If you owe $3,000 and you settle for $1,000, you'd better have that $1,000 on hand to give to the credit card company. If you don't yet have that $1,000 yet, don't negotiate your settlement until you do.

I always suggest scraping together enough money to cover fifty percent of the balance owed. If your settlement ends up being less, keep that extra money in savings or use it to pay down other debts. If the credit card company wants more, tell them you'll send them what you have and ask if you can pay off the rest of the settlement over 90 days.

5. The Fee Issue

When it comes to credit card debt settlement services, you are going to pay a fee for the services they provide. Considering that most consumers can't negotiate a debt settlement as well as some of the reputable services, the fee may well be worth it.

That being said, if a credit card debt settlement service asks you to send them a fee up front and before they have actually settled your debt, don't fall for it. Unfortunately, there are some scams out there and when someone wants you to send them money without any guarantee on their part, it's usually a rip off.

While credit card debt settlement can be a bit time consuming, confusing and sometimes even stressful, it is a great alternative to bankruptcy. If you find yourself in the position of no longer being able to pay your bills, a credit card debt settlement may indeed be the solution you've been looking for.

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