As we gear up for the Labor Day weekend, let me finish Part 2 of “Charge Now, Pay Later: Overcoming Debt.” As I stated last week, I know everyone may not have the option to withdraw/borrow from retirement plans or even borrow against the equity in their homes, but never fear….

WEEK 9: MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT…. CREDIT CARD DEBT, THAT IS.

People that know me know not only am I a huge football fan, but a huge fan of boxing as well so what better way to illustrate getting rid of credit card debt than with a boxing analogy. At face value boxing looks like a no-brainer (no pun intended.) One would think the goal is to knock your opponent out as early as possible. Pretty cut and dried right? Not quite. Boxing requires skill and it requires quick thinking. The old “bob and weave” routine may not always work if your opponent is good at anticipating your moves. A boxer’s opponent is watching his eyes, he’s paying attention to his boxing stance. One boxer may have an orthodox stance, another may have a southpaw stance and still another may be able to switch up between the two. Unless you outsmart and/or outbox your opponent, you may end up being the one down for the count. The same applies to “the bout” you’re about to have with credit card debt. And credit card debt WILL NOT be your sparring partner. This isn’t practice, this is the “Real Deal” Holyfield (if you know a little bit about boxing, you understand the lingo.) If not, look it up. There’s nothing wrong with learning new information. You can still overcome credit card debt but once again, this will take some sacrifice on your part and you may be in for a real fight. Don’t underestimate knocking out credit card debt the way some boxers may underestimate their opponent because they’ve been labeled the underdog. Underdogs have been known to upset champions. We see it all the time. Not just in the game of sports, but in the game of life.

By now you should have long tracked your spending and found ways to cut costs. Here are links to a couple of prior posts you may want to reference.

WEEK 2: KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING: https://wordpress.com/post/96150968/19/

WEEK 3: IT’S TIME TO TRIM THE FAT: https://wordpress.com/post/96150968/22/

The extra money you found can be used to pay off credit card debt. Here’s the best “ONE, TWO PUNCH” I recommend for “knocking out” credit card debt:

1. Start with the credit card that has the LOWEST balance. Others may suggest starting with the card that has the highest finance charge rate however, paying off the card with the lowest balance FIRST gives you a sense of accomplishment when you make that final payment.
2. Use the “Domino Effect” to pay off the next card and so on and so forth. The “Domino Effect” is simply taking the monthly amount used to pay off the FIRST credit card balance and apply it to the amount being paid on the SECOND credit card, the THIRD and… hopefully you don’t have more than three major credit cards. The goal is to pay larger monthly amounts with each card until you have paid them all IN FULL.

Depending on your credit card balances, the process can take a few months or a few years. Think of boxing. Some fights end within the first few rounds, while others go the 12-round distance. How aggressively you attack your credit card debt, as a boxer attacks his opponent, is strictly up to you. Once your credit card balance is paid in full, you can move to other areas of debt such as student loans, car loans and even mortgages (if applicable.) The satisfaction of saying “I have no credit card debt,” is one of the best feelings in the world, especially if that debt was causing unnecessary stress and anxiety. You did it, you stayed the course. VICTORY OVER CREDIT CARD DEBT BELONGS TO YOU!

So there you have it. A simple one, two step plan to overcome credit card debt. I know. It’s easier said than done, but the moment you become sick and tired of being sick and tired, is the moment you take action. The question you must ask of yourself is “Am I sick and tired of being sick and tired?” When you are, you won’t have to ask the question. You’ll already know.

I hope you benefitted from this posting and as always, I greatly appreciate you reading it. Feel free to SHARE. Your commentary is always important so ALL FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED. If there is a specific topic you’d like me to talk about regarding “Financial Fitness Boot Camp” on this blog, feel free to shoot me an email at Andrea.Coleman@TheFinancialHack.com. Don’t miss a posting so be sure to follow me at http://www.thefinancialhack.com.