Credit card debt can be a huge obstacle to your financial goals. Recent studies show that the average credit card debt is now over $15,000 per household. With the average American credit card debt rising beyond levels last seen leading up to the 2008 Great Recession, this could spell trouble for the economy and consumer finances. There is no single best way to pay off credit card debt – there are several to choose from. The path that you take is a personal choice, but the most important thing is that learn how to pay off credit card debt so you can become debt free.

When you think about your financial history, is there anything in your past—or your present—that makes you cringe? If so, you’re not alone. When the experts at Debt.com surveyed 1,300 consumers earlier this year, financial regret emerged as a common theme. In fact, a full 44 percent of respondents regretted running up or maxing out their credit card balances and hurting their credit score.