Credit cards are more pervasive in everyday life. There many kind credit cards with different terms and interest rates. The issuer of credit card are Banks and Credit Unions. In striving to create good credit history every person wants to hold credit card. The demand of credit cards suggest wide offering. The credit cards companies and banks offers different benefits like cash back and rewards points from usage of credit cards. And these benefits with raising a popularity of credit cards is precondition to more often usage of credit cards. But there is another problem that raised in the last years. The often usage of credit cards creates more debts for people. Before applying for credit cards how many persons read and understand the terms of issuing credit cards?
The usage of credit cards overall has negative impact of the retail prices. The final prices in the stores increase as a result of usage of credit cards. In the article “Who Gains and Who Loses from Credit Cards Payments? Theory and Calibration”, authors describes the impact of usage of credit cards. The payments with credit cards “involves merchants’ fees”, that the bank of each merchant must to pay to the credit card companies. This fees are calculated in the final price of each product. In this way all consumers pay higher prices for each product (Scott, Shy, Stavis 5). And why is that? Because the credit cards companies promote different types of credit cards and strive to increase usage of their product and
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).
Credit cards have become increasingly popular world-wide, making it easier to buy now and pay later but are they actually helping or hindering someone’s credit? “Maxed Out” by James D. Scurlock demonstrates how credit cards can hurt someone’s credit, while “Why Won’t Anyone give Me a Credit Card” by Kevin O’Donnell demonstrates how someone may have financial stability to pay off a credit card, but still be consistently denied one by the credit card companies. Owning credit cards is not the problem; the problem is being irresponsible with it.
The purpose of usury laws was to regulate the maximum interest rates of loans. This law was created to protect borrowers from excessively high interest rates. It insured that lenders could not put the borrower in a situation where they were not able to fully pay off their debt. However, as said on investopedia.com, “In the United States, individual states are responsible for setting their own usury laws.”
Not only for those seeking to retire, the business motivated economy has transfigured how one must live in order to live comfortably. Building credit through credit cards is often perceived to be the only way in order for a buyer to appear credible. Yet in the quest for the optimal credit score people enter into debt. Considering and evaluating the risks and benefits to credit cards may contribute to opinions towards those flimsy pieces of plastic.
Credit card debt is one of this nation’s leading internal problems. When credit was first introduced, and up until around the late 1970’s, the standards for getting a credit card were very high. 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 around $1,3000 a year on interest payments (Maxed Out). Many people have the concern today that these interest rates and fees are skyrocketing; and many do not
Credit cards are important financial instruments and they are often employed these days to fulfill the needs of financing important needs and requirements. People often use credit cards to buy necessary items as well as achieving access to luxurious ones that they cannot afford with their current savings. There are many things about credit cards that you may not have been aware of. Here, we inform you about the six things that you did not know about credit cards.
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
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 government has ensured the money will be repaid through the wage garnishment system. Only a small percentage of consumers endure this process because debt can be collected by numerous means (Arnold). In response, credit debt was virtually non-existent until 1970, now Americans have an average of $3,500. A time used to exist where only the wealthy had access to credit cards, but the credit score industry caused financial companies to feel comfortable with the broadening of credit cards across the population (Indiviglio). Letting consumers purchase those big-ticket items also enables them the ability to spend more holistically. For example, $20 cash is manageable for a few groceries, but a credit card can cover those groceries and a new television simultaneously. Credit cards seem to give consumers an infinite amount of money at their fingertips. After so much debt has risen, creditors resort to the courts. Over a million lawsuits are filed annually concerning credit card debt, which does not seem like a small percentage (Arnold). And through wage garnishment, creditors collect their payment whether the consumer can afford it or not. The consumers should not be treated in this manner for using a credit card in the means that it was distributed for.
“Interpreting even the most ordinary junk mail solicitation for a credit card requires an understanding among other things of the postal system, folded paper envelopes, advertising and direct mailing, promised inducements, the modern bank and credit card system, modern application forms, store credit card transactions, monthly statements, internal record keeping, check payments, and competition among various credit providers” (Bazerman 1997).
The article is making it seem like the credit cards persuade the students into buying and spending
Once payment in full was received, the consumer took the goods home. Thus, if the consumer did not have the money, they could not purchase the goods. However, during the boom of the late 1990s the number of households with a credit card was significantly higher. In 1998 the number reached 68% (Durkin, 2000). By the late 1990’s, any college kid with the hope of becoming an educated contributor to the workforce could get a credit card with at least a $1000 limit. Personally, my first credit card had a $1000 limit and did not require my parents to co-sign. I got it in 1996 as a freshman in college.
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
Consumer debt has increased by 10 percent over the past three-year period. Credit cards are readily available from multiple companies which solicited the consumer by mail, internet, school campuses etc. Applications require minimal information giving the consumer hundreds or even thousands of dollars in minutes, causing the consumer to live beyond their means. Offering zero percent interest rates however, not mentioning after the first year interest rates rise to 21 percent making repayment schedule longer than anticipated.
The question of whether credit card companies should market on campuses or not, brings many different opinions, some of which are driven by personal experience and some that are driven by profit. There are those who do not agree with this because they know what they have gone through with credit card debt. There are also those who say they should market on campus because they are adults and contribute to the company’s profit. Even though students are adults and need to earn credit, credit card companies should not market to college students on campus because they are too naive and this results in graduating with too much debt.