Online Credit Card Tools Can Save You Time And Money

Almost everyone who has a credit card is likely to spend a few minutes each month checking their statement and making sure a payment is made by the due date. If yours is among the 46.1 percent of American households that the Federal Reserve says have credit card debt, then you might save yourself some real money if you spend just a few minutes more managing your plastic. And you don't even have to do much math.

Credit card calculators

There is a wide variety of credit card calculators online that can do the hard work for you. Better yet, they're absolutely free. For example, there are four on the IndexCreditCards.com website that can calculate for you the answers to these questions:

1. How much interest do I pay when I revolve my credit card balances?
2. How much could I save with a lower interest credit card?
3. How much do I need to pay each month to pay off my credit card?
4. How long will it take to pay off my credit card?

All you have to do is type in a few figures, such as your credit card interest rates and balances, and you can access the information you need to make sensible, informed decisions about how best to go forward.

Controlling or eliminating credit card debt

Even if you're entirely comfortable with your card debt, you may find that getting a grasp on the basic figures could save you from high interest payments. You might, for example, find the information spurs you to apply for a low-interest product, or for one of the many balance transfer credit cards that are currently offering zero-percent introductory rates for extended periods.

But these credit card calculators can be even more valuable if you're starting to worry about the debt levels on your plastic. Many professional counselors say that there are three essential first steps to bringing your finances back under control:

1. Recognize that you have a problem.
2. Write down the amount you owe on each card so you have a comprehensive overview of your situation.
3. Set yourself ambitious but realistic goals for paying down your balances, normally starting with the cards with the highest interest rates. Make minimum payments on the others till the high-cost ones are out the way.

It's with that last step that these calculators can often help most. Because they do the math, it's quick and easy for you to try out different payment models, finding the shortest route to becoming free of card debt.

Turning a wish into reality

Write down the major milestones you set yourself so you can track your progress. You might, for instance, say you plan to have a zero balance on card a by the end of 2013, card b by June 2014, and card c two years today. Of course, you can say all that now, before using a calculator, but your chances of reaching your destination would be slight.

It's only after you've worked out how much you can realistically afford to pay on each card each month that a vague and largely meaningless aspiration can turn into a solid road map.

Credit cards that make paying down easier

If you have Chase or Discover plastic, be sure to use the powerful online tools that are available free to customers on those credit card companies' websites.

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