To stay off the hamster wheel of debt, experts recommend saving for emergencies while keeping up with credit card payments. That way, you can pay for unexpected purchases with cash instead of credit. Reina Takahashi for NPR hide caption
toggle caption Reina Takahashi for NPRThis story is excerpted from Life Kit's Guide to Paying Off Credit Card Debt. Sign up for the month-long newsletter series here to get expert strategies to save money and spend less.