Metro Atlanta ranks third in the nation when it comes to credit card debt.
According to Equifax, the average credit card balance in metro Atlanta is $4960, right behind Jacksonville, Florida and San Antonio, Texas.
Experts say it's partly due to unemployment but it all that red ink even affects those with little or no debt. "We pay more for interest, more in premiums and get less attractive terms than almost any other consumers in the United States because we don't perform as well as they do in their credit management," said John Ulzheimer, a spokesman for SmartCredit.com
Smart Credit's John Ulzheimer has some strategies for paying off credit card debt depending on a person's individual goals.
He says the fastest way to become debt free is to pay off the cards that have the highest interest rates.
But he says to boost your credit score try a different tactic: "Attack the cards with the lowest balances and get them paid off as quickly as possible therefore eliminating accounts with balances," he suggests.
To avoid interest rate hikes he advises paying down the cards that are closest to their credit limit.
His fourth strategy is only for those with self discipline: take advantage of zero percent interest offers. "If you can qualify for one of those cards, with zero percent interest for 12 to 24 months its free money for two years and you can transfer balances of your high interest credit cards on to that one card," he said.
Ulzheimer said even with a three percent transfer fee, the zero percent card can save you interest. But he warns against running up any new charges, even on a zero percent interest card.