Over 100,000 people contacted the UK Insolvency Helpline last year because of un-manageable credit card debt and debt problems in general are at record levels right across the UK. It is particularly easy to rack up credit card debt since handing over the card is so easy but, in reality, debt on credit cards is just as serious as any other form of debt and must be treated in the same way.

The very first step to take when you find your credit card debts have got out of control is to cut up the cards themselves. This way there is no chance that you will be tempted to spend even more and see your problems mount further.

As with any other form of debt problem, you need to write out your monthly, or weekly, budget. List all money coming into the household and all the regular expenditure and bills you have to fund. Doing this will help you get a better idea of where you money is going, how much money you can afford to dedicate to debt repayments each month and also help you identify areas where it may be possible to cut back on spending, perhaps by no longer buying non-essential items or looking for cheaper alternatives.

Once you have done this, you need to check whether you can afford to make the minimum payment required on your credit card. If not, you must urgently get in touch with your credit card provider to discuss the options available to you. You may be able to be moved to a different deal, offered a debt consolidation loan with more affordable repayments or perhaps strike an agreement with the bank to pay a slightly lower amount each month. It is essential that you talk to your credit card provider rather than burying your head in the sand and failing to make payments will only increase the amount you owe through additional interest charges and penalties.

If you can afford to keep up payments, try to channel as much money as possible into reducing your debt. Credit card debt can sometimes attract higher rates of interest than loans so prioritising re-payment may make sense. Never use money set aside to pay your mortgage or rent to re-pay credit card debt, however, since safeguarding your home must be your number one priority.

If you still have a fairly healthy credit rating but are simply struggling to afford re-payments it is worth checking around to see if you are eligible to move to a more competitive deal with an alternative bank or credit card provider. Reducing the APR on your credit card, or taking advantage of a low interest rate on offer for balance transfers could significantly reduce your payments. If you manage to do this, take advantage of the lower APR to allow you to overpay each month. The quicker you can reduce debt the better, you may not be able to move to another deal when this one ends so do not become complacent and start spending again.

For those with more serious problems, debt management plans enable you to make one payment each month which is divided up between your various creditors. If you credit card debt has affected your ability to keep up with other payments this might be the best route for you to explore.

Debt consolidation loans should be a last resort but can also come in useful. Secured loans, which take your house as security that you will re-pay the loan, are often cheaper than unsecured loans and credit cards. Whilst the cheaper interest rate will help you pay off the debt more easily, your home is at risk if you cannot keep up re-payments, so this is not something to be entered into without a lot of thought and careful planning.

If things get too much, try contacting the UK insolvency helpline or other similar organisations for help find an appropriate debt solution.