Try the following tips today, and you could breathe a sigh of relief, as they can make it easier to manage such debt.

Unless you win the lottery or make a ton of cash quickly, your debt probably won’t disappear. Does this mean you’re doomed to be paying off debt forever? Not necessarily, as we’re about to show you ways to make two types of debt – credit card and medical bills – a bit less expensive so you can pay them off sooner.

Whether credit card or medical bills have you feeling financially flustered, know that being proactive and communicating with companies is the best way to fix your situation. And not only does this hold true for today’s examples, but you can also try the same with other bills that have you bothered, such as car payments, cell phone bills, utilities, and even your rent.

In short, here’s the basic plan of attack for negotiating lower bills for any financial responsibility you have:

1. Analyze the bills closely.
2. Contact the company that issues the bills.
3. Explain your situation while remaining calm and respectful.
4. Ask for ways to reduce your bills.
5. Set up a new payment plan that’s more manageable.

With that being said, let’s look at more specific ways to lower your credit card debt and medical bills.

How to Lower Your Credit Card Payments

Debt collectors for credit card companies won’t go away on their own, which is why contacting your company and trying the following is a better way to get them off your back.

First, you want to look at your credit card bill. Pay close attention to any late fees because while small, they can add to the debt and make it harder to pay. If you’ve usually paid on time, you can contact your credit card issuer and ask them to remove any late fees.

Second, look at your minimum monthly payment. If it’s putting a strain on your limited budget at the moment, you can ask the issuer to eliminate it.

Third, take a look at your APR. Is it so high that it’s making it impossible to pay down your debt? Ask for an interest rate reduction, which will make the debt easier to eliminate.

Lastly, ask if your company has a hardship program. It can put you into a structured payment plan that fits your needs while also resulting in no minimum payment, a lower interest rate, and erased late fees.

How to Lower Your Medical Bills

If costly medical bills have you pondering bankruptcy, begin by looking them over and analyzing each line. Medical bills are notorious for having billing errors, so look for the following:

• Coding errors
• Double billing
• Overcharges
• Fees for services not received

If you spot any such mistakes, reporting them to the medical billing department can lead to instant savings. What else can lead to instant savings? Paying in cash the second you receive treatment, as it can lower your bill by as much as 40 percent.

Of course, having all the cash you need to pay medical bills may not be an option. If so, asking for a payment plan can give you the power to pay your bill off over time without any interest.