If you're in the red, getting back in the black may seem
impossible. But you can take these baby steps, according to David
Bach, author of Smart Couples Finish Rich, $15,
www.amazon.comwww.finishrich.com).
1. Stop using your credit card. Switch to a cash diet, or limit
yourself to a debit card to curb spending.
2. Consolidate your credit-card balances on the lowest-interest
card. See which credit-card company will give you the lowest
interest rate; aim for less than 10 percent. If you don't want to
haggle, go to
www.bankrate.com for a list of low-interest cards.
3. Run a credit check on yourself for $8.50. Look for red flags,
and dispute falsehoods now, before you're applying for a loan or a
credit card. Try
www.transunion.com.
