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Consolidating Credit Debt
Posted on 8/19/18 at 9:31 pm
Posted on 8/19/18 at 9:31 pm
Does anyone have any advice about consolidating credit card debt? Around 9K in credit debt. Wife and I do well for age, around $150k combined pre tax income but wife didn’t use best judgement on credit cards pre marriage. She is often late on payments because she forgets. My thought process is that I can consolidate her debt to one payment that I make monthly and quickly pay the debt down. Any negatives to this?
We do not have a lot of cash on hand or I would pay this off myself
We do not have a lot of cash on hand or I would pay this off myself
Posted on 8/19/18 at 9:46 pm to MoneyTime
It sounds like there are some lifestyle issues that will make this a revolving problem is you don't address those at the same time as the debt. Balance transfer to a zero interest introductory card and pay off before the intro period expires.
Posted on 8/19/18 at 9:57 pm to MoneyTime
quote:
She is often late on payments because she forgets
This has got to stop. Get a 0% 12mo card, balance transfer to it, and start hammering away
Posted on 8/19/18 at 9:57 pm to PearlJam
quote:This.
Balance transfer to a zero interest introductory card and pay off before the intro period expires.
But that won't matter if you don't address the underlying issue.
Posted on 8/19/18 at 11:23 pm to MoneyTime
quote:
around $150k combined pre tax income
quote:
We do not have a lot of cash on hand
Lol people in this world are so arse backwards on finances it’s baffling
Posted on 8/19/18 at 11:24 pm to MoneyTime
Get the Chase Slate. Move it all to that. Pay off in like 12 months. then stop using credit cards
Posted on 8/20/18 at 5:33 am to MoneyTime
Maybe you shouldn’t have credit cards?
Posted on 8/20/18 at 5:39 am to MoneyTime
I take it you guys recently graduated? As far as timely payments, set a google calendar or outlook or whatever auto email once a month to remind you both. Then you can double check she did it.
My advice and as a married man this isn't going to go over very easily I know, but it's that she needs to learn how to do this herself so it's a hard lesson earned.
$9k on $150k and you guys should have that payed off in no time unless you have a ton of student loan loan debt?
Credit card debt is really not something you want to screw around with man, as it's a sign of other issues. Unless you are a billionaire, you can always outlive your means. That's all I am saying, is she needs to be involved heavily in this imo. My wife wasn't exactly a Financial guru in the beginning either don't get me wrong.
My advice and as a married man this isn't going to go over very easily I know, but it's that she needs to learn how to do this herself so it's a hard lesson earned.
$9k on $150k and you guys should have that payed off in no time unless you have a ton of student loan loan debt?
Credit card debt is really not something you want to screw around with man, as it's a sign of other issues. Unless you are a billionaire, you can always outlive your means. That's all I am saying, is she needs to be involved heavily in this imo. My wife wasn't exactly a Financial guru in the beginning either don't get me wrong.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 5:59 am to MoneyTime
I'm not the greatest with money but maybe try this
Set up a simple monthly spreadsheet and use as a scratch sheet and put all of the days of the month in and start flagging all the dates you have bills due. Whether it's a credit card, car payment, car insurance, mortgage, whatever.
Add in the dates you get paid and all of that too
If you keep a running log like this you'll never be blind sided by a bill or "forget" about something.
Set up a simple monthly spreadsheet and use as a scratch sheet and put all of the days of the month in and start flagging all the dates you have bills due. Whether it's a credit card, car payment, car insurance, mortgage, whatever.
Add in the dates you get paid and all of that too
If you keep a running log like this you'll never be blind sided by a bill or "forget" about something.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 10:49 am to MoneyTime
Are you/her late on other payments as well, such as car, utilities, housing, etc?
Here is what I do. We have a notebook. On payday, we sit down and write a list of all the bills and other fixed expenses we have until the next payday, the date due, and the amount. We then go online, that day, and pay everything that doesn't have autopay automatically set up (things with a fixed monthly amount, we do autopay). We use the list from the same period for the prior month to make sure we don't miss anything.
There are no negatives to a consolidation provided you don't run back up the debts on the cards. If all of this is old debt from before marriage, I'm thinking this may not be an issue.
Here is what I do. We have a notebook. On payday, we sit down and write a list of all the bills and other fixed expenses we have until the next payday, the date due, and the amount. We then go online, that day, and pay everything that doesn't have autopay automatically set up (things with a fixed monthly amount, we do autopay). We use the list from the same period for the prior month to make sure we don't miss anything.
There are no negatives to a consolidation provided you don't run back up the debts on the cards. If all of this is old debt from before marriage, I'm thinking this may not be an issue.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 11:06 am to MoneyTime
I put all of my bills in my google calendar a few days before they are due and then they pop up as a reminder and I never forget. Also, you can make automatic payments.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 1:57 pm to MoneyTime
quote:
She is often late on payments because she forgets
How does this happen when auto payments are available everywhere?
Posted on 8/20/18 at 2:02 pm to MoneyTime
quote:
She is often late on payments because she forgets. My thought process is that I can consolidate her debt to one payment that I make monthly and quickly pay the debt down.
Are you completely transparent with each other in your finances? Is it truly that she forgets (which is worrying, by itself), or that she is mis-managing her personal accounts and cannot afford to make the payments in a timely fashion? Ask, nicely, to see her monthly statements for her checking account and her credit card account. Also, be competely transparent and show her your spending as well. "Forgetting" to pay can be a dodge for a big spending problem. It may be less embarrassing to her to claim that she "forgets" than to admit that she cannot control her spending.
I would not be paying off her debt unless she agreed to go credit-card free for a significant period of time and agreed to stick to a budget that provided a fixed amount for her spending.
If she is old enough and responsible enough to have a job, then she isn't really "forgetting" to pay her credit card bills. I call BS.
ETA: pull a free credit report on her & yourself while you're at it. Show her in actual numbers what her "forgetting" is doing to your credit rating. Perhaps if she thinks about how it may impact your ability to buy a house in a couple of years, she will take her financial responsibilities more seriously.
This post was edited on 8/20/18 at 2:05 pm
Posted on 8/20/18 at 4:33 pm to MoneyTime
quote:
My thought process is that I can consolidate her debt to one payment that I make monthly and quickly pay the debt down. Any negatives to this?
yup, while it sounds good and logical, in real life what is going to happen is you are going to consolidate all her small accounts into one and you are going to pay that and she is going to open a bunch more small ones and soon enough you will be paying that too.... she has a spending problem and that has to be the first thing to fix
Posted on 8/20/18 at 5:11 pm to MoneyTime
quote:
Around 9K in credit debt. Wife and I do well for age, around $150k combined pre tax income
You should be able to pay that off in 2-3 months.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 5:54 pm to MoneyTime
Amex EveryDay currently has 15 months 0% interest and $0 fee on balance transfers. Must do so within 60 days of opening the card. Most 0% interest cards have a balance transfer fee of ~3%, so it's a savings.
Plus 10-15k MR points for $1000 spend/3 months or 25k MR points on $2000 spend/3 months depending on which offer Amex decides to give you (it varies).
Plus 10-15k MR points for $1000 spend/3 months or 25k MR points on $2000 spend/3 months depending on which offer Amex decides to give you (it varies).
Posted on 8/20/18 at 6:05 pm to just1dawg
I should have added that we are recent graduates. This is all pre marriage debt for the most part. And I have never had a late payment on any of my own finances. I pay house, cars, etc. never a problem.
I take partial blame for her late payments because I should be on top of it. The consolidation makes it easy for me to control. I have her down to one emergency card.
Most of our savings was spent on a down payment for our home
I take partial blame for her late payments because I should be on top of it. The consolidation makes it easy for me to control. I have her down to one emergency card.
Most of our savings was spent on a down payment for our home
Posted on 8/20/18 at 6:33 pm to MoneyTime
Wait, you said she was late...turns out that it’s really you? Oy. Get a calendar. Put due dates on it.
Posted on 8/20/18 at 6:50 pm to hungryone
Her accounts, but I should be reminding her. Like you said, I should have a calendar that has her due dates as well
Posted on 8/21/18 at 2:21 am to MoneyTime
It’s not your responsibility .. she’s an adult. She should realize the consequences...
Also.. I hope she’s not as forgetful with her birth control....
Also.. I hope she’s not as forgetful with her birth control....
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