Remember Me
forgot your password?

How to Reduce Credit Card Interest Rates

There are several steps you can do on your own to reduce credit card interest rates. By being wise about how much you pay on each credit card, you can earn lower interest rates which can save you hundreds of dollars as you continue to pay off your debt.

If you decide that your interest rates are too high, you could directly ask the creditors to lower you interest rates. Your creditors will only be willing to do this if you have a good history with them and have demonstrated financial strength. This requires that you not have made late or missed payments and have paid more than the minimum balance due.

If you do not think that the creditor will be willing to give on your interest rate, there are steps you can take to convince them too. First, determine how much you are able to pay on your credit cards each month. Choose one card to concentrate on that has the highest interest rate, and put the balance of what you can pay towards it after you already allocate to each of the other cards the minimum payment plus five dollars. Adding the additional five dollars to each car will keep the credit card companies from penalizing you for being a “slow pay.” By focusing the majority of your allotted money towards the one credit card, you will be aggressively paying down the money that carries the highest interest.

Once you have aggressively paid on this card for four to six months, contact the creditor and request a specific interest rate that is lower. Now that you have demonstrated that you have the financial capability of paying more than they thought, remind them of this and offers you have received to transfer your balances to lower rate cards. You should be able to lower your interest rate three or four percent which can save you significantly.

Once you have done this successfully, you can choose to focus on another card to get that interest rate lower. Or, you can work on completely paying off the original card. By following this type of pattern, you will allow yourself to start to escape debt.

The above strategy assumes that you have resources to be able to pay more than the minimum payments on your cards. If this is not the case, you will have to find another way to reduce credit card interest rates. One way that might be beneficial to you is a debt management plan through a credit counselor. Creditors are much more willing to lower interest rates on these types of plans when they see you are serious about getting out of debt. Contact a reputable credit counselor if you would like to learn more.

Ronnica Rothe

Ronnica Rothe is a graduate with honors from the University of Oklahoma and a current student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. She works with pfni.net to help individuals get out of debt and reach their financial goals.

Rate this Article: 5 / 5 stars - 1 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish


  • Latest Credit Articles
  • More from Ronnica Rothe

How To Build Business Credit?

By: Colon Bolden | 27/12/2009
Just like your personal credit, building business credit can takes time and effort. Even by aggressively implementing credit building strategies, it takes at least six months to two years of credit building practices and good payments to develop a solid, beginning credit foundation.

Do You Know The Best Way to Build Personal Credit

By: Colon Bolden | 27/12/2009
Building personal credit is a task that takes a little effort, a lot of time, and even some money. In order to build credit you have to use credit and you still have to worry about incurring an interest charge.

Reducing a Debt Amount Through a Debt Settlement Letter

By: Jeslyn Jessy | 27/12/2009
For people who intend to solve their debt issues on a personal basis, writing a debt settlement letter to the creditors is a smart move. A good debt negotiation letter can actually assist the people in debt to become debt free at a faster pace.

4 Key Things You Mustn't Include in Debt Settlement Letter

By: Jeslyn Jessy | 27/12/2009
Debt settlement letter is a legal binding letter. Before you send it to your creditors, you are reminded to check the details of your latest credit report first. It is important for you to ensure that the content of your letter "sounds" professional.

4 Key Things You Mustn't Include in Debt Settlement Letter

By: Jeslyn Jessy | 27/12/2009
Debt settlement letter is a legal binding letter. Before you send it to your creditors, you are reminded to check the details of your latest credit report first. It is important for you to ensure that the content of your letter "sounds" professional.

4 Key Things You Mustn't Include in Debt Settlement Letter

By: Jeslyn Jessy | 27/12/2009
Debt settlement letter is a legal binding letter. Before you send it to your creditors, you are reminded to check the details of your latest credit report first. It is important for you to ensure that the content of your letter "sounds" professional.

Is Debt Settlement Really Beneficial?

By: Jeslyn Jessy | 27/12/2009
For people who are drowning in deep debt, they usually feel helpless and stressful. One of the financial options they may consider is debt settlement. It is a negotiation process between the debtors and creditors with the main purpose of reducing debts during financial crisis.

Whats My Credit Score?And Why Is It So Important?

By: Leelin Lee | 27/12/2009
Do you know your credit score? Have you ever looked at your credit report? Read on to find out why it's so very important.Ever seen your credit report?Want to know some surprising facts about why your credit score is so important to your quality of life?Your credit score should be one of the most important numbers you know (right up there with you're anniversary! Read on for some eye opening facts about your credit score, and how it can affect your life!

Credit Scores: More Complicated Than You Think

By: Ronnica Rothe | 30/04/2009 | Credit
If you are a consumer in the United States, chances are you have a FICO score. FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation, the brains behind the formula used to score personal credit by the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Fair Isaac does not release the formula, but some helpful details of how the scores are figured are known.

Massachusetts Debt Counseling

By: Ronnica Rothe | 11/09/2008 | Credit
People in Massachusetts are no less prone to debt and credit problems than people elsewhere in the United States. The cost of living in the state adds to the debt that the average resident carries. If you live in Massachusetts and find yourself in this situation, you are not alone. There is help available.

Rethink Your Spending Habits

By: Ronnica Rothe | 19/08/2008 | Personal Finance
Too many of us struggle with debt because we live above our means. This can be kept up for some time using credit cards and creative finances, but at some point your debt will get the best of you.

Eliminating Debt is not Impossible

By: Ronnica Rothe | 12/08/2008 | Debt Consolidation
Your credit card debt situation may seem impossible to overcome. Yet as you sit at home watching the Olympics, you see athlete after athlete overcome obstacles and topple world records in ways that would never have been thought possible even 20 years ago. While you probably never will win an Olympic medal, with the right strategies and information you can eliminate debt from your life.

How Do I Review My Credit Report?

By: Ronnica Rothe | 07/08/2008 | Credit
If you don’t know what is on your credit report or what your credit score is, you may want to review your credit report. This is especially important if you want to make a large purchase or apply for a new credit card in the near future, but reviewing your credit report on a semi-regular basis will keep you aware of your credit history and let you know if you have become a victim of identity theft. Credit score information can also help you understand what your credit score and report means.

What is a Reverse Mortgage?

By: Ronnica Rothe | 06/08/2008 | Mortgage
If you are lacking funds but have a lot of money tied up in your house, you may be considering a reverse mortgage. In some situations, a reverse mortgage can be a good option. But before taking the plunge and stripping your house of equity, you will want to find out more about this product and its advantages and disadvantages.

How Do I Choose a Credit Counseling Organization?

By: Ronnica Rothe | 01/08/2008 | Credit
There are an increasing amount of people that can benefit from credit counseling as they see their credit tank and their debt skyrocket due to financial decisions and the economy. But how should you go about choosing a credit counseling organization? Here are a few helpful tips.

Establishing Credit Helps Build Financial Stability

By: Ronnica Rothe | 31/07/2008 | Wealth Building
One of the problems many people find when they first go to make a large purchase such as a car or house is that they do not have the necessary credit in order to receive financing. This does not mean that they have bad credit, but they have not proven that they are responsible with credit to any potential lenders.

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup
Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.02, 0, w3)