Loans a better option than credit cards for those without discipline
Many people these days are using credit cards and loans in order to get finance. Whilst it has become more difficult to get credit over recent years, there are many people who still manage to get finance. However, for those with lack of discipline, some forms of credit card quickly lead to spiralling debt that can then become increasingly difficult to repay.
One finance industry group has recently suggested that whilst credit cards are still very popular amongst many people, those with less discipline may be better off with a more structured form of borrowing and repayment such as personal loans. The fact that these loans are for set amounts and have set repayments can make them more manageable than credit cards for many people.
Whilst there are many benefits to using credit cards, such as the ability to get interest free credit if you have a good credit status, many people find it difficult to manage their spending and their repayments on these cards.
Americans Still Owe Billions to Credit Cards
ATLANTA (Source: Equifax) - While Americans continue to pay off debts and reduce spending, Equifax (NYSE: EFX), one of the leading nationwide credit reporting agencies, finds many households still carry a heavy debt burden – in some cases owing up to 17 percent of their income to credit card companies alone.No one region of the country is shouldering the credit card debt burden – Equifax found the top 50 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) hardest hit by credit card debt, as a percentage of income owed in 2010, are clustered in six states across the country: Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington and California.
These states also have some of the highest total credit card balances for the country:
Equifax reports that while total consumer debt (mortgage, auto, credit card, etc.) has declined 8.2 percent from its peak of $11.5 trillion in October of 2008, 54 million American households still owe more than $800 billion in debt to credit card companies alone – irrespective of other debts such as mortgages or students loans.
“The good news is we’re seeing Americans paying off their debts and becoming more fiscally fit,” says Dianne Bernez, Equifax’s senior vice president for corporate communications. “However, the
How To Compare Credit Cards After Rebuilding
After years of only getting offers for bad credit loans and credit cards for bad credit, more positive mail is finally starting to pour in. You’ve been working hard, using free credit reports to guide you. Those efforts have paid off.
While this is certainly reason to celebrate, an improvement in credit report scoring is no reason to let your guard down. As your track record improves, it’s even more important to tread with care and take the time to compare credit cards.
When offers come in, even if they are for secured credit cards, it is a good idea to carefully review the bottom line details. To compare cards and get the best possible one to help you in your quest to keep building up your rating on your free credit report, make sure to look at:
The interest rate – This is a biggie that most people do remember to do. You w