Putting Your Debt Into Priorities
So you finally got some extra money, and made the decision to spend it wisely, now the next logical question is where do you put it? Naturally, you want to put it towards improving your credit score, which will make your life a lot easier for you. Paying off your debts will improve your credit score, but which debt do you pay first? Consider your debts. You have two kinds. Secured debts, debts with assets backing them up, are debts that can result in your things being repossessed or taken back. These include your home and your cars.
Unsecured debts are those with no assets backing them up. If you fail to make a payment on your credit card, the bank isn’t going to come to your house and take back the shirt you bought at the mall. A debt collector might call, but the credit card company is not going to take away your place of residence or your transportation to work.
This means that your secured debts have to be at the top of your priority list. Consider debts for which your wages can be garnished. These include IRS debts, student loans, and any child support payments. If you don’t pay these, your paycheck is at risk.
Any services that you need to continue using are important as well. If you aren’t paying your doctor bills, that one doctor is not going to see you again, which can be a real issue if you have to see that doctor on a regular basis. Once you have satisfied all of the urgent debts, you can start to really work on making headway with your credit cards.
Hopefully, your family and friends are the most understanding out of all of your creditors. Let them know you are totally committed to repay the debts but make them a lower priority. Work on improving your credit report mostly for now. This is because the higher your credit score, the lower your interest rates will be when you are paying back all of your creditors, and that includes all of them- credit card companies, auto lenders, and mortgage lenders. A high credit score can make a high payment as small as possible.
Mallory Megan works for Rapid Recovery Solution and writes about nationwide collection agencies This and other unique content ‘collection agency news’ articles are available with free reprint rights.
June 21, 2010 | Posted by Mallory Megan
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