Credit cards have both advantages as well as disadvantages. It really depends on how they are used. They should be used wisely and only in emergencies. Using them for reckless spending is not a good idea and leads to financial problems which are hard to get under control.
For those who have an accumulated amount of credit card debt, it is important to take the necessary steps to get the situation in control by paying off credit card debt. There are a number of practical ways in which one can pay off his debt effectively. To begin with, credit cards use should be strictly restricted to emergencies only. It is not always possible to stop using the credit card altogether but it is quite possible to restrict its use to emergencies only. One should stop using it for luxury shopping, travelling, entertainment and eating out. It should only be used for absolute necessities like groceries, gas etc.

One should always try and pay more than the minimum credit card debt. Credit card companies only want a small percentage of the outstanding amount to be paid. They want customers to pay only 2 to 3 per cent of the outstanding bill and end up charging high rates of interests. One continues to spend more and more on the credit card and only making the minimum required payments. Therefore in order to get rid of credit card debt one should always pay more than the minimum amount due. Gradually the interest amount starts to come down and one can pay the total outstanding amount rather easily.
Taking out a home loan is another way of paying off credit card debt. One can pay off the high interest rates credit cards in this way. One can also try and negotiate with the credit card companies or approach the debt settlement firm in case the debt amount is high.