Credit Card Woes - The Call

So now after a couple of years in Just-swipe-it Heaven, you find yourself in Barely-scraped-through-minimum-payment Purgatory heading towards Tell-them-I’m-not-here Hell!

For those of you who are inevitably plummeting down credit card debt hell, let me soften-up your landing a bit. And for those already wailing and gnashing their teeth from debt heat, let me ease your suffering a bit with a bucket of ice water.

That’s right folks, there is hope and respite from your credit card woes. But no, I’m not gonna help you pay. All I’m going to do is enlighten you a bit with regards to your situation.

Pop Quiz: You’re receiving maddening calls from seemingly very angry people calling you names, looking for you wherever you are, asking you to pay up.

What to do hotshot: Take the call if you can’t avoid it. Relax, take a deep breath, and sit down comfortably. Answer with a simple yes or no. No need to explain yourself, they’re not there to listen to you whine, they just want your money.
Now most of them will come on to you like mafia dons, shaming you with your inability to pay, threatening that they’re coming to get you and that slab of flesh from your behind.

Well, that’s what they think!

When that guy on the phone starts to raise his voice, just tell him this: "Mister, stop play-acting. I don’t owe you any money, you’re just a poor employee collector agent whatever, so don’t act as if it’s your money I owe."

Now that he has realized you’ve caught him in his act - (yup, that’s all it is, just an act, so relax!) -he can’t possibly get on with it anymore. Whatever he says afterwards will sound flat to you and to him too, like you’re hearing an old joke. Besides, he can’t really be mad, he’ll probably get a commission when he collects from you.

Some of these credit card collectors may try to harass and put you in embarassing situations and even if you're able to put them in their place, you find that the damage has already been done. Well, just grin and bear it, but I'll tell you this: It's just a phase. It will pass.

But what if the caller sounds like an angel from up high? Gently reminding you that you need to pay up or else...

He’s playing the good cop act then so just ignore the ‘or else’ stuff too. But this would be a good time to work-up a deal, just make sure it’s on your terms. Tell him how much you can comfortably pay in a month. If he relents, fine, but if not, you can go hang-up that phone. Don’t worry, he’ll call back. And be it good cop or bad cop, you’re gonna be ready.


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Related: The Letter, The Visit, Conclusion


Next… THE LETTER