How to Dig Yourself Out of Credit Card Debt

[David A. Szwak]

Article from The Bulletin, March 2005

How to dig yourself out of credit card debt without losing your shirt... and how to stay out of trouble in the first place.

Whether you are a red state conservative or a blue state liberal, most all modern Americans have at least one thing in common: we almost all have credit card debt. These days, the average household in this country owes $13,000 to a credit card company.

Sure, these companies make great initial offers to lure customers in -- but the honeymoon is quickly over once a consumer signs on the dotted line. While the credit card industry earns a mind-boggling average of 1.2 trillion dollars each year, most still indulge in shifty billing practices designed to take even more money out of your pocket. Credit card companies often “manipulateâ€