In today’s world most people have a credit card by the time they turn eighteen years old. Nerd Walt, a financial website, stated “Average credit card debt in 2013 reached $15,480 per household in the United States”. (Bower) The average household credit card debt has probably increase since the 2013 study. “Overall U.S. National debt is rapidly approaching $18 trillion” (Bower). “20% of credit card users often pay off monthly balances on two or more credit cards” according to a study (Bower). In today’s society it is normal to swipe a credit card to buy your children Christmas, because credit card companies now offer rewards where an individual receives money back or maybe even a discount flight. People used to not want to buy their children’s Christmas on credit, but rather work a little harder and save up the money to buy it. Children now days see their parents buying them stuff on credit card, so when they become teenagers they expect to receive everything they want even if their parents cannot afford it. When the child becomes a teenager, and they are finally old enough to get a credit card they take advantage of the credit card. Young adults should learn to spend their money wisely and efficiently at that age. Most young adults my age have a credit card and take advantage of it. I have been eighteen now for a year, and I have been attending college for six months now, and I still don’t have a credit card. When I want to go buy a new outfit or a new electric item, I
Credit cards can ruin any financial situation if used improperly. Let’s look at what our two financial authorities think about them. Dave Ramsey is completely against the idea of using credit cards. Being a devout Christian, he often finds his ways of financial teaching through The Bible. Proverbs 22:7 states “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” You are charged a premium for using a credit card in the form of interest. While you can pay off credit before the interest is charged, Dave insists that many people do not pay if off in time. It is better to get rid of the enticement altogether than to play with the idea of using a
There are both pros and cons to spending with credit. A consumer must be responsible for their spending and plan ahead for the future. Many people are quickly swept with debt a short period after receiving a credit card. Other consumers are wise enough to control their spending and limit their purchases.
Currently, I don’t have a credit card. All of my payments are made in cash of with my debit card. In the last lecture we learned that it is a good idea to get a credit card young so the credit can start building. Mr. Klassen says that he uses his card for the necessities that he has to buy anyway such as gas and groceries. I would like to implement that in my own spending habits once I get a credit card. I would keep my balances low by being responsible with how I use my card. In addition, I will start out with only one credit card. There is a lot of temptation to open up many cards with different companies, but with one card it is easier to keep track of your
Credit card debt is one of this nation’s leading internal problems, and it has been for around the last 3-4 decades. When credit was first introduced, and up until around the late 1970’s up to today, the standards for getting a credit card were very high; so not everybody could get one. The bar got lowered and lowered to where, eventually, an 18 year-old college student with almost no income and nothing to base a credit score on previously could obtain a credit card (much like myself). The national credit card debt for families residing in the United States alone is in the trillions (Maxed Out). The average American family has around $9,000 in debt, and pays
What selection of services do you really offer? Would it meet my credit card debt relief needs?
When using credit cards, practicing self-discipline and common sense will allow an individual to use the cards as an advantage (Lynott, 2008). Advantageous tips are to limit the number of credit cards to two for personal use and two for business, charge only what you can pay off at the end of the month because that is interest-free, carry cash to pay for small purchases because they add up quickly on a credit card, become knowledgeable about the interest and additional fees and penalties, and focus on items that are needed and not just wanted (Lynott, 2008).
Is getting a college education worth going into debt? That is a good question and one that I say yes to. There are many reasons to go to college, such as getting that high quality education to go further in the job you currently have, or to get an new job all together. Another reason could be to become a good role model for your kids, or just so you can proudly say you were the first in your family to go and graduate to college. Another reason could be that you simply go because everyone else in your family has been. Whatever the reason, there are definitely benefits to going into debt in order to go to college, because it has almost become necessary to have a college degree to have a good job.
Consumers use credit cards for numerous reasons. Those reasons are: the earning of cash back, safety, points and frequent-flyer miles, universal acceptance, and to build credit (Investopedia.com). Credit cards can allow for cancelations a payment on a service that did not meet the expectations of the consumer, which is really beneficial. However, consumers own a few too many credit cards that all have different interest rates. The reason credit debt is so astronomical, is because consumers are paying the required minimum payment
One of the greatest downsides to digital money is debt. It is far easier for people and the United States get in debt. Because people don’t see the money leaving their hands to pay for something it creates a false perception it didn’t cost that much. Therefore it is easier to overspend your budget. Whether it is buying an expensive house or charging the credit card for eating out or binge shopping at the mall, spending money is easy and fun and many people get themselves in a lot of debt.
“Strapped”, an extract from a book by Tamara Draut, takes a hard look at credit card debt and the harsh implications it bears on young people throughout their lives. Young people are swamped from the very start of their adult lives and can be forced to take drastic measures just to survive. Even though they have good intentions, they have little choice but to dig themselves deeply into the hole. Crippling credit card debt has been a concerning issue for decades and is consistently worsening due to an ongoing conflict between card companies, young people, their parents, and their financial values.
In the world of personal finances, credit cards play an important roles in lives of many people. Sometimes, it's out of choice while other times it happens out of necessity. Regardless of why it happens, the numbers surrounding credit card debt are worthy of scrutiny in order to determine whether having or using credit cards is a sound financial decision.
The stories of people’s lives ruined because of either ignoring or poorly managing their debt is common and are heart breaking. I did not know about this reality until I took Financial Management, and I know to use them not for recreational uses, but for emergencies. Have a relative that needs an operation? Use a credit card to pay it off quick, but remember to pay as much as possible for the monthly plan or else you will be paying more than you spent. Being careful is not a prominent trait for most teenagers. It is the stage of life where they want to experiment and try anything without thinking of the consequences, like impulse buying. Just knowing the possible outcomes for using a credit card would prevent some people from ruining their life from credit card
Financial literacy is essential in living in today’s society, therefore it should be taught at a young age because people have been going bankrupt more than ever before. According to Kelly Walsh, “Students between ages 18-25 have at least one credit card. By the time they graduate half of them have four or more credit cards that have an average balance of $3,000” (Walsh). If students were taught at a younger age how credit cards actually work; they would better understand the consequences of debt. For instance, if students were to research different credit
Students do not have the education needed to use credit cards responsibly. Nellie Mae (August 2007) states
The explosion of credit card use among college students has woven itself into the fabric of campus life ultimately impacting how students interact and begin in the financial industry. As students gain more freedom away from home they often begin to experience various social changes. One area in particular that is cause for concern is the number of students incurring credit card debt. Due to growth in credit card usage and the rise of debt, the ideas discussed in this paper represent the growing need to evaluate credit card company solicitation efforts aimed at students and how to begin negotiation to amend these practices. Through mediation, the focus will be to investigate if college students receive ample education on credit and