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Did you know that the  average household debt  is over $15,000 just in credit cards? 

So, what are the best ways to reduce debt?  Here’s our list of 5 ways to  get rid of the debt  and to instead work toward debt free Christian living.

 1.    Kill The Extra Cards 

Did you know that the average number of credit cards per person is 3.5 credit cards?  Keep just  a single   credit card,  which you do not carry with you. That card will be used for true emergencies, to reserve a hotel room or rental car and other necessary uses.  Even if your credit cards have a balance, cut the actual cards up as you work on getting out  from under the  debt.

 Don’t even consider the  pre-selected or pre-approved  offers you get in the mail.  There are  very few  people who  truly need  more credit cards.

 2.   Stop Using the Credit Card Account

 We all know people who cut up credit cards and begin  paying off  debt but discover  they can still  spend  using their credit card number.  Most  online  sites can  keep your  credit card  information saved, so it’s easy to click “buy” without much  thought.  

First things first – if you have  internet  accounts that  have  saved credit card information,  log  into your account and delete that data.  Not only  will  that  save  you if the online store’s servers  go down,  but it ensures that you can’t make a quick and thoughtlessshopping decision.  If you don’t have the  cash to pay for it,   you  should not make the purchase. 

 3.   Stop Spending

It’s true that you must  have  money to  survive,  but many  individuals  have gotten  into a habit of consumerism.  We head to the  movies  for entertainment on a rainy day, we eat out because we  won’t make  time to  prepare   a meal,  and we shop for  sales online that are just “too good” to pass up.

Even if you use cash for your purchases, you’retaxing your financial  well being.  Add up – just for one month – how much you spend on your  Starbucks coffee.  Now  imagine  how you  should  have used that  income  more  wisely  . Even a  insignificant amount of money  invested over time  can add up to a large sum.  

4.    Find A Strategy 

Whichever method  you choose,  start a   a payment plan and stick to it. 

You  may  choose to  get  a debt consolidation loan, or  you may want to work  with a debt reduction company that will help you reduce payments and pay off debt, or you  may  set up your own payment plan using the debt snowball method to  payoff debt.   Whichever methodyou  decide on,  choose it carefully and then stick to it.  

5.    Cultivate New Habits 

The average credit card  carrier  has debt that is 14 years old.  Habits have formed around managing debt in payments instead of payoffs.

It can be hard to change that dynamic with money .  It’s imperative  to understand that  easy debt solutions  don’t really exist without avoiding more  expenditures,   constantly working  to reduce  money owed to others  and  developing  a change inspendthrift habits over time.

For more information on Christian debt consolidation and Christian debt management including financial calculators to  gauge  your current financial health visit www.Debt-Free-Christian.com. 

Source for Credit Card Statistics:

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-card-industry-facts-personal-debt-statistics-1276.php