>> can you go over my account? >> how much have i paid in interest this year? you want to get them on board with you. >> reporter: next, gather up all the credit card offers you got in the mail and see what other deals are out there and use them as leverage. >> say look, what are you going to do for me? >> reporter: if they give you a hard time, use this key word. >> say you want to talk to somebody in retention. that's a sign you want to leave and you mean business. >> reporter: sarah picks up the phone. >> i would like to lower the interest rates on my husband's credit card. if there's any options that you offer. >> reporter: in 30 minutes, their family manages to lower their rate three percentage points. if you can't get the deal you want on your card, go to sites like creditcards.com. and nerd wallet.com. for families not carrying big balances, you can have cash back or reward miles or in sarah's case, cards letting her pay down her debt interest free for 18 months. the best cards have no fees attached. in all, they will save more than $1,000 over the next year. paula faris, abc news,