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Paying down debt

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JetOneTV
New Contributor

Paying down debt

Hi there, everyone; 1st off just wanted to thank you for any advice.

 

Long story short, due to helping out family, etc., we are in debt with Credit Cards, etc... 

 

But for this post, I'm only going to talk about the "Citi Double Cash® Card," previously they closed my account for "NO REASON," and we didn't even know it was closed until a letter came in the mail; I was so upset because they even closed the other Credit Card I had with them and it didn't even have a balance on it, due to family not paying us back we were forced just to leave it alone and put focus on other credit cards paying those down. - Since they closed those two cards, my credit score was already hit so I couldn't do anything anyway...

 

It's been about 2-3 months since they did this. - I was checking my e-mail and noticed, "We can help you lower your monthly payments," so I went to check out what it was and found out it was the: "Reduced Interest Arrangement."

 

-----------------------------------------------------

Monthly Payment Amount: $153.00 APR: 0.0% Duration 60 months First Payment Due: Mar 10, 2023

 

  • Lowers your interest rate to a fixed APR of 0.0% 
  • Incur no additional late fees through the duration of your arrangement.
  • Changes your monthly payment to a fixed amount.

How Reduced Interest Arrangement Works

 

Making Your Payments

 

If your account is currently open, we will close it, and it will remain closed even if you successfully complete the program.

If the account is currently closed, it will remain closed at the end of the program.

If you accept this arrangement, your account will be enrolled, and the arrangement benefits will take effect immediately. You must make the required monthly payments even if a different minimum due amount is shown on your statement.

 

Your first payment will be due Mar 10, 2023, and subsequent payments will be due by the 8th of each month starting Apr 8, 2023.

You can make extra payments to lower your balance faster and decrease your delinquency. However, you must still pay your agreement amount each month. If you make an extra payment, it will not be applied toward the next payment due.

If you anticipate any problem with your payment, such as your check being returned for non-sufficient funds (NSF), contact us immediately.

Important Reminders - Monthly statements will still be sent. Review your statements to ensure your payment was posted correctly, that no late fees were charged, and that the correct APR is being charged. You will not be eligible for any future payment arrangements with APR reduction and/or no fees. Therefore, it is important that you adhere to the payment schedule.

 

If your account is on an active arrangement, then your current active arrangement will be terminated and cannot be reinstated upon accepting this new arrangement. Any scheduled payments that have not been processed will be deleted.

 

What Happens Next

If you do not cancel recurring charges or you make additional purchases, your account will not have a $0.00 balance at the end of the program. If you successfully complete the program, you must pay any remaining balance at the end of your program.

We may report information about your account to credit bureaus. Late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your account may be reflected in your credit report.

-----------------------------------------

 

Is this a good option to do, or is this bad to do this?

Bank of America Cash Rewards Visa Signature: $28K | U.S. Bank Cash® Visa Signature® Card: $25K | Arrowhead Visa® $15K | My Best Buy® Visa® Card: $15K | Citi® Double Cash Card: $12.75K | PenFed Gold Visa® Card: $12.5K | PenFed Promise Visa® Card: $12.5K | U.S. Bank Cash 365™ American Express® Card: $16.2K | Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: $12K | BankAmerica® Better Balance Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard: $12K | Citi Simplicity® Card: $11.1K | Chase Freedom® Card: $10K | PayPal® Credit Digital Credit: $10K | PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® card: $7.5K | The Bread Cashback™ American Express® Credit Card: $7K | Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card: $7K | Apple Card: $6.5K | JCPenney Mastercard®: $6K | Chase Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card: $5.8K | American Express® Blue Cash Everyday® Card: $5K | Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: $4K | Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Card: $3K | Best Egg Card: $3K | PlayStation® Visa® Credit Card: $2.9K | Micro Center Insider® credit card: $2.1K | Hot Topic Guest List Credit Card: $400 |

| 1st CC since 2007 | Last Updated: 09/29/22 | Total: $252.25K |
10 REPLIES 10
Brian_Earl_Spilner
Credit Mentor

Re: Paying down debt

This is Citi's assistance program. The card will be closed and they set you up on auto payments. It's great if you don't mind losing the card because it no longer accrues interest. I know yours was closed, but for others that might see it and are wondering what options are available. You can still log into your account and pay extra if you want, but it won't change the due date or what's due. I have no idea if you can reopen a new card in the future. I also don't know if it will impact other Citi cards, but I don't believe so. 

    
Message 2 of 11
Yasselife
Valued Contributor

Re: Paying down debt

If you have/get the funds to pay it back, I would.

This is an expensive lesson for you that I hope I'd never face since I also love my family very much.


Message 3 of 11
TRC_WA
Senior Contributor

Re: Paying down debt


@Yasselife wrote:

 

This is an expensive lesson for you that I hope I'd never face since I also love my family very much.


@Yasselife 

 

Yep... been there.  I made the mistake once of telling family about a lottery windfall I had... ($20k)...

 

... about 1/3 of it was loaned out to siblings... and I have never received one nickel back.  I won the money in 2004.

 

Will never make that mistake again.  Smiley LOL

 

Ironically... a few weeks ago I thought I might have had the opportunity.  The winning Powerball ticket was sold in Auburn, WA and that's where I bought my ticket.  I had left my tickets at home and saw on the news at work the next morning about where the ticket was purchased.  Anxiety set in to the point I actually left work early and went home to check my ticket.

 

Unfortunately... I ended up having to go back to work the next day.  Smiley LOLSmiley LOLSmiley LOL

FICO8 current as of : 4-6-25 EQ: 736 TU: 728 EX: 722
Hard INQs last 12 months: EQ: 0 | TU: 0 | EX: 0
Verizon Visa $8500 Amex Delta Reserve $10,000 Care Credit $18,000
NFCU CashRewards $7500 Apple Card $7000 Best Buy $8000 Amazon $5000
NFCU auto loan (2022 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands - Cactus Gray) 6.95%
NFCU motorcycle loan (2024 Harley Davidson Road Glide - Alpine Green & Chrome) 9.45%
Total CL: $64,000 --- Total CC UTI: 31% --- AAoA: 6.5 years --- Income: $200k
Last app: 4-6-24
Message 4 of 11
Yasselife
Valued Contributor

Re: Paying down debt

After that happened, how would you handle it differently when finding yourself in a similar situation? @TRC_WA 


Message 5 of 11
TRC_WA
Senior Contributor

Re: Paying down debt

@Yasselife 

 

I'll be keeping my mouth shut if it ever happens again.  Both siblings gave me the same story... bills to pay yada yada so I helped them out.

 

Live and learn. 

FICO8 current as of : 4-6-25 EQ: 736 TU: 728 EX: 722
Hard INQs last 12 months: EQ: 0 | TU: 0 | EX: 0
Verizon Visa $8500 Amex Delta Reserve $10,000 Care Credit $18,000
NFCU CashRewards $7500 Apple Card $7000 Best Buy $8000 Amazon $5000
NFCU auto loan (2022 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands - Cactus Gray) 6.95%
NFCU motorcycle loan (2024 Harley Davidson Road Glide - Alpine Green & Chrome) 9.45%
Total CL: $64,000 --- Total CC UTI: 31% --- AAoA: 6.5 years --- Income: $200k
Last app: 4-6-24
Message 6 of 11
Yasselife
Valued Contributor

Re: Paying down debt

I'm learning from your mistake, ty!


Message 7 of 11
Epiki71
Regular Contributor

Re: Paying down debt


@JetOneTV wrote:

Hi there, everyone; 1st off just wanted to thank you for any advice.

 

Long story short, due to helping out family, etc., we are in debt with Credit Cards, etc... 

 

But for this post, I'm only going to talk about the "Citi Double Cash® Card," previously they closed my account for "NO REASON," and we didn't even know it was closed until a letter came in the mail; I was so upset because they even closed the other Credit Card I had with them and it didn't even have a balance on it, due to family not paying us back we were forced just to leave it alone and put focus on other credit cards paying those down. - Since they closed those two cards, my credit score was already hit so I couldn't do anything anyway...

 

It's been about 2-3 months since they did this. - I was checking my e-mail and noticed, "We can help you lower your monthly payments," so I went to check out what it was and found out it was the: "Reduced Interest Arrangement."

 

-----------------------------------------------------

Monthly Payment Amount: $153.00 APR: 0.0% Duration 60 months First Payment Due: Mar 10, 2023

 

  • Lowers your interest rate to a fixed APR of 0.0% 
  • Incur no additional late fees through the duration of your arrangement.
  • Changes your monthly payment to a fixed amount.

How Reduced Interest Arrangement Works

 

Making Your Payments

 

If your account is currently open, we will close it, and it will remain closed even if you successfully complete the program.

If the account is currently closed, it will remain closed at the end of the program.

If you accept this arrangement, your account will be enrolled, and the arrangement benefits will take effect immediately. You must make the required monthly payments even if a different minimum due amount is shown on your statement.

 

Your first payment will be due Mar 10, 2023, and subsequent payments will be due by the 8th of each month starting Apr 8, 2023.

You can make extra payments to lower your balance faster and decrease your delinquency. However, you must still pay your agreement amount each month. If you make an extra payment, it will not be applied toward the next payment due.

If you anticipate any problem with your payment, such as your check being returned for non-sufficient funds (NSF), contact us immediately.

Important Reminders - Monthly statements will still be sent. Review your statements to ensure your payment was posted correctly, that no late fees were charged, and that the correct APR is being charged. You will not be eligible for any future payment arrangements with APR reduction and/or no fees. Therefore, it is important that you adhere to the payment schedule.

 

If your account is on an active arrangement, then your current active arrangement will be terminated and cannot be reinstated upon accepting this new arrangement. Any scheduled payments that have not been processed will be deleted.

 

What Happens Next

If you do not cancel recurring charges or you make additional purchases, your account will not have a $0.00 balance at the end of the program. If you successfully complete the program, you must pay any remaining balance at the end of your program.

We may report information about your account to credit bureaus. Late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your account may be reflected in your credit report.

-----------------------------------------

 

Is this a good option to do, or is this bad to do this?


OP, the only downside to this is that your ACC will be closed. However, if you are more concerned about not having that debt, then I would recommend taking the deal.

Last Signature Update: 03/08/2023





Message 8 of 11
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Paying down debt


@TRC_WA wrote:

@Yasselife 

 

I'll be keeping my mouth shut if it ever happens again.  Both siblings gave me the same story... bills to pay yada yada so I helped them out.

 

Live and learn. 


Did you ever mention it to them.   Of course, sourly giving you back $3K in 2023 doesn't quite cut it, but would be a nice first step!

Message 9 of 11
JetOneTV
New Contributor

Re: Paying down debt

So, would it be wise to take this offer from "Citi"? - Is it better to do transfers to other cards with offers?

Bank of America Cash Rewards Visa Signature: $28K | U.S. Bank Cash® Visa Signature® Card: $25K | Arrowhead Visa® $15K | My Best Buy® Visa® Card: $15K | Citi® Double Cash Card: $12.75K | PenFed Gold Visa® Card: $12.5K | PenFed Promise Visa® Card: $12.5K | U.S. Bank Cash 365™ American Express® Card: $16.2K | Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: $12K | BankAmerica® Better Balance Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard: $12K | Citi Simplicity® Card: $11.1K | Chase Freedom® Card: $10K | PayPal® Credit Digital Credit: $10K | PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® card: $7.5K | The Bread Cashback™ American Express® Credit Card: $7K | Navy Federal More Rewards American Express® Card: $7K | Apple Card: $6.5K | JCPenney Mastercard®: $6K | Chase Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card: $5.8K | American Express® Blue Cash Everyday® Card: $5K | Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card: $4K | Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Card: $3K | Best Egg Card: $3K | PlayStation® Visa® Credit Card: $2.9K | Micro Center Insider® credit card: $2.1K | Hot Topic Guest List Credit Card: $400 |

| 1st CC since 2007 | Last Updated: 09/29/22 | Total: $252.25K |
Message 10 of 11
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