Credit card debt is something that many people struggle with. After a tough year, medical expenses, or a period of unemployment, it’s possible to overcharge your credit cards even if you usually live carefully within your means. Once credit card debt piles up, it can be hard to get rid of – but you can get out from under it with a methodical plan.

Struggling with credit card debt doesn’t have to take over your life. With these tips, you can reduce your spending, steadily repay your cards, and build a strategy to get your finances back on track.

Pay Your Smallest Balance First

When repaying credit card debt, focus on your smallest debts, first. They disappear faster, even with small payments, and the first card you fully pay off will be a positive mark in your credit report. Not to mention a boost to your morale.

Budget Every Month Carefully

Be careful with your budget. Balance your income with your necessary expenses and calculate how much is left after bills and necessary groceries. Keep just a little for incidental costs, then put the rest toward debt repayment. As long as you live below your income level, you can stay on the right track in making those debts disappear.

Let Your Cards Cool by Living with Debit

Stop using the overcharged cards. Put them away, and get your browser/services to forget the numbers. Audit your auto-pay services to make sure they aren’t charging to your hot cards. By letting your cards cool, you will make it easier to pay them down completely without any additional costs adding to the debt – or the interest payments.

Formally Request that Debt Collectors Leave You Alone

If debt collectors are harassing you, reclaim your peace of mind by exercising your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).  You can request that they not call your work, and they must comply. You can insist that they not speak to anyone but you – no friends or relatives. You can even ask them to send their info about the debt and stop contacting you altogether. At that point, their only recourse is to actually file a lawsuit, which they likely will not do if you are actively repaying the debt – at whatever speed.

Set Aside Debt Repayment from Every Paycheck

The best way to make progress on credit card debt repayment is to scrape a little off the top of every paycheck. This ensures that you don’t accidentally spend your repayment budget during the month. Decide how much you can spare and repay your smallest debt – or a little on each debt – every time you get paid. Then, if there’s any left over from living frugally before the next paycheck, put that toward debt repayment as well.

Cook at Home with Bulk Ingredients

Switch from restaurant food and ready-made meals to home-cooked meals. Bulk ingredients like rice, lentils, and even fresh chicken are much less expensive than prepared portions or even canned food. You can also look for the local ethnic grocery store, where you will often find the best bulk prices and an inexpensive butcher for fresh meat.

Prioritize Inexpensive Fun

Debt can sometimes rack up if your favorite pastimes require spending money. But not all fun has to be expensive. Look for community events, low-admission activities, and relaxing at-home hobbies that don’t take up much of your budget. You can still unwind on the weekends without overpaying for a good time.

Cancel Your Unused Subscriptions

We live in a time when subscriptions can creep up on your budget. Sign up for a free trial once, and you may still be paying for it months and years later. Audit the recurring expenses on your credit card transaction reports. Cancel subscriptions that you don’t need. If a service makes it hard to cancel, just block those charges through your credit card instead.

Consolidate Your Credit Card Debt

If you have several credit cards to pay off, you can improve your situation with debt consolidation. This is when you take care of multiple debts in trade for a single, manageable monthly payment on a new loan. Debt consolidation can help you take control over interest rates and stop unreasonable debt collection measures by working with a loan provider whose goal is to help you repay the debt based at a rate you can handle.