What is the best way to consolidate my credit cards and pay them off without damaging my credit?
479053
The best way to consolidate your credit cards is through www.debtscape.org   I have been using it for 4 years now and I have less than a year to go and I started out with over $30,000 in debt! \n\nYou can tell them I sent you\n\nTraci Sorgi\n\nPS never close your accounts after they are paid, you will have to establish credit all over again, and it will be hard to do this with NO credit!
862347
Find a different card that offers a lower interest rate and transfer the balance to that one.\n\nCoach
1024028
Ask you bank for a line of credit. The interest rate is cheaper than a credit card. Otherwise consolidate all your debt to give you a smaller monthly payment.
35392
In general - you shouldn't be maxing out your cards at all - it is a very bad habit to get into. Living on borrowed money isn't a wise idea. Credit cards are a tool. They should be used instead of cash so that you don't have to carry cash around with you. But it doesn't mean that you don't have the money when it comes time for that bill to be paid. \n\nIf you only charge what you KNOW you can afford to pay off - you will be safe and build a very good credit rating. Keeping a small balance is not a bad thing but - try and pay the majority of it off this way you don't have to pay interest on it.\n\nI have been through it. It took us 10 long years to get out of debt. We had over $57,000 in debt and very good credit though. We never missed payments but just seemed to be swamped with it. Be patient for the credit transfer deals that let you have the rate until your balance is paid in full. These are the ones you will want for the long haul. \n\nWe transfered to a few cards. one of them was the BEST - 0% until it was paid off! That was amazing but true. There was no limited time. then we also transfered onto a few cards with 3.99% interested until paid - Again no limited time. \n\nThis allowed us to pay MUCH MORE THAN THE MINIMUM.  paying the min will not help - it will usually get you worse off because you debt will grow usually from other purchases going onto it.  Just stop using the cards and pay them all off.  \n\nStay away from the Transfer offers that only give you a matter of months to pay. \n\nI just can't stress that enough.   cause you will end up having a huge percentage rate a year from now and then your debt will be compounding more than it ever has.  \n\nI am standing here today - debt free!!! Yes we paid off the entire $57,000 and it is all due to the stratigy above - never miss a payment and pay as much as you can towards the highest interest rates first. Minimum payments for the lowest rates. After a while you will see your debt come down, and your credit history improve.  We did it all on our own.
1141929
The best way is to get a credit card with a small limit and charge two or three things a month, like groceries and gas.  Put these items down in your checkbook like you have already paid for them so you wont get behind.  Pay off these items before the due date, credit companies really like this.  Good Luck!
1173074
call them all and set up payment plans\n\nor talk with a credit counseling/debt consolidation company\n\nbest of luck
1107340
paying off the credit card.
960694
You might call the number on the back of you card and inquire what credit amount you have remaining. It would serve you better to reduce your personal debt.
643642
Get a secured one. That is one where you have to make a deposit into a special account and then as you use and pay the card you re-establish your credit. It is a lot safer than getting one with a really high interest rate(19-29%) that I might add is compounded daily. Also for good reference, it is better to pay it all off as you charge rather than carrying the balance forward that's how they make all their money on you only paying the minimum due.\nGood luck with improving your credit rating.
150355
If you've been paying on time try to find a card with a lower interest rate and transfer your balance from the card with high interest rate.  Check out www.bankratemonitor.com for credit card interest rates.
145867
consolidate your loans
99738
Your best bet is NOT to use a consolidation company for a loan.  This will reflect more negatively on your credit.  The best bet, I think, would be to pay off your credit cards, highest interest rated card first.  Hope that helps!
867279
The way I done it was to open a credit card account with a no annual fee and a 0 apr on balance transfers for a 6 months to a year. Then working on paying as much as you can a month to get it paid off before the apr kicks in.\nIf you can't open another credit card, check about transferring your balance to an existing card with the lowest interest rate.
198468
Whoa whoa whoa!!!  Don't Close Those Cards!!!  If you don't intend to use them just cut them up; shred them; something to keep them out of your reach and not eassily accessible.  Whatever you do don't close the cards. That's a mistake many people make.  By closing the cards you are also eliminating all (that's right ALL) of the history which is associated with the cards: your activity; your prompt payments; your balances; your only proven ability to pay debt over time. In addition, when future (new) creditors are conducting their credit evaluation of you they look at several things: (a) credit history <you'll have none for those cards>; (b) total available credit; (c) total outstanding credit; and (d) the ratio of outstanding credit to available credit. So - if you keep the cards open and include the new loan - if your total available credit is 10,000 and you only have 3,000 outstanding (the new loan to pay off old debt) you have a 30% balance to total debt ratio.  BUT if you close the cards all you have now is the one loan for 3,000 and available credit of 3,000...thus a 100% ratio.  That's not gonna help you.\n\nYou should continue to use one of those cards for "basic essentials" (gas, groceries) and pay it off monthly for the sole purpose of showing your continued ability to pay ongoing revolving debt.\n\nGood luck!
49869
The best things you can do are re-establish and re-affirm.  Meaning, no more late payments or going over balances from now on.\n\nMake sure you don't have too many credit cards with high available balances.  There really isn't much need to keep more than 4.  Keep the two oldest cards you have (long account history is a good thing), and then keep the one with the best rate.  (If you *must* keep a forth, just pick one).\n\nMake sure your balances owed are less than 40%'ish of the balance.  If your card has a $10,000 limit, try to keep your balance under $4,000.\n\nIf you are over the balance on any cards, rectify that as soon as possible.\n\nIf you are rebuilding from square one, you two best bets for a fresh start are local jewelry or furniture stores that carry their own paper (handle their own credit accounts), and secured credit cards.\n\nLots of small or local jewelry/furniture stores can offer small credit accounts.  Only use this if you are buying something that you have the cash to pay for (ie: a toaster, a chair, etc).  Establish a credit account, and pay off the balance as soon s you get the bill.   *Do not close the account*.  Letting it stay open with no negative activity is a good thing, especially for new beginners.\n\nSecured credit cards are low limit credit cards offered by most financial institutions, where you give the bank a deposit of x, and they give you a credit card with a limit equal to (or in some cases, slightly higher) than your deposit.  IE: You give them $500 on deposit, they give you a credit card with a $500 limit.  As time goes on, (and your credit improves) you may get a higher limit, or they may offer to convert your card and give you your deposit back.  Secured accounts aren't treated any different than regular credit accounts.\n\nPolicing your spending habits (don't buy things you can't pay for), making your payments on time, and letting time take its course will help rebuild your credit.
292290
Before I learned how to repair my credit.......ZERO....now that I have cleaned my credit and did it on my own.......let's just say I have more than I need and I use them all and all are at zero balances. Always pay in full. They aren't getting a red cent of interest off of me. If you must really know......5 visa, 10 mastercard, 1 discover, and 5 american express.
871492
Double up on both.  If you can find a way to consolidate the two, cancel one, and then make one payment, you'll reduce the debt even more.  If you own a house, consider a Home Equity Loan (not a Line of Credit - the actual fixed-rate loan.)  The interest is much lower and you'll have tax-deductions.\n\nWhatever you do - cut up BOTH credit cards immediately and stop using them.