9 Clever Ways To Pay Off Your Credit Card Debt

Paying off credit card debt is easier than you think if you have the right plan.

Last updated May 9, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

A recent study shows that over 80% of Americans are in debt. High interest credit cards, hospital bills, or student loans, car payments — everyone knows the challenge.

Below, you'll find clever ways to help you crush your credit card debt.

See if your credit card debt is eligible for this debt relief program

If you have a lot of credit card debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to resolve your debt once and for all?

ClearOne Advantage can help.1 If you have more than $30,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives may be able to help you resolve your debt for less than you owe — with one low monthly program payment.

Best of all? There are zero upfront fees, and you could be debt-free in 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions and get connected with a caring representative. The consultation is completely free and only takes a few minutes to see if you qualify!

See if your $30k+ in credit card debt is eligible for ClearOne Advantage

Pay no interest on balance transfers until 2028

Imagine getting an intro 0% APR for 21 months from date of account opening on balance transfers (APR then 16.49% - 27.24% (Variable)). Sounds great — right? You could dramatically change your financial picture with this industry-leading low-interest card - the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card.

If you want to kick high-interest credit card debt to the curb, this is one of the leading get-out-of-debt cards available. Transfer your high interest debt to this card with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months from date of account opening, then a 16.49% - 27.24% (Variable) APR (balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening). Your payments can go directly to paying down your balance without incurring a pile of additional charges. That could save you hundreds of dollars in interest!

It doesn't just stop with balance transfers, though. Cardholders also get a generous intro APR of 0% for 12 months from date of account opening on purchases. After the intro period for purchases and balance transfers, the APR is 16.49% - 27.24% (Variable).

The best part? There's no annual fee with the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card(Rates and fees).

Click here to Apply Now to the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

Pay no interest into 2027 with this no annual fee card

If you're struggling to pay down high interest debt (or you're planning a major purchase this year), this might be the exact thing you need. There's a card that allows you to completely pause credit card interest into 2027 ... and the best part is that it could be easier than you think.  

Discover it® Cash Back(Rates and fees) is an extremely powerful card that gives you 0% intro APR for an astounding 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. (Then APR is 17.49% - 26.49% Variable.) That's right — you can now finance large purchases you've been sitting on without paying massive interest. Or, transfer crippling high interest debt to this card and let your payments go directly to paying down your balance, without piling on additional interest charges — all with no annual fee.

But it doesn't end there. The Discover it® Cash Back card also lets you earn 5% on cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This practically doubles its value at the end of your first year.

Apply now for the Discover it® Cash Back card

Stop getting ripped off by high-interest debt payments

If you have credit card debt, you know that paying your bill each month is anxiety-inducing … and sometimes close to impossible with what you have in the bank.

If that's you, a company called Freedom Debt Relief wants to help. They could help negotiate with your creditors to settle your unsecured debt for less than you owe.

Think about it this way: $30,000 in credit card debt at 25% APR will cost you $622.60 every single month in interest alone. But Freedom Debt Relief’s representatives may be able to help you resolve that debt for less than you owe.

That’s more money you'd get to keep for yourself while you continue to pay down your debt. Even better, you don’t need a perfect credit score, and there are no fees until your unsecured debt is completely resolved.

Truthfully, this company exists to help you get ahead in life. They have a 4.6/5 rating on Trustpilot with more than 48,000 verified reviews, and they've already helped over 1 million clients settle more than $20 billion in debt2 It's certainly worth a shot if you're feeling suffocated by debt.

See if your $30K+ credit card debt qualifies for options with Freedom Debt Relief

Borrow cash from your home (without touching your mortgage)

If you need cash, you do not need a cash-out refinance or home equity loan — get a HELOC instead. The Fed just cut interest rates, and a HELOC could help you take advantage of it without touching your mortgage.

Use LendingTree’s simple HELOC matching tool3to compare rates and see what works for you.

How a home equity line of credit is different: Your line of credit acts similar to a credit card during what’s called the “draw period,” which is usually 10 years. You can withdraw funds when you need them, and you’re only responsible for monthly payments toward the outstanding balance. After the draw period ends, you pay off the outstanding balance during the remaining term or “repayment period,” which can be up to 20 years.

The best part? HELOCs usually have variable interest rates, meaning you could access cash now at newly lowered rates and have the opportunity to access more down the road at potentially even lower rates.

To get started:

  1. Check out LendingTree’s HELOC matching tool.
  2. Answer a few questions.
  3. Be matched with personalized offers for you.

See how much cash you could get

Get up to $600,000 from your home (no monthly payments ever)

This is really cool. If you own a home and want to take equity out (to pay down debt or fund home renovations, for example) you can — but usually, you have to make payments each month. This company gets rid of that.

It sounds crazy, but it’s called Point, and it lets you take money out of your home right now without making monthly payments.4It's called a home equity investment (HEI), and it’s a partnership with you and Point where you get money now in return for a portion of your home’s future appreciation in value.

Point can give you access to up to $600,000, but you can take what you need based on what you qualify for. You can also leave the partnership at any time by buying back your equity. To get started, go to their website, enter your address, and put in the amount you need. It’s incredible.

Enter your address here to get started

Ask this company to help you pay off your late tax debt

Past-due tax debt is overwhelming.

It weighs on your mind and causes massive anxiety. You end up emotionally and physically drained. Even worse when the IRS starts sending letters threatening wage garnishment and huge fines.

Alleviate Tax is designed specifically to help you get out of tax debt faster and could reduce some of the debt you owe.

While most tax companies just put you on a payment plan and file your taxes for you, Alleviate Tax talks to the IRS directly. They can help you pay off your tax debt faster while potentially reducing what you owe.

Important: Not everyone will qualify. To take advantage of this special program you must owe more than $10,000 in past-due taxes.

Answer a few questions to get started

National Debt Relief
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National Debt Relief Benefits
  • No upfront fees5
  • One-on-one evaluation with a Certified Debt Specialist
  • For people with $30,000 in unsecured debts and up
Visit National Debt Relief