Ever charged your rent or groceries to your credit card. You’re not alone. It’s a common path to high-rate credit card debt. Credit card debt grows more costly as short-term interest rates rise; an excellent reason to get rid of it quickly. Don’t use your credit card to buy anything you can’t pay off at the end of the month. That applies to everything from groceries to vacations.

Consumers ages 20 to 29 carry an average $5,781 in revolving debt — which includes credit card loans — a 24% rise from five years ago, adjusted for inflation, according to an analysis by Experian of the credit records of 3 million twentysomethings for USA Today.

Twentysomethings “are one of the groups that we’re becoming more concerned about,” says Nick Jacobs, a spokesman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, which counsels 40,000 twentysomethings each year through its 115-member debt-counseling agencies nationwide. “They’re out there living on their own and have a whole new set of obligations.”

It’s vital to have a plan to cut credit card debt. Some suggestions:

1. Limit credit card use.
Eliminate the temptation of credit cards; cut some cards up, keep only the cards you really need. You could also close credit card accounts. Generally, you should think twice before closing older accounts, though, because doing so could hurt your credit score. This is especially true for young adults who lack a long credit history. (check out our recent article on how closing credit cards can effect your rating)

2. Negotiate lower credit card rates.
Young credit holders (early 20’s) often pay higher card rates than older adults because they’re considered a higher risk since they have limited financial experience and little payment history. it’s worth the time to call your credit card issuer. You can often lower your interest rate by a few percentage points and help you emerge from debt more quickly.

3. Pay high-rate to low-rate credit card debt.
If you have debt on more than one card you should tackle the highest-rate credit cards first and heaviest.  This usually cuts your debt load faster. Monitor your accounts closely, though, because credit card rates change all the time. However you tackle credit card debt, make sure you still pay at least the minimum on other accounts.

4. Pay credit card bills on time.
On-time payments have EVERYTHING to do with getting out of debt. Many banks adjust interest rates on your credit cards by looking at your payment history not only with them but with other creditors. Consider setting up automatic transfers from your checking or savings account to your credit card issuer to make it easier to pay on time.

5. Beware of low-rate loans to pay off credit cards.
Financial experts say they’re seeing more signs of young adults paying off high-rate cards with lower-rate loans, such as home equity credit lines and student loans. Paying off credit card balances with mortgage debt can be risky; you’re putting up your home as collateral. If you’re considering paying off your credit cards with student loans, just be aware that student-loan debt can’t be discharged if you ever have to file for bankruptcy. What about those low-rate balance-transfer offers on credit cards? Read the terms carefully. Some banks charge 3% of the amount transferred. On top of that, if you pay late or spend over your credit limit once, the interest rate could soar to 30% or more. You should also be building up three to six months of emergency money. Saving money may seem to thwart the goal of paying off debt as quickly as possible, but if you don’t have this cash, and your car breaks down or you have unexpected health care expenses, you’ll be tempted to pay with plastic.