Hey everyone, I've been really stressed out these past few months because my credit card debt keeps creeping up. I never thought I'd get into this much trouble, but between some unexpected car repairs and just trying to keep up with daily expenses, it's gotten out of hand. Right now, I owe around $5,000 spread across two cards, and the interest feels like it’s eating me alive.

I’ve tried cutting back on little things here and there, like eating out less and skipping my daily coffee, but it doesn’t seem to make a big dent. Sometimes I feel like I’m just treading water and not making progress. I’m also confused about whether I should try a balance transfer or just start paying off the highest interest first.

Has anyone been through this kind of situation? How did you manage to get your debt under control? Any tips or encouragement would be really appreciated right now.

On 01/17/2026 at 9:15 AM, ThriftGuru said:

Hey everyone, I've been really stressed out these past few months because my credit card debt keeps creeping up. I never thought I'd get into this much trouble, but between some unexpected car repairs and just trying to keep up with daily expenses, it's gotten out of hand. Right now, I owe around $5,000 spread across two cards, and the interest feels like it’s eating me alive.

I’ve tried cutting back on little things here and there, like eating out less and skipping my daily coffee, but it doesn’t seem to make a big dent. Sometimes I feel like I’m just treading water and not making progress. I’m also confused about whether I should try a balance transfer or just start paying off the highest interest first.

Has anyone been through this kind of situation? How did you manage to get your debt under control? Any tips or encouragement would be really appreciated right now.

That sounds really tough, and I totally get how the interest can feel like a weight that just won’t lift. When I was in a similar spot, what helped me was focusing on the card with the highest interest first - throwing every extra dollar at it while keeping minimums on the other. It’s like chopping down the biggest tree first so the rest feels lighter.

Also, balance transfers can be a good move if you can snag a low or 0% intro rate and pay it off before that expires. Just watch out for fees that sometimes sneak in. Maybe check if your bank or credit union offers something like this?

One small thing that helped me was setting up a simple budget spreadsheet, just to see where every dollar was going. It made the “cutting back” feel less vague and more doable. Hang in there - you’re definitely not alone in this struggle!

On 01/17/2026 at 9:15 AM, ThriftGuru said:

Hey everyone, I've been really stressed out these past few months because my credit card debt keeps creeping up. I never thought I'd get into this much trouble, but between some unexpected car repairs and just trying to keep up with daily expenses, it's gotten out of hand. Right now, I owe around $5,000 spread across two cards, and the interest feels like it’s eating me alive.

I’ve tried cutting back on little things here and there, like eating out less and skipping my daily coffee, but it doesn’t seem to make a big dent. Sometimes I feel like I’m just treading water and not making progress. I’m also confused about whether I should try a balance transfer or just start paying off the highest interest first.

Has anyone been through this kind of situation? How did you manage to get your debt under control? Any tips or encouragement would be really appreciated right now.

That sounds really overwhelming, and I totally get how those unexpected expenses can throw everything off. When I was in a similar spot, I found that making a simple spreadsheet helped me see exactly where my money was going each month. It didn’t fix things overnight, but it gave me a clearer picture and helped me prioritize which card to tackle first - usually the one with the highest interest.

Balance transfers can be a good move if you can find one with a low or zero percent intro rate and no big fees, but just be careful about what happens when that period ends. Also, some local credit counseling services offer free advice and can help you create a plan without pushing products. Sometimes just having a plan, even a small one, takes some of the stress away.