Do you have a lot of credit card debt? Have you struggled to make progress in getting out of that debt? You’re not alone. Many consumers struggle with credit card debt every year trying different debt reduction plans and new personal budgeting tactics. But there’s also a common mistake that can hold a lot of people back. Are you making it?

The Top Tip for Reducing Your Debt

Here’s the absolute first thing you should do if you want to get out of credit card debt:

Stop accumulating more new debt!

It sounds like common sense, right? Yet some cardholders have trouble putting those credit cards away long enough to tackle their existing debt.

Why Stopping New Debt Accumulation is so Important

The problem is simple. When you want to pay off your existing debt, you want as much of your monthly payment as possible to go towards paying down your premium. The lower your balance, the less interest you’ll be charged during the following month. You whittle that debt down bit by bit each month until it’s paid off.

It helps to have a set amount to pay off. When you continue to use your credit cards and accumulate more debt, you don’t have that stable starting point. For every amount you pay off, you’re also adding to that balance with new charges. You run the risk of a “one step forward, two steps back” scenario. Not only might you struggle to pay down your original debt, but that total debt could get larger.

If you’re used to using credit cards for most purchases, the best thing to do might be to stop. It won’t be easy for everyone, but if you can go back to making mostly cash or debit card purchases, it might help you keep your new spending under better control. At least you can only spend as much money as you actually have in your account.

On the other hand, if you still want to use your credit cards (such as for the rewards points) you’ll need to get stricter with yourself. For example, commit to only using your credit card for new purchases when you can pay them off in full right away — not even at the end of the month, but literally right after making the purchase to avoid interest. After all, if you’re carrying an existing balance already you won’t get interest free days on your new purchases.

You need to stop compounding the problem of credit card debt before you can effectively confront it. Paying off old debt doesn’t matter very much if you keep adding new debt to the mix. Only go into debt over things that are truly worth it (like a new car or home), not everyday purchases. If you aren’t yet disciplined enough to stop financing purchases then stop carrying your credit cards altogether. That’s the only way you can focus all of your attention on tackling the existing debt you already have.