Credit cards can be a great way to stretch your money until payday and a handy way to buy online. (And who doesn’t love to watch their credit card rewards pile up?!?) Ready to get out of credit card debt — or avoid it in the first place? We’re here to help.

Credit cards—and credit card bills—are just a reality of the holiday season. We get it! Which is why we’re here to help you use and pay off your credit cards as wisely as possible.

Try these four tips:

Tip #1: Stick with your holiday budget.

And hoping you can get by without pulling out the credit card?

You can do it—here’s how!

Unless you’ve recently won the lottery or are independently wealthy, you have to deal with this thing called a paycheck and the reality that it can be hard to s-t-r-e-t-c-h your pennies from one paycheck to the next.

According to recent studies, the younger working class takes on credit card debt faster than any other generation, but pay it back much more slowly. While the recent economy has sparked much of this habit, the lasting consequences are troubling. Check out the following tips to help you improve your financial future and avoid long-term debt.

WORRIED YOU’LL BE PAYING FOR SUMMER FUN FOR MONTHS TO COME?


Summit’s Three-Step Plan lets you own your summer—without maxing out your credit cards

Remember a few weeks back when we walked you through the benefits of making an extra payment on your mortgage every year? In short: one extra payment each year = thousands (if not tens of thousands) in savings over the life of your mortgage.