Start With the Honest Numbers

It is tempting to shove the statements in a drawer, but you cannot plan around figures you have not looked at. Set aside half an hour, open every account, and write down four things for each one:

• The balance — what you actually owe today, not what you think you owe.
• The interest rate — usually shown as an APR, and often somewhere between 20% and 30% on a credit card.
• The minimum payment — typically 1% to 3% of the balance, or a small fixed sum such as £5, whichever is greater.
• The payment date and any promotional deadline — a 0% offer ending in four months changes your plan.

Add the balances together and write the total somewhere you will see it. That number is your starting line, not a judgement. If any card is over its limit, or you have already missed a payment, note that too, because it affects what you do next.

Choose a Repayment Order and Commit to It

Two approaches do most of the work, and both rely on you keeping up at least the minimum on every card.

• Avalanche: throw every spare pound at the card with the highest interest rate first. This saves the most money overall and is usually the fastest route out.
• Snowball: clear the smallest balance first, then roll that payment onto the next card. It costs slightly more in interest but delivers quick wins, which matters if motivation is the thing that usually fails you.

There is no prize for choosing the theoretically perfect method. Consistency beats cleverness. Set up direct debits for the minimum on every card so you never miss one, then make the extra payment to your chosen card manually, ideally a few days after the statement date so it reduces the balance you are charged interest on. Review your order every few months, and whenever a promotional rate ends.

Stop Adding to the Balance

Paying down a card while still spending on it is like filling a bath with the plug out. A few practical steps help:

• Remove saved card details from websites and apps, and switch day-to-day spending to a debit card or cash.
• Leave old accounts open but cut up the cards. Closing accounts reduces your available credit and can push your credit utilisation upwards.
• Treat a balance transfer as a tool, not a rescue. It only works if you clear the balance before the 0% period ends and do not spend on the freed-up limit. Check the transfer fee, often 2% to 4%, and the rate you will pay afterwards.
• Build a small buffer, even £300 to £500, in a separate easy-access account. It is not a grand emergency fund; it is there to stop a car repair landing straight back on a credit card.

Find More Than the Minimum

Most people cannot conjure a large lump sum, but a steady £50 to £150 a month makes a visible difference. Look in three places:

• Fixed bills: insurance renewals, broadband, mobile contracts, gym memberships and subscriptions. Cancelling two subscriptions and switching a mobile deal can free up £40 a month without much suffering.
• One-off sales: old phones, clothes, tools, and furniture you have been meaning to list for months.
• Extra income: overtime, a few hours of weekend work, or a skill you already have.

If you get a pay rise, a bonus or a tax refund, decide in advance that a set share goes to the debt before it reaches your current account. Paying weekly or fortnightly rather than monthly can also trim a little interest by lowering your average balance.

If You Are Struggling, Speak Up Early

Minimum payments can quietly become unaffordable, and the worst thing you can do is wait until you miss one. Lenders are far more willing to help before a payment is missed than after. Ask about a reduced payment arrangement, a payment holiday, or freezing interest for a set period.

In the UK you can also ask for breathing space, which gives you up to 60 days of protection from interest, charges and enforcement action while you take advice. Free, impartial debt advice is available from debt charities and local advice services, and using it will not harm your credit file. Steer clear of firms that charge a fee for debt help.

If money is genuinely short, pay priority debts first — rent or mortgage, council tax, energy and water — because those carry the most serious consequences. Credit cards matter, but they are not the debts that put a roof at risk.

Keep Going When Progress Feels Slow

Debt repayment is dull, cumulative work. Track your total balance once a month rather than staring at it daily, and mark the milestones: the first card cleared, the first time the total drops below a round number, the first month you pay no interest at all.

Expect a setback or two — a boiler, a vet bill, a quiet month at work. If you borrow again, do not abandon the plan. Stop, redo the numbers, and restart. Someone paying £100 extra a month for two years, with a couple of wobbles along the way, still finishes far ahead of someone waiting for the perfect month to begin.