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3.CCS
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1992-12-20
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THE CREDIT CARD CULPRIT
Credit cards may be the biggest financial problem of
consumers; it is not uncommon for a person with a modest
income to have credit card privileges of $10,000 to $20,000.
Frequently, these debtors subscribe to the "I'll pay for it
tomorrow" syndrome. Unfortunately, for many, tomorrow never
comes. In fact, only one out every three credit cardholders
pay their balance in full every month.
And the interest on credit card accounts can be
debilitating. The average credit card account charges
interest in the 18 to 20 percent range. This means that an
account with an outstanding balance of $2,000 will incur
interest charges of approximately $35 per month. Let's
assume that $2,000 in purchases are made on a credit card
and payments of $100 are made each month. The total payments
would equal roughly $2,600 -- this is roughly 30 percent
more than if one had paid cash!
Credit card horror stories abound, from luxury item buying
sprees, to taking cash advances to cover minimum monthly
credit card account payments or to make home mortgage
payments. Credit card ■cash advance■ usage is dramatically
on the rise; as people lose their jobs, the ■quick fix■ of a
cash advance looks very attractive. The sad truth is that
cash advances are given at a higher rate of interest and may
involve a processing fee. So, in the long run, using a cash
advance can only compound problems.
Americans have been sold a bill of goods. There is not a
single transaction I can think of that cannot be done using
cash or a check. Yes, you can even rent a car using cash;
it's not easy, but, it can be done.
But, what about ease and convenience? Mail orders placed
using a credit card can take days or even weeks less to
arrive, right? But then again, so will orders that promise a
certified cashier's check. What about the department store
check out line? Ever notice that a cash sale takes much less
time than a charge transaction?
Think for a moment. Why do credit cards exist? What purpose
do they serve in our society? What true convenience do they
offer? What have they done to the financial foundation of
America? What have they done for you? Credit cards -- Do we
really need them?
* * * * * End of The Credit Card Culprit * * * * *