Let's face it. You've accumulated a pile of credit card debt and you have no clue what to do. I've got some realistic solutions to your situation. As much as you would like to wave a magic wand and make your debt go away, it won't. No, these will not be magical solutions, but matter-of-fact solutions for getting you out of debt and stay free from debt.

The very first move is to realize that your spending is out of control. It truly is. I know you had great reasons to buy as much as you did. Most likely they were emotional reasons. People expected you to buy all that stuff. You were emotionally drawn to it. You just couldn't help yourself.

Remember, commercials you read, hear or watch have just one goal: to get money out of your pocket into the pocket of the advertiser. Commercials build on emotion. You need to recognize this and start acting prudently regarding money.

So, now is the time to get practical. Which means you should begin implementing money management strategies that produce results in your best interests for the long run. You will need to let go of emotions and do things that make sense. Toward that end, listed below are some sensible actions you can take to cut down on your debt and remain debt free.

First, establish how long it is going to take you to eradicate your debt. Paying the bare minimum required every month, it will probably take 5 to 10 years to eliminate your debt. That is if you do not increase it by buying more things. You can possibly pay more and may even be able to negotiate a reduced interest rate with your credit card providers. Either of these steps can help you grow to be debt free sooner.

Second, put a small amount of extra money aside for unplanned events. Everybody has unexpected bills. You can anticipate the bills emergencies will generate by establishing an emergency fund to cover the costs of these unforeseen and unwelcome events.

Third, since you can probably tell by now, you are going to be running really tight on money. Therefore, you'll really need to develop a budget. Find out just how much cash is coming in and what your necessary expenditures are. Include in these bills money for eliminating your debt, and your emergency fund as well as other expense like food, housing, utilities and transportation. Locate places to reduce spending. Do not let other people kick your feelings into spending mode. Keep to your budget.

Fourth, when you are having difficulty repaying your debt, you can get help from a credit counseling agency. The U.S. Trustee Program has an inventory of credit counseling services that can help you. Some provide their services at no cost (and are compensated by the credit card agencies) while others charge you a fee for their services. Ensure you agree with any fees before you agree to participate in their program.

The more you know about credit and debt the more easily you will be able to manage your money and remain debt free.