National non-profit provides consumers with guidelines on how to effectively tackle their debt.
Boston, MA – February 9, 2016
Start off the New Year right and achieve financial peace of mind by making 2016 debt-free. In order to help consumers achieve their financial resolutions, national non-profit American Consumer Credit Counseling has provided tips on how to dominate debt.
“Consumers are probably starting to feel the impact of their holiday spending as their credit card statements begin to roll in, which can put an intense strain on your personal finances even after the holidays have come and gone,” said Steve Trumble, President and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling, which is located in Newton, MA. “Having access to resources and understanding all of your options can make the difference between dominating debt and drowning in it.”
According to a 2015 study by Pew Charitable Trusts, 80 percent of households hold some sort of debt, whether it be student loans, mortgages, or unpaid credit cards. The most common form of debt held by consumers is a mortgage (44 percent), followed by unpaid credit cards (39 percent), car loans (37 percent) and student loans (21 percent).
ACCC offers consumers guidelines on how to dominate debt:
- Figure out what you owe – Do not live in denial and allow your debt to pile up. Write down every debt you have as well as the amount you owe. With this information you can create a plan on how to best go about paying off each debt.
- Organization is key – Pull all those bills out of the drawer and get your finances in order. Organization will help motivate you to create a plan to dominate your debt.
- Mark your calendar – Create a calendar devoted to payments. Mark when each bill is due on your calendar and cross it off once it has been paid.
- Look over your bills – Carefully examine your bills to see if there are ways you can reduce them.
- Reduce your spending – Shrink your monthly spending to help you get out of debt at a faster rate. Review your credit card statements to see where your money has been going to each month. Create a budget using a budgeting worksheet and stick to it each month.
ACCC is a 501(c)3 organization that provides free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management. For more information, contact ACCC:
- For credit counseling, call 800-769-3571
- For bankruptcy counseling, call 866-826-6924
- For housing counseling, call 866-826-7180
- Or visit us online at ConsumerCredit.com
About American Consumer Credit Counseling
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management and debt relief through education, credit counseling, and debt management solutions. In order to help consumers reach their goal of debt relief, ACCC provides a range of free consumer personal finance resources on a variety of topics including budgeting, credit and debt management, student loans, youth and money, homeownership, identity theft, senior living and retirement. Consumers can use ACCC’s worksheets, videos, calculators, and blog articles to make the best possible decisions regarding their financial future. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®). For more information or to access free financial education resources, log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit TalkingCentsBlog.com.
