How Arizona Consumers Should Deal with Maxed-Out Credit Cards

When Arizona consumers max out credit cards, they hurt their credit scores even if they make every credit card payment on time. This is because part of your credit score depends on your credit utilization rate. Ideally, no Arizona credit card user should use more than 30% of their available credit at any given time. Therefore, if your credit card balances are equal or nearly equal to your spending limits, your credit utilization rate is much too high. Also, carrying large amounts of credit card debt could spell disaster if you run into trouble and can no longer keep up with your monthly payments. For these reasons, Arizona consumers with maxed-out credit cards should pay down balances as quickly as possible. Luckily, there are simple strategies you can use to accelerate this process.

Two Proven Payment Strategies to Get Arizona Consumers with Maxed-Out Credit Cards Out of Debt Faster

Only paying the minimum payments on credit cards with very high balances can lead to years – even decades – of debt. However, if Arizona credit card users can make room in their budgets to put more money toward their balances every month, they can pay them down much faster.

Of course, both of the strategies suggested below require financial reorganization. So, Arizona consumers who are serious about paying off maxed-out credit cards should make a plan. Sit down, take a serious look at your budget, and cut out any unnecessary expenses. Also, if possible, stop using maxed-out credit cards until your balances are at or below the 30% mark. Next, pick one of these potential strategies, and stick to it.

Use a balance transfer.

Typically, this option is only available to Arizona consumers with good credit scores. If you do qualify for a balance transfer, you can transfer existing credit card debt to a new credit card with a 0% APR. In most cases, this is an introductory interest rate – normally lasting 21 months or less. So, those who transfer balances must act quickly. This plan works because all payments go toward the principal balance instead of interest charges, so balances decrease faster.

Try the snowball method.

For Arizona credit card users with lower credit scores, one of two versions of the snowball method can help with heavy balances. The first version of the snowball method involves paying off balances on credit cards with the highest APRs first. First, allocate a certain amount of money to put toward all balances during the month. Then, pay the minimum amounts due on the lower-APR cards. Put all of the remaining cash toward your maxed-out credit cards with the highest interest rates. Repeat this process until balances on high-APR cards are at zero.

The second version of the snowball method requires a reversal of the process described above. Here, Arizona consumers pay off their credit cards with the lowest balances first. For those who like to see quick progress, this strategy gets smaller balances out of the way. They can then focus on their largest credit card balances with the satisfaction of knowing that some cards are paid off.

Why Arizona Consumers Dealing with Maxed-Out Credit Cards Should Regularly Check their Credit Reports

While paying down high credit card balances and improving your credit score, make sure to protect your credit rating by checking your credit reports. Unfortunately, creditors and the credit bureaus frequently make mistakes with consumer information. These mistakes show up as credit report errors which can bring down credit scores.

Fortunately, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) entitles consumers to accurate credit reports. Credit reporting agencies must remove mistakes and errors from credit reports or risk FCRA violations. This is why Arizona consumers should check their credit reports from each of the major credit bureaus at least once every 12 months. Incidentally, this is how often another federal statute, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) allows you to request free copies of your credit reports from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.

If, while going over your credit reports, you find credit score damaging errors, contact Credit Repair Lawyers of America in Arizona. When you call our firm, our team of credit pros will begin the credit repair process immediately. We’ll then connect you with an experienced credit attorney who will do whatever it takes to get you clean credit reports – for free.

How Arizonians can Get a Free Credit Repair Lawyer

Don’t let errors on your credit reports bring your credit score down. At Credit Repair Lawyers of America, we’ve been cleaning up credit reports for consumers since 2008 for free. How do we do it? All of our fees come from the defendants in settled cases. This is why our clients pay nothing for the work we do.

Let’s start the conversation about what we can do for your credit. Set up your free consultation today by calling Attorney Gary Nitzkin at (480) 771-6001 or contact us on our contact page.

For more information about Free Credit Repair, please visit https://creditrepairlawyersam.com/arizona/credit-repair/.