Credit card debt is one of the leading problems many people face when it comes to dealing with their bills. It is hard to get control of this debt, thanks to the high rate of interest many cards come with. With determination and patience, you can bring your credit debt under control. Here are twelve tips to help you keep your credit card debt to a minimum, from the very first card you ever own to the last card in your wallet with the high balance.

Your first credit card
1. Try to use your credit card only for emergency purposes. This is easier said than done, and it's actually better to use your card if you have a rewards program attached to it that pays you back in some way to use your card. Don't charge a lot on it and use it for recurring expenses if you can to get the rewards.
2. Pay off your balance in full each month by making sure you do not charge anymore on it than what you can pay back when the bill comes in. If you cannot pay off the whole balance at once, pay off as much of it as you can.
3. Try to create an emergency savings fund to help with emergency costs that you may need to put on your credit card. It's good to have about three to six months of regular expenses set aside.
4. Do not get involved with 0% cards, because in order to take advantage of this interest rate you need to be able to pay off your bill each month.
5. Stay away from credit cards with high interest rates, small credit limits and additional fees.

Your credit card with growing debt
1. Treat your credit card debt like it was your mortgage payment and pay it down as quickly as possible to keep from being charged outrageous amounts of interest.
2. Make a plan to pay down your credit card balance and set a goal to do it by, so that you do not have interest consistently accruing and making your debt grow.
3. Once again pay off as much of the balance as you can and sacrifice some things to get this bill paid off before you get slammed with accrued interest.
4. Always pay off the highest interest rate card first and then pay off the next highest and so forth. This way you are actually decreasing the overall interest payments you have to worry about.
5. If you cannot pay off the higher cards first, switch and pay off the smallest interest rate card first. You'll feel like you've accomplished something with each one you pay.
6. Consider taking out a consolidation loan on your credit cards and reducing the amount you pay every month to one payment that is more manageable.
7. If you need to - and only as a last resort - consider filing for bankruptcy. Bankruptcy will affect your credit record for years to come and it should only be used if nothing else works.