1. Create a Strategy. Without a target, you will not know what to aim for. For most individuals and families, the solution to out-of-control credit debt is to simply have a money management plan. The first step should be to set up a credit report repair consultation session with a licensed credit counselor to gain perspective and begin to develop action steps to help boost your credit score - and also to help reduce the crushing burden of debt, to negotiate a better payment plan, and perhaps to address some of the underlying causes of the spending that caused the debt.
    
2. Re-negotiate your interest rate. This solution is not as obvious as it sounds. Most people just accept that the outrageous interest they are paying on their monthly credit cards is the price of convenience. However, by meeting with your bank financial supervisor, sometimes interest rates can be renegotiated to bring down your monthly payments.
    
3. Set a Budget. The fact that you are using a credit card may mean that you are delaying payment for goods; but obviously the debt still needs to be paid.  To avoid inevitable mounting charges - and resultant unmanageable debt load - it is then wise to put on paper the exact amount of monthly credit card debt your household can afford.  You can then work at the discipline of adhering to your budget.
    
4. Pay Your Bills on Time. Credit card companies count on the fact that many people will not pay their monthly bills on time, and they charge late fees. But the cost of not paying your bills on time is not just the late fees tacked onto your bill, but the long-term injury to your credit rating that results. By promptly submitting your payment on or before the due date, you are building a good credit record, while reducing your stress levels.
    
5. Manage Your Money So You Don't Have to Manage Your Stress. The inevitable cost of playing credit card catch up is the toll it takes on your quality of life. Financial stress causes marital strain, depression, physical illness , and can consume your life from the inside out.  But with a few simple money management principles in place - and the discipline to implement and apply them to your lifestyle - credit can actually be part of the solution rather than the greater part of the problem.

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