INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Pay your cards off one at a time, starting with the account charging you the most interest. This will reduce your debt faster because you'll be paying a lower interest rate on the remaining cards. To do this, take your extra money each month, and make the minimum payment on all your cards except the highest interest rate card, then apply all the remaining money to paying down your highest interest rate credit card. Call each creditor and ask if they will lower the interest rate on your account. Even a slightly lower rate can add up to a lot of savings over time. If one company agrees to lower your rate, ask other creditors to match their competitor.  It is possible to lower credit card interest rate just by asking. In fact, a recent survey found that when 50 credit card customers (of all credit backgrounds) called and asked to have their rates lowered, 56% successfully received lower rates, often by substantial amounts.  The following script was used to reduce rates, "Hi, my name is [Your Name]. I am a good customer, but I have received several offers in the mail from other credit card companies with lower APRs. I want a lower rate on my card, or I will cancel my card and switch companies."  Even if you have a poor credit score, do not hesitate to ask for a rate reduction. Persistence is key, and if the additional representative is not receptive, ask to speak to a supervisor. Credit card companies are eager to keep customers and are willing to negotiate rates to do so. State that you have been having difficulty making monthly payments, that a lower rate would help, and you currently have better offers from other credit card companies. At this point, ask for a rate you would consider more reasonable. Balance transfer credit cards charge low rates (sometimes 0%), on balances you transfer from other credit cards. These can be a great way to quickly reduce your interest rate, and therefore your overall payment.   Transfer balances only if you are able to pay off the debt during the low interest introductory period. This introductory period can last from 12-24 months, and during this point you would pay no interest. Afterwards, a higher interest rate may apply. Creditors may charge fees for balance transfers. Check to see if the fee plus the new interest rate is still lower than your current rate. Typically good credit is required to explore this option. It is always worth applying -- call all available banks to ask what kinds of balance transfer cards they have, and how to apply. This involves taking out an additional loan, such as a line of credit with a lower interest rate, and transferring your credit card balances to that loan. This has the added benefit of rolling all your credit card payments into one simple payment. Simply call your bank and ask for options in this regard, but be very aware of the risks.  Most people who consolidate their debt end up with more debt later on. Why? Because freeing up credit card space often results in more credit card usage. If you do get a debt consolidation loan, make a special point to not use your credit cards any more than absolutely necessary. Be aware that although interest rates are lower, the loan terms are often longer, which means you may actually spend more in interest over time. One effective way to reduce total interest payments (although not necessarily rates), would be to apply any savings you have to your credit card debt to reduce the overall balance.  This can effectively save money, since the large interest being charged on credit card balances greatly exceeds the minimal interest typically obtained from a savings account. Ensure that you never use emergency savings for this. Always use additional savings beyond what you would require to meet your cost-of-living expenses for several months.

SUMMARY: Pay off the card with the highest interest rate first. Ask for a lower interest rate. Consider a balance transfer credit card. Consider a debt consolidation loan. Apply savings to your credit card debt.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Choose an empathetic friend who is a good listener. Say you need to vent about the breakup. Have this friend listen as you reflect on the breakup.  Make sure you select a friend who is a good listener. A friend who tends to interrupt, or give advice, is not the best option. Self-reflection can help you understand the loss. As you go over the relationship with a friend, you may begin to see what went wrong. You can process the information out loud, which can allow you to see something you missed before. Let your friend know exactly what you need from them. Whether it's a shoulder to cry on, someone to bring you out for a good time, or a fellow person to be angry with, your friend should know what you want from them. For example, you could say, "Thanks for listening to me, Jen. I know I've talked a lot about this breakup with you, and I really appreciate that you're taking the time to listen. I need to talk this through again to help me understand what happened." As with talking, writing is a great form of self reflection. Try writing down your thoughts in a journal. You can also write a letter to your ex you do not intend to send. Here, you can talk about your confusion and sadness over the breakup.  You can express anything you wanted to say to your ex but could not. Talk about what you loved about the relationship, but also what was frustrating. Do not censor yourself. Just let your thoughts unfold. You may gain some insight through writing. As you write about the relationship, you may have a realization about why it ended. You may, for example, start to see you and your ex were very different as you write things down. This can help you gain insight. During a period of self reflection, ask yourself hard questions about the relationship. The answers to these questions may help you understand why things ended.  Were you and your ex really right for one another? Think about whether you were compatible long term. Did you have different interests and goals? Were you personalities always compatible? Were the two of you really in love? Love does fade over time. It's possible the passion had drained from the relationship. Were there any differences you missed before? Some differences and disagreements are hard to reconcile. It's not always possible to understand why a relationship ended. Human beings are complicated. You may not get an understandable answer, even if you were able to speak to your ex.  Try to come to terms with the fact there will always be confusion surrounding a breakup. Even if your ex were to explain, there's a chance you would not understand or accept his explanation. Remember, you can heal from the breakup without closure. While it can be helpful to know why things ended, it is not necessary to move forward. Ask yourself if knowing why it ended will make it hurt any less.

SUMMARY:
Talk things over with a friend. Write out your feelings. Ask certain questions. Accept you may not get closure.