With its twinkling lights and joyful tunes, the holiday atmosphere can create an irresistible urge to splurge. Even retailers know to strategically leverage this festive ambiance to entice consumers with irresistible deals and promotions. Furthermore, generosity is a...
Credit Card Debt
Why paying off your credit card debt is becoming tougher
Excessive credit card debt is tough to deal with in normal economic times. These days, it might be harder than ever to pay down your balance. As you know, the Federal Reserve has raised the prime interest rate several times in 2022 and '23 to try to tackle inflation....
The startling state of credit card debt
Data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reveals that American citizens are coming perilously close to a trillion dollars in credit card debt at the end of 2022. If plastic use were a mountain, it would be the highest since the famed Fed began tracking it in...
What causes high credit card debt?
Credit cards offer several benefits, including increased purchasing power, membership perks, building credit history and convenience. According to TransUnion, 500 million credit cards were issued by banks in the US in Q2 2022. This shows that many Americans use credit...
Red flags for your credit card spending
Credit cards are very interesting, in the sense that you can use them in a certain way and never have problems with debt. They're just a convenience. Many people use them for decades without an issue. On the other hand, they very often contribute to bankruptcy. It's...
Settling your credit cards can do more harm than good
At first glance, credit card settlement may seem like an incredible opportunity. If you have $10,000 or more spread out across three different cards, paying a fraction of what you owe to each of those companies can seem too good to be true. The reason that those debt...
Balance transfers are not a solution for credit card debt
When your credit card balances start to get high, they can be a source of stress. You may worry about your ability to pay the minimum amount due each month and have to pay over-limit fees on top of interest. It may be even more stressful to have a high balance if you...
Simple steps to help you get out of credit card debt
Used wisely, a credit card can be helpful. However, if you are not careful, a credit card can be a very expensive way to borrow, especially when you are taking longer to pay off what you owe if you are falling behind on the balance. You might have had a genuine reason...
Why buying things with credit cards costs you more
Needing to wait until you get paid to make a purchase can be a frustrating experience. It can also be embarrassing if you don't have money to go out with co-workers or commit to a project for another week. Credit cards help consumers by freeing up resources and...
Should you consolidate your credit card debt?
Credit card debt can cause considerable stress – not to mention financial issues -- as it builds on itself and eats up your cash. Credit card companies often charge high interest rates, and there are usually high fees if a payment is late or missed. There are ways to...