Thursday, July 30, 2009

Repay Debt Using Credit Card Balance Transfers

By Sammy Smith

You can use 0% Credit card balance transfers to legally repay debt. A major benefit of choosing to repay debt like this is that after paying any setup charges for the balance transfer no extra fees are due as long as the balance is repaid or transferred somewhere else before the end of introductory period.

A second major benefit of repaying debt using a credit card balance transfer is you can adjust the sum you repay each month to suit your budget. You should always try to repay the highest you can afford so the balance reduces faster however paying a lower figure in certain months is an available option. You may choose to pay less in a month if you require the money elsewhere.

By repaying debts using this option you can decide which debts incur higher interest and repay them first. Try to select a credit card company that offers an introductory rate of 0% and transfer as much debt as possible allowing you to focus on repaying any other more expensive debts first. This will ensure your debts cost you less as you repay them.

There are some important points to remember if you decide to repay debt using a credit card balance transfer. The most important rule is to remember to always make at least the minimum amount on time to the credit card company. If you fail to do so you will most likely incur additional charges and likely lose your introductory rate making your debt very expensive. Additionally late payments may result in increased difficulty obtaining credit in the future. If a late payment is unavoidable contact the card company as quickly as possible and tell them any reasons why.

Another guideline to remember is to pay the most expensive debts first. If you have additional forms of credit that are more expensive concentrate your payments on these to reduce your overall cost of borrowing. Once you have repaid the most expensive debt move onto the next most expensive and so on until your debt is repaid.

Always remember to always pay the highest amount possible from your debt. Your introductory balance transfer rate won't last forever and the sooner you can repay the figure the sooner you can forget about it. Try to not buy additional items with your credit card as these will be charged at a higher rate of interest than the balance transfer and it will increase the amount of debt you need to repay.

When you sign up for the credit card make a note of the time of the introductory period of the balance transfer. As you approach the expiry date look around for a new card company to transfer any remaining debt to. Don't worry if you get rejected for the first one you apply for, there are lots of card companies out there offering introductory balance transfer rates. Once you have your new card, hopefully at 0% interest on balance transfers, move your money from the old card to the new and destroy your old card. You'll have to pay a small fee for transferring the debt and if the rate is low enough you'll pay no interest again.

Make sure you set a budget and avoid easy credit for new purchases. If you continue to buy items with easy credit you will eventually face difficult bankruptcy procedures. Depending on the size of your debts it is possible to repay them using this method. Remain positive and avoid any unnecessary spending on credit cards, it may take a while but you will eventually be debt free. I was in debt for several years before successfully using this method to clear my debts and live a live free of debt.

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