Did you set a New Year’s resolution to get out of credit card debt (or at least decrease it) during 2009? Do you feel like you’ve failed miserably so far? If so, don’t worry. Even with just two months left this year, it’s not too late to put a dent in your credit card debt and decrease the work you have to do in 2010 to become debt-free.

Even if paying off all of your credit card debt before the end of the year is an impossible feat, don’t let it stop you from making progress in the meantime. Two months is still a significant period of time, and here are a few things you can do to cut credit card debt and save yourself money in the New Year.

1. Cut back on end-of-year shopping.

With the holidays approaching, budgeting might be one of the last things on your mind. However, by getting spending under control now you can avoid falling into the trap of going into greater debt over the holidays (just more credit card debt to dig yourself out from under later). You can have plenty of holiday spirit while still being thrifty.

2. Consider a balance transfer.

While a balance transfer won’t immediately eliminate some of your debt, it might mean stopping that debt from growing due to high interest rates on your existing cards. Look for a balance transfer credit card with an introductory no interest offer (like the ANZ Balance credit card). Doing that means you’ll be able to make payments on an interest free balance for several months. That’s certainly better than realising your entire payment isn’t going towards decreasing debt because new interest was added to the account.

3. Pay more than the minimum.

Now is not the time to pay only the minimum due on your credit card bill. It will take a very long time to pay off your balance that way, and you should work on getting into better repayment habits as early as possible. Think of it as getting a jump start on the New Year. The more you pay these two months, the less debt (and financial stress) you’ll be saddled with when January rolls around.

4. Tap your savings.

If you keep funds in savings or investments, consider if you’re really making the best financial decision for the long-term. If the interest you’re paying on credit card debt is higher than the rate of return you’re earning through savings and investments, you could be better off using that money to pay down (or pay off) some of your credit card debt. Leave enough for a small emergency fund if that makes you more comfortable than using the open credit limit as an emergency funding option, but don’t hoard cash if it’s going to cost you much more money than it’s earning.

Stop thinking about your original yearly goal. If you’re nowhere near reaching it, don’t worry about it. Next year is right around the corner if you really want to wait to set new big resolutions. In the meantime set some new shorter term goals to figure out what you can do now to cut down on your credit card debt. Remember, you don’t need to wait on a new calendar to set new financial goals and start sticking to them!