Credit card debt is trapping more Americans right now than at almost any point since the 2008 recession — and most people don't even realize how the trap works.

In this episode of Fulfillment Project, business attorney and debt-relief expert Bill Mitchell (author of Say Goodbye to Credit Card Debt) breaks down exactly how credit card companies design the minimum monthly payment to keep you in debt for years, why Buy Now Pay Later can be even more dangerous than a credit card, and the four real paths out.

Bill has spent 40 years as a business attorney and the last 20 helping consumers work through credit card debt. We get into the actual math behind minimum payments (why a $1,000 balance can balloon instead of shrink), the 25-30% credit utilization rule that protects your score, why freezing your credit is free and underused, and how to know which debt relief option actually fits your situation, without getting sold something you don't need.

This isn't a lecture. It's the conversation I wish someone had with me before I racked up my own credit card debt in my twenties. If you've got a balance you've been avoiding, this episode is your permission slip to stop avoiding it.

In this episode:

The real 2026 credit card debt numbers vs. the 2008 peak

Why the minimum monthly payment is a trap by design

Buy Now Pay Later: smart tool or debt trap in disguise?

The 25-30% rule for credit utilization and your score

Freezing your credit for free (and how often to check your report)

The 4-step ladder of debt relief: consolidation → credit counseling → debt settlement → Chapter 7

Why your credit score doesn't matter until your debt problem is solved

The financial literacy gap nobody talks about

Andy's own story of climbing out of credit card debt

About Bill Mitchell Bill Mitchell is a business attorney with 40 years of experience and the author of Say Goodbye to Credit Card Debt. Through Legal Edge Debt Solutions, he offers a free, confidential 19-question assessment to help consumers identify the right debt relief path for their situation.

🔗 Free book + confidential debt assessment: Legal Edge Debt Solutions

Get the book on Amazon

Fulfillment Project — more ways to listen:

🎧 Substack: https://fulfillmentproject.substack.com/ 🎵

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6709cKjw4GWkTTzbu7xPJM 🍏

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fulfillment-project/id1804384788

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#CreditCardDebt #PersonalFinance #DebtFree

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