Many families find themselves deep in debt due to their credit cards

• Due to the higher cost of cars, health care, and mortgages many people are using credit cards to cover their basic needs.
• 1.7 trillion dollars in total consumer credit.
• Unfortunately there's no quick fix to getting out of debt, but through discipline and a lifestyle change you can get your debt problem under control.
• Dan and Stephanie Acuna of Johnstown are a lot like most married couples.
• They both have jobs, both enjoy spending time with family and friends, and they owe thousands of dollars on their credit card.
• "If I wanted to go do something, and I didn't have the money I'd just use the credit card.
• "They don't come with an instruction manual," remarks certified credit counselor Sandy McGeary.
• As the branch manager of the Consumer Credit Counseling office in Altoona her staff counseled 8-thousand people in 2004 with an average credit card debt of 17-thousand dollars.
• "It's your lifestyle and the lack of a budget and knowing what you can spend and how much you can spend."
• McGeary and other financial experts offer three steps to reducing your credit card balance to zero.
• Look at trimming expenses for recreation, vacation, clothing and eating out.
• Second, use that money saved to pay more than the minimum balance.
• And third, pay any new purchases within 30 days.
• "They need to be honest and say our focus right now is not our wants, it's getting out of the debt because that's the only way we're going be able to move ahead."
• Dan and Stephanie are taking simple steps to leave more money at the end of the month for their credit card payment.
• Dan says, "We pay more than the minimum charge because if you pay the minimum charge on the credit card, you're never going get ahead.