Death to Debt

Note:

If you're laboring under a heavy burdenof debt, one of your most importantjobs this year is to lighten the load. Theprimary target of any debt-cutting programshould be credit card balances. Intoday's investment arena, it's hard tobeat the guaranteed return you get byputting your money to work trimmingcredit card debt. To help boost yourcredit score, attack debt on cards wherewhat you owe is closest to your creditlimit. If you have cards with relativelylow balances, however, paying them offin full first can give your psyche a lift andencourage you to keep at your debt-slashingregimen. With a loan thatcarries low interest rates, like a homemortgage or car loan, you may be fiscallybetter off putting money into a safe,long-term investment rather than acceleratingloan payments.