Thursday, January 10, 2008

Tips On Negotiating Credit Card Debt

Many people that get themselves into credit card debt do not realize that they can be negotiating credit card debt for themselves without relying on a credit management company. When you are negotiating credit card debt you just have to remember that there are two sides to every story. Yes it is difficult for you to pay right now but the credit card company just wants their money so when you are negotiating credit card debt remember that you are trying to find a place to meet the credit card company halfway. One of the things that help you in negotiating credit card debt is to know what can be negotiated and what is not open for negotiation. If you go into it wanting to negotiate your principle down, which the money you spent that you actually owe them, then you can cut up that credit card and say goodbye to your credit rating. Principles owed are not open for talks when you are negotiating credit card debt however interest owed and interest rates are open. The credit card company may not like it and they may cancel your card but at least you are paying your principle and that counts for a lot.

If you look at your credit card bill you will see that your interest rate is listed on there in a spot that is easy to find. If your rate is over 10% then you have something you can use for negotiating credit card debt. Many store cards and low limit credit cards have rates that are over 20% and they usually go up every year. These are arbitrary numbers set by the credit card company and you can use them when you are negotiating credit card debt. As long as you always pay your principle you are fine. I had a friend that would call his credit card companies once a year and tell them that if they didn't lower their interest rates he was paying the card off in full and canceling it. More often than not the rates got lowered. This also affects your monthly payment and can help you control your monthly debt.

Not Your Friend And Not Your Buddy

In the end the credit card company only cares about getting paid so don’t expect any more than that. They don't care about you no matter how nice they talk to you; all they care about is money. They also do not like you if you pay your balance off every month. I know someone who has used their card and paid off their balance every month for years and their credit limit has never been raised. I pay my minimums on my three cards and my limits get raised constantly. Threatening to pay off the entire balance is a huge threat you can use when negotiating credit card debt.

Remember that they are a business and you are the customer. You always have the option of taking your business elsewhere if you are unhappy. If you let them know you are willing to do that then they will talk to you.

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