Whether it’s in the accounts of the White House or in the average American’s wallet, America has been carrying a balance. The country is so reliant on credit that we constantly add to our debt, despite the strain it puts on ourselves, the economy, and the nation as a whole. Regardless of our bad spending habits, credit still plays an important role in our current financial system. Without it, the economic train runs out of steam and grinds to a halt, as it did in the 2008 credit crunch. Credit gives us the power to buy greater items like homes or property, and even allows us to make investments and conduct business. It is so deeply rooted that service companies, property owners, and even prospective employers typically perform credit checks to ensure that new clients are able to cover their debt. Just see the facts and figures below: • $2.2 Trillion – according to the Federal Reserve Board, the overall amount of consumer debt in the United States in 2005, up nearly five-fold from just $824 billion as of 1990 • $16,635 – The amount of debt the average citizen in the United States holds excluding property debt such as mortgages, Experian reports • 55% of credit card holders in the United States kept a running debt on their cards in 2008, as reported by ComScore. • 984 million – the number of Mastercard and Visa accounts issued by banks just in 2006, as reported by the card companies themselves. • 4.2 billion offers for new credit cards were mailed to American households in just 2008 according to Mail Monitor, a tracking service that monitors credit cards in the mail. • 19% – The average interest rate of credit cards issued by banks in 2007, CardTrak.com’s online survey reports. Back in 2003, the mean interest rate was a mere 16.5% It is plain to see that credit is deeply-seated in our financial system, regardless of our ever-increasing debts. Clearly, credit is going to stick around awhile, and so the responsibility is on every American citizen and credit holder to make choices that keep them in the black. In our current situation it seems more consumers have fallen into the debt-trap, as consumers by the millions are exhausted to see they cannot keep up with payments on their debts. So, you are one such unfortunate credit consumer, and you find yourself in a credit crunch of your own. Fortunately, the content of this article will give you a view on new concepts that will help you to manage your credit debt and other such debts. It is important for every consumer to know these, so that they can use credit responsibly in their daily lives.
Credit and Debt Management: How to Take Control of Your Financials
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nicely written