If You Have More Than $10K in Debt, Make These 5 Moves (2024)

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You’re ready to be out of debt. Sounds like the understatement of the century, right? You can’t wait to be debt-free. But you feel like you’ve tried everything. And everywhere you turn, your debt is still there — impacting just about every area of your life.

But we’ve got a bunch of strategies you probably didn’t realize you could use to help you pay it off.

1. Freeze Your Credit Cards

If You Have More Than $10K in Debt, Make These 5 Moves (1)

You’ve heard the whole “freeze your credit” advice. We agree: It’s a smart practice. But in order to save money, freeze your credit cards.

Literally — in the freezer they’ll go.

Sure, it sounds extreme, but if you tend to make impulsive credit card purchases, stick your card in a Ziploc bag, submerge it in a canister of water and slide it into the freezer. When you’re tempted to spend, you’ll have to wait for the card to thaw, requiring you to think through your spending decision.

2.Ask This Website To Help Pay Your Credit Card Bill This Month

No, like… the whole bill. All of it.

While you’re stressing out over your debt, your credit card company is getting rich off those insane interest rates. But a website called Fiona could help you pay off that bill as soon as tomorrow.

Here’s how it works: Fiona can match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every credit card balance you have. The benefit? You’re left with just one bill to pay every month, and because the interest rate is so much lower, you can get out of debt so much faster. Plus, no credit card payment this month.

If your credit score is at least 620, Fiona can help you borrow up to $100,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 4.99%.

Fiona won’t make you stand in line or call a bank. And if you’re worried you won’t qualify, it’s free to check online. It takes just two minutes, and it could save you thousands of dollars. Totally worth it.

All that credit card debt — and the anxiety that comes with it — could be gone by tomorrow.

3. Pay Off Your Debt by Playing Bingo

Wouldn’t it be nice to make an extra credit card payment this week?

Get this — there’s afreeapp calledBingo Cashthat pays you up to $80 when you win bingo.

The game is based on a classic Bingo format — plus tons of variations on the game. You’ll battle it out against other players at your same skill level. Everyone gets the same board and sees the same Bingo balls, so winning is totally a matter of skill. The top three players in a game can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $80.

Over on the App Store, it has a 4.7-star rating (out of 5).To get started, justdownload the free appand start playing your first game immediately.

4. Cancel Your Car Insurance

Here’s the thing: your current car insurance company is probably overcharging you. But don’t waste your time hopping around to different insurance companies looking for a better deal.

Use a website called EverQuote to see all your options at once.

EverQuote is the largest online marketplace for insurance in the US, so you’ll get the top options from more than 175 different carriers handed right to you.

Take a couple of minutes to answer some questions about yourself and your driving record. With this information, EverQuote will be able to give you the top recommendations for car insurance. In just a few minutes, you could save up to $610 a year.

5.This Research Company Will Pay You up to $225/Month to Watch Videos

What if we told you a research company would pay you to watch cooking videos on your computer?

It’s too good to be true, right?

But we’re serious.InboxDollarswill pay you to watch short video clips online. One minute you might watch someone bake brownies and the next you might get the latest updates on Kardashian drama.

All you have to do is choose which videos you want to watch and answer a few quick questions about them afterward.

No, InboxDollars won’t replace your full-time job, but it’s something easy you can do while you’re already on the couch tonight wasting time on your phone. Plus, it’s extra money you can put toward paying down your debt. Everything helps.

InboxDollars won’t completely pay off your credit cards, but it’s possible to earn up to $225 per month watching these videos.

It’s already paid its users more than $56 million.

It takes about one minute to sign up, and you’ll immediatelyget a $5 bonusto get you started.

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If You Have More Than $10K in Debt, Make These 5 Moves (2024)

FAQs

Is $10k in credit card debt bad? ›

Having any credit card debt can be stressful, but $10,000 in credit card debt is a different level of stress. The average credit card interest rate is over 20%, so interest charges alone will take up a large chunk of your payments. On $10,000 in balances, you could end up paying over $2,000 per year in interest.

How to clear 10k of debt? ›

Ways to clear your debt
  1. Informally negotiated arrangement.
  2. Free debt management plan (DMP )
  3. Individual voluntary arrangement (IVA)
  4. Bankruptcy.
  5. Debt relief order (DRO)
  6. Administration order.
  7. Debt consolidation and credit.
  8. Full and final settlement offer.

How can I pay off $10k in debt fast? ›

7 ways to pay off $10,000 in credit card debt
  1. Opt for debt relief. One powerful approach to managing and reducing your credit card debt is with the help of debt relief companies. ...
  2. Use the snowball or avalanche method. ...
  3. Find ways to increase your income. ...
  4. Cut unnecessary expenses. ...
  5. Seek credit counseling. ...
  6. Use financial windfalls.
Feb 15, 2024

How long does it take to pay off the $10,000 debt by only making the minimum payment? ›

1% of the balance plus interest: It would take 29.5 years or 354 months to pay off $10,000 in credit card debt making only minimum payments. You would pay a total of $19,332.21 in interest over that period.

What are the best debt relief programs? ›

Summary: Best Debt Relief Companies of May 2024
CompanyForbes Advisor RatingBBB Rating
Money Management International4.0A+
CuraDebt3.9A+
New Era Debt Solutions3.8A+
Freedom Debt Relief3.7A+
3 more rows
6 days ago

How many people have $50,000 in credit card debt? ›

Running up $50,000 in credit card debt is not impossible. About two million Americans do it every year. Paying off that bill?

How to pay off debt when you are broke? ›

How to get out of debt when you have no money
  1. Step 1: Stop taking on new debt. ...
  2. Step 2: Determine how much you owe. ...
  3. Step 3: Create a budget. ...
  4. Step 4: Pay off the smallest debts first. ...
  5. Step 5: Start tackling larger debts. ...
  6. Step 6: Look for ways to earn extra money. ...
  7. Step 7: Boost your credit scores.
Dec 5, 2023

How to wipe credit card debt? ›

Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy could discharge (forgive) all of your credit card debt. However, bankruptcy should only be considered as a last resort option due to the lasting damage it will cause to your credit. Bankruptcy will remain on your credit for up to 10 years after the filing date.

How to pay off debt fast with low income? ›

To pay off debt quickly, focus on increasing your payments, starting with high-interest debts first, while minimizing new debt. Utilize strategies like the debt snowball or debt avalanche, and consider consolidating debt for lower interest rates if feasible.

What is the fastest way to get out of credit card debt? ›

Strategies to help pay off credit card debt fast
  1. Review and revise your budget. ...
  2. Make more than the minimum payment each month. ...
  3. Target one debt at a time. ...
  4. Consolidate credit card debt. ...
  5. Contact your credit card provider.

Is debt relief real? ›

Debt relief or settlement companies are companies that say they can renegotiate, settle, or in some way change the terms of a person's debt to a creditor or debt collector. Dealing with these companies can be risky.

Is national debt relief legit? ›

National Debt Relief is a legitimate company providing debt relief services. The company was founded in 2009 and is a member of the American Association for Debt Resolution (AADR). It's certified by the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA), and is accredited by the BBB.

Who is eligible for the $10000 debt relief? ›

How do I know if I am eligible for debt relief? To be eligible, your annual income must have fallen below $125,000 (for individuals) or $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households). If you received a Pell Grant in college and meet the income threshold, you will be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt relief.

What is the average credit card balance for individuals in the United States? ›

The average credit card balance among U.S. consumers was $6,501 as of Q3 2023, exactly 10% more than in Q3 2022.

What is the monthly payment on a $10,000 credit card? ›

If you only make minimum payments, a $10,000 credit card balance will cost you $16,056.59 in interest and take 346 months to pay off. Minimum payments on a $10,000 balance would start at $267 and decrease as you paid down what you owe.

How long will it take to pay off $10,000 in credit card debt? ›

$10,000 with a 20% APR: Your minimum payment would be $266.67 per month and it would take 346 months to pay off $10,000 at 20% interest. You would pay $16,056.59 in interest over that time. $25,000 at 20%: Your minimum payment would be $666.67 per month and it would take 437 months to pay off $25,000 at 20% interest.

How fast can I pay off 10k in credit card debt? ›

To pay off $10,000 in credit card debt within 36 months, you will need to pay $362 per month, assuming an APR of 18%. You would incur $3,039 in interest charges during that time, but you could avoid much of this extra cost and pay off your debt faster by using a 0% APR balance transfer credit card.

Is 10k of debt a lot? ›

What's considered too much debt is relative and varies by person based on the financial situation. There's no specific definition of “a lot of debt” — $10,000 might be a high amount of debt to one person, for example, but a very manageable debt for someone else.

What is an OK amount of credit card debt? ›

The general rule of thumb is that you shouldn't spend more than 10 percent of your take-home income on credit card debt.

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