• The Digerati Life explains how to deal with debt stress.
• PT Money asks what appears to be a silly question: “Do you get a loan to pay off debt?“
• Reduce Debt Faster shows how to decide between various debt consolidation options to accelerate paying off debt.

Thanks!

Here are this week’s debt reduction posts:

• Credit Card Assist discusses whether to make a credit card payment or a house payment.
• DebtSolver discusses the benefits of paying down your store credit card.
• Free Money Finance cites an article that the road to riches involves becoming and staying debt-free.
• Christian Common Cents hits on Dave Ramsey’s Step 2.
• Christian Personal Finance shows what it takes to get out of debt.
• PT Money shows examples of how credit card companies are now forced to show you the effects of only paying the minimum.

Have a great week!  Hopefully the weather is as good where you are as it has been here.

• Eliminate the Muda shares a personal story of how earning more doesn’t always solve debt issues.
• Debt Free Adventure tells about his big win with Lending Club.
• Christian Personal Finance has a guest post that outlines five ways to deal with medical debt.
• Man vs. Debt has a spartan post: excess is a liability.
• An Emergency Fund explains how to take advantage of payment protection plans as you pay off your debt.
• Bargaineering compiles some US credit card debt statistics.
• Get Rich Slowly finds that Suze Orman thinks that paying with cash is a good thing.
• Digerati Life shares Oprah’s Debt Diet.
• The Smarter Wallet discusses Dave Ramsey’s debt reduction philosophies.
• Personal Finance Analyst tells the merits of packing some extra snow on your debt snowball.

Have a great week!

Debt Reduction Stories

• No Credit Needed’s parents are debt free!
• Ask Mr. Credit Card interviews Man vs. Debt on how he paid off his credit cards in 15 months.
• Debt Sucks has set a goal to be debt free in five years.  He has over $60k to pay off, so please head over to give him some encouragement.
• Funny About Money paid off a $21k loan.
• Debt Kid is looking forward.
• Studenomics has a guest post from a debt-free college grad that shares thoughts.
• The Happy Rock is wondering about cashing in savings bonds.

Debt reduction advice and information

• Bargaineering runs through an in-depth explanation of the FICO score and its ranges.
• Five Cent Nickel discusses whether to pay off mortgage debt or invest.
• Credit Shout shows how to write a debt dispute letter.  (Correcting information is crucial to maintaining credit standing.)
• Woman Tribune reports that banks are tightening lending standards.
• Free Money Finance says that Chase is making holding debt less appealing.
• Leave Debt Behind weighs the pros and cons of debt consolidation.
• Paycheck Chronicles sheds light on the minimum payment trap.
• The Digerati Life lists seven things she learned by following Blogging Away Debt’s road to debt freedom.
• Cash Money Life explains what to do when you can’t afford your student loan payments.
• Money Smart Life has information on free credit report and credit monitoring trials.
• American Consumer News runs down what the new credit laws could do.
• Discover Debt Freedom gives some questions to ask yourself in order to see if you need credit counseling.
• Debt Goal reports on record student credit card debt levels.
• Find Secured Cards Blog discusses secured credit cards and how they can be used to rebuild a good credit rating.

Generally-sensible debt-reducing money tips

• Gather Little By Little reminds us that someone who is faithful with a little can be entrusted with a lot.
• Sun’s Financial Diary gives a rundown on how to make a budget in three easy steps.
• Lazy Man and Money shares several tips on lowering your cell phone bill.
• Money Ning explains how to deal with frugal advice.
• Wealth Pilgrim responds to comments that he wants to stiff Mom just to save a buck.
• Budgets are Sexy says to stay insured if at all possible to reduce the likelihood of being saddled with debt.
• Savings Toolbox discusses whether to switch to a credit union or not.
• The Smarter Wallet suggests using a money tool to help manage savings and debt.
• Mike’s Millions recommends making bill-paying automatic.
• Automatic Finances asks, “How often do you check in?“

Thanks for reading!  Be sure to contribute to the discussions and give some link or social bookmarking love to your favorites!

Note:  Prime Time Money will be hosting next week on Tuesday (since Monday is Memorial Day).  I’m not sure when the cutoff will be for next week, but if you miss it, you’ll be considered for the following week’s carnival, so no worries.

Thanks to I Pick Up Pennies for hosting this week’s Carnival of Debt Reduction!

And honey, she shrunk these editor’s picks:

• Cash Money Life has some tips for improving your credit score.
• Bible Money Matters says that accountability is a good thing.
• The Dough Roller saves some green by going green.

Enjoy!  All hosting slots are open, so let me know if you want to host!

Next week Gather Little by Little will be hosting.

• Name (or screen name)
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Please get the posts to her by 5 PM EDT Sunday.  Thanks!

• Not the Jet Set proclaims the frugal virtues of frozen pizza.
• The Digerati Life suggests ways to make 10 ordinary things last longer.

Enjoy the rest of this week’s articles at the Carnival! Next week DebtFree-Revolution hosts! (BlogCarnival.com says that the carnival is here next week but it’s actually over at DebtFree-Revolution; working through a technical glitch for the time being.)

• Don’t just shuffle the debt around.  The balances have to go down, too.
• Recognize that you brought the debt on yourself and you have to get out of it yourself.
• Use little windfalls to pay down more debt instead of going on a shopping spree.
• Keep paying more than the minimum on your debts.
• Do all of this with a strategy so that you can monitor your progress.