In these times of increasing economic uncertainty and ballooning debt, it’s important to keep your credit card debt under control. The average household has over $10,000 in credit card debt, and if you’re living from paycheck to paycheck, you will really need to get rid of credit card debt. And fast. After all, if you’re just making minimum payments, a bad injury or pink slip could send you into bankruptcy. So what can you do?

1. Consolidate your Debt

Most people with large amounts of credit card debt own a large number of cards. Ideally, you should only own two credit cards: one with a low limit you use every day, and one with a high limit you use for emergencies and big purchases. With only one or two cards to check on, it’s easy and obvious to see how much you owe, and to whom. Cut up redundant or lesser used cards and either pay them off or transfer the balance to a card with a lower interest rate.

2. Start Tracking your Purchases

Most people do not bury themselves in credit card debt by purchasing a boat or a car on the credit card. Instead it’s those little, everyday purchases which turn into lots of debt over time. Start saving receipts, and look into using software or a pencil and paper to keep exact account of how much you’re spending and on what. That $5 cappuccino you have every day may not seem like much, but if you have one every weekday, that’s $100 out of your pocket each month.

3. Start Limiting your Card Use

The problem with credit cards is that they are TOO easy to use. As such, they’re prone to funding impulsive purchases. Try leaving your credit cards at home, or lock them away in such a manner that you’re forced to wait a few hours each time you want to use them. One popular way is to put your credit card in a glass of water, then stick it in the freezer. The ice and water won’t harm or demagnetize your card, but the fact that you have to wait hours for the ice to melt will insure that if you want to use your card, you must /really/ want something. Just don’t bust out a hair dryer, because that WILL harm your card.

4. Start Paying Cash

You remember cash? That green, leafy stuff you used to make purchases with? Try using that instead of your card. The thing is, cash is inconvenient. You can’t carry around lots of it, you can’t usually make big purchases with it, and you can visibly see it disappearing from your wallet. Cash is something which physically, visibly disappears as you make purchases, and it really does help you spend less. The fact that a lot of services which rely on impulse buying (such as shopping via the TV, internet or magazine) don’t take credit cards also helps, since you can’t use them.

5. Get Out More

A common way to rack up a lot of debt quickly is to stay inside. If you stay at home and watch TV all day, you are constantly bombarded with ads for things you don’t need, but which look oh so attractive when you’re sitting home alone. The internet and radio are often just as bad, as are home catalogs. The thing is, when you are inside and bored, you are more likely to be duped into buying things you don’t need, on credit, thanks to slick advertising men. The TV is not your friend!

6. Live Less Luxury

Not all of us have this option, but if you’re doing #2, I’m sure you’ll notice that you’ve been spending a lot of money on things you shouldn’t. Do you really need the latest clothes? Do you really need to eat out at lunch every day? Do you need to see movies on release day, or would renting a DVD be just as good? Learn to cook, seek cheaper forms of entertainment, and try to find ways to cut corners. You’ll find you need to spend less money on relaxation and making yourself happy when you’ve got less debt to worry about, too!

7. Look for Little Ways to Get Little Bits of Money

Do you have a bunch of old clothes lying around you could sell at a garage sale? Were you caught up in a craze collecting something, and now have valuable collectibles you could sell? Do you have a skill or a hobby you could put to work? You’d be amazed how much cash you can squeeze out of selling things you don’t need, or working on various things in your spare time. All that money adds up!

Remember: it’s important to always pay as much on your credit cards as you can, and accumulate as little additional debt as possible. If you work hard and are dedicated, you’ll get rid of your credit card debt quickly and permanently.