Anyone struggling with debt or trying to rebuild after a bankruptcy filing probably knows how challenging credit card bills can be: though the plastic rectangles themselves may be highly convenient, the monthly payments we make on them often are not.

And, with the economy tighter than the lid on a pickle jar, any kind of financial tips can be useful. It outlines some ways to minimize the amount you owe on your credit card without significantly altering your lifestyle (which, for many of us, may be impossible at this juncture).

Steps Toward Less Credit Card Debt

• Pay earlier than you have to: If you have a revolving balance on your credit card (meaning that you don’t pay the full amount you owe each month), interest is charged to that amount every day, so that the longer you wait to pay your bill, the more interest accrues. If you can pay even a few days before the due date, you can save yourself a little bit each month. And, if you know you have a revolving balance and have online payments set up, you don’t have to wait until you receive a bill to make a payment—if you get unexpected cash in the middle of the month, you can funnel it toward your credit card debt before it disappears into groceries.
• Pay more than you have to: The Credit CARD Act requires credit card bills to indicate how long it will take you to pay off your entire debt by making only minimum payments, which is a nice feature. It reminds us that the minimum payment is not designed to ease our monthly burdens—it’s designed to make money for the credit card companies and stretch our payments out over a long period, over which we’ll pay plenty of interest. Whenever possible, send more than the minimum payment. Ideally, aim for paying your card in full each month.
• Double check your bill: Next time you receive a bill, review all your purchases, especially regular monthly subscriptions and memberships. If you could conceivably do without any of them, cancel and save some money each month. Remember that most libraries carry lots of magazines and a lot of content is available online. Plus, memberships are designed to make companies a profit—so if you aren’t absolutely dependent on yours, snip them out.
• Leave home without it: While it’s easy to justify carrying a credit card in case an “emergency” happens, having the card with you at all times can be dangerous financially. Try keeping it at home for a week and noting how different your buying habits are. If nothing else, this exercise should open your eyes to when and how you tend to use your card—and how you could limit or eliminate unnecessary purchases.
• Rethink outings with groups: Eating out can get expensive—especially if you frequently put the group’s meal on your card and everyone gives you cash. It’s far too easy to use that cash for something other than paying your credit card bill, and meanwhile you could be paying interest for everyone’s dinner. Suggest a night in every once in a while, or arm yourself with cash.

Have other tips for cutting down credit card debt? Leave them in the comments!