effectively, it starts with a conscious decision to exercise frugal spending habits in your day-to-day! Otherwise the cycle repeats itself…you use one credit line to pay off the other, only to max out the original credit card again.

I don’t know how much it helped, but I was sweet as peaches to everyone I talked to. Quite apart from the strategic value of niceness, I figured that while they may represent an Evil Empire, they’re actually just people with families putting in thankless call center hours coming up on the holidays.

Anyway, I think it also helped that I said I couldn’t possibly use the card in the foreseeable future because the APR kept me on the verge of my limit. (Sad but true. This one’s a couple steps down on the snowball.) The friendly-voiced fellow on the line reviewed my history and said he’d like to see me pay down the amount and free up some spending room. That’s not remotely why I want to pay it down, but whatever work for him, I guess.

So I called my other two cards, got the EXACT same answer, even after I said I’d just cancel the card. They didn’t care one whit about losing my business. I actually suspect this is because I always pay on time and over my minimum, and I actually have kind of low APRs to begin with (11, 12, and 15%), so I’m actually not the greatest customer for them.

I’m totally appalled at their reaction to my request. One woman was downright rude to me, like I was bothering her with my silly request. Unbelievable. So I just opened some new 0% cards, transferred and canceled the old ones, but that’s annoying because I keep dinging my credit score.

So really, does that work for anyone??

Obviously, this is nothing to brag about, but I haven’t paid any finance charges on this debt.

Simply google for “zero percent interest credit cards”. There is one website that ranks the best ones and tell you all the variables in an easy to compare chart.

Just make sure you pick one with no TRANSACTION FEE.

I’m currently on a Discover Miles 0% for 12 mos. card and the miles paid for a hotel room and will pay for a car rental next year.

Although, I admit, this is not the most motivating way to pay down CC debt.

Ian

Like J.D said: “So if you fail to change the habits that led you into debt in the first place, you will likely accumulate even more debt in the long run. Most importantly, a home equity loan puts your house at risk — credit cards do not.” So think twice before you shift your credit card dept to a new loan. If alternative ways of paying of debt don’t work, neither will shifting your debt.

I have only paid interest on the card one or two times, but it’s nice to have a lower rate, and the rewards come in handy.

The problem with paying off debt with debt, is that you can always add more credit card debt.

You have to solve the spending issues first, then your debt elimination can be successful.