Lately, I’ve been feeling really overwhelmed by my credit card debt. It started small, just a few hundred here and there, but it’s crept up to about $5,000 now. I try to pay more than the minimum each month, but sometimes unexpected expenses come up and I fall behind. It’s stressful because I know the interest just keeps piling on. I’ve tried cutting back on non-essentials and even picked up some extra shifts at work, but it still feels like I’m treading water. I keep wondering if I should look into balance transfers or maybe talk to a credit counselor, but I’m also worried about making things worse. Has anyone else been in this spot? What helped you start digging out without losing your mind?

That feeling of treading water with credit card debt is so familiar, and it really can wear you down. One thing that helped me was setting up a super simple budget that prioritized paying down the highest-interest card first, even if it meant paying just a little extra when I could. It’s not glamorous, but seeing that balance drop bit by bit gave me a mental boost.

Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to a credit counselor - some are free or low-cost and can help you map out a plan without making things worse. Balance transfers can be useful, but watch out for fees and the length of the 0% interest period. Sometimes just breaking the problem into small, manageable steps makes it feel less overwhelming.