A very common strategy for handling debt is to use the "Do it Yourself" approach.  Most people only seek assistance or advice when they lose control, and it's the same with your debt, only it usually takes longer to recognize the patterns that lead to financial ruin. It's very common to keep making those minimum payments until you are having to juggle payments or look for more low interest offers just to keep you hanging on the edge. This  usually turns into a situation where you just hope the problem just goes away on it's own, which is not likely to happen.

Only YOU can decide when it's time for some help. Maybe you
will win the lottery or get a large raise, and all your problems will disappear. However, if you are only able to make minimum or near-minimum payments, it's more likely that the situation will become more and more desperate until you are backed into a corner. If you see yourself heading down that path, you may want to consider getting some help now, before your options dwindle.

Most people who have a large debt load just continue to pay each statement as it comes due, and then do the best they can at that point. You live day to day struggling to pay each bill, instead of considering solutions that may get you out of debt completely.

And making minimum payments is a slow way to get out of debt. If you check how much of your payments go to reduce the balance and how much just goes to the bank in the form of interest, you'll soon find that your struggling is getting you nowhere.

As time passes and you keep making minimum payments , you may notice that your balances aren't decreasing. Additionally, if you are close to your credit limit, making a minimum payment may not be enough to keep you from going over the limit, resulting in an over limit fee that can be as much as $35. Now, you have to come up with an extra $35 to pay the fee the next month, and you can't afford to pay one of your other debts, resulting in a $25 late fee. You have to juggle another payment to be able to afford that payment.

The next thing you know , your creditors raise your interest rates because some payments have been late and you are over your limit. Suddenly the interest you are paying increases, raising your payments even more.

At this point, you may decide to call your creditors and ask for some help. So you call their customer service center and explain your situation. You may try to negotiate a lower interest rate or a lower minimum payment or both. They will transfer you to a special department, trained to deal with customers like you. Then they will either attempt to pressure you into making your regular payment, or they will offer you their "hardship plan", which most people accept.

On these hardship plans , the bank will typically reduce your interest for six months, "graciously" allowing you the time to get back on your feet. Unfortunately even if they temporarily lower your interest rate, most of the payment you are sending in will still go toward interest charges. So if you are still only able to make minimum payments during this six month period, you will barely chip away at your balance. Then your interest rate will increase again, and you will continue to fight to lower your balance. You will continue to fall further and further behind, considering drastic measures such as bankruptcy to end the worry and fear that comes with being in debt.

The only way a "do it yourself" plan works is if you can afford to pay large chunks of your balance off at a time... and face it, if you could do that, you wouldn't be in debt in the first place.