Some people use personal loans as a financial band-aid. They take out a debt consolidation loan, pay off their balance, and keep using their credit cards as usual.

Doing this doesn’t solve the problem of how you got into debt in the first place. You need to examine what happened. Sometimes, it’s because of factors outside of your control. Did you run up a balance because of some unexpected medical bills? Did you lose your job and have to use a credit card for basic living expenses?

Or do you have a cash-flow problem and spend more than you earn? If the latter is true, then you have to start by changing your spending habits. If you don’t, then you’ll just find yourself in the same situation later on.