(ThyBlackMan.com) If you are in deep credit card debt and want to be free, you need to clear your mind and set clear priorities of what needs to be done. Being in debt is like being in prison. You are restricted on what you can do because you need to repay someone for money you owe.
The following are tips on how to help you be debt free.
1. Getting Out Of The Denial Stage
First and foremost, you need to get out of the denial stage and accept reality that you are in deep financial debt. Embrace the fact that you are in that situation and that you are responsible for everything that is happening in 
your life now.
When you can finally accept this reality, you are ready to be debt free.
2. Read Your Credit Card Statements
The problem with those who are in big credit card debt is that they do not read their monthly statements. In return, they do not have any idea of the total amount of money they owe to their creditors.
To help you organize, you must gather up all your monthly statements, sort them and create one folder for each creditor.
3. Compute How Much Money You Owe
The next good tip is computing the total money you owe for each of your creditors. You must include the surcharges, penalties and the principal amount. When you have come up with the figure, file in folders according to the name of your creditors.
You might be shocked as to how much money you really owe. Most of the time the amount you thought you owed is much lower than the actual debt you currently have. Say for instance you think your credit card debt is about $3,000; but when you do all the calculations, it is about $5,000. You are $2,000 short of your estimation. See? This is the reason why you need to compute how much debt you really have and not rely on your estimation.
4. Negotiate With The Credit Card Companies
When you have the amount in your hand, it is highly advisable that you directly phone each individual credit card company or creditor. You need to negotiate with them to see if they can lower the interest rate or cancel the surcharges. Do whatever is in your power to lower these amounts.
Most often you end up talking to their customer service representative who may not initially agree to your request. The best thing to do is request to speak with a supervisor or a manager. Since these are some of the “top dogs”, you have a better chance of receiving a favorable answer from them if you negotiate properly.
Head Writer; Thomas Jones, Jr.
