Everyone knows that credit card debt is a huge problem around the world, just in the US alone credit card debt affects so many. In most cases the credit card debt is because of irresponsible credit card use, but sometimes it is because so many people are using their credit cards just to help make ends meet every month. We have covered debt and responsible credit card use many times in our blog, but since the holiday season is approaching we wanted to write about irresponsible credit card use during the holidays.
Every year when the holidays arrive people spend a lot of money, many times it is not cash people are using for their holiday shopping, instead they are using credit cards to pay for most of their purchases. This is fine if you are careful not to overspend and you will be able to get it paid back within a few months after the holiday season is over. Once again this is not the case and many people spend way more than they can afford when this time of the year approaches. Christmas is one of the leading times of year for people to dig themselves deep into credit card debt, and then they can only keep up with minimum payments afterwards, and just paying the minimum is going to cost you more and more in the long run when the interest is factored in.
There are many things you can do to help eliminate credit card debt due to the holidays, and once you find what works best for you then you can have a great Christmas every year without causing financial problems for yourself.
- Research other credit cards – If you have a high interest card then try spending some time finding one with a lower interest rate. Many times you can find a good card with a lower interest rate that also gives you other benefits such as 3 months with no interest. A few months of no interest can really help out if you limit what you spend on your card to what you know you will be able to pay back within the no interest time frame.
- Start saving early – This is the best way to go in my opinion, as soon as Christmas is over start putting money away for the following year. Doing this will give you plenty of cash so you don’t even have to touch a credit card, if you can put away $20 each week out of your paycheck starting right after the holidays by the next Christmas you will have over $1000.00 saved up to spend next year when you go shopping. There are many banks and programs you can find that offer special Christmas club accounts, and with many of these you can earn a little extra from interest and special offers many financial institutions offer for these types of accounts.
- Start shopping extremely early – This is kind of the same as saving money all year but instead you could just start doing your shopping in January or February. If you pick up a couple gifts each month by the time the holiday shopping season arrives again you will already be finished, or at least very close to it. Then you can go out and finish the little bit of shopping you have left when the holiday deals come out every year. This is a great way to use your credit card responsibly since you won’t have to charge much if anything at all.
- Search for better deals – I know for me personally I have been doing my holiday shopping strictly online and I have found better deals than I would find at any Black Friday sale and it is much more convenient. Spend some time comparing prices on the web and you can save a lot of money in most cases. There are many sites that offer price comparisons on products that can make this easy. If you do this throughout the year you can save a lot of money and you will not have to deal with the madness of physically going out shopping during the holiday season. It is really a win-win since you can enjoy the convenience of your purchases delivered right to your door and you can also save a lot of time and money.
Hopefully these tips can help you plan better and save some money, and most importantly help you stay out of credit card debt. It is very easy to fall into that holiday shopping trap and maxing out all of your credit cards without even thinking about how you will pay it all back. When using a credit card you should always make sure you will be able to pay it back in a timely manner because the high interest rates of many credit cards will get you deep into debt very quickly.
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Categories: Credit Cards
Millions of people are struggling with bad or no credit, and many do not know how to get their credit back on track. There is a lot of great information that can be found to help you repair your credit yourself and there are also many companies that can assist you in getting your credit back on track. With the current economy more and more people are developing bad habits with credit cards and loans to help them get through tough times. With so many people going that route just to get by a large percentage of them are eventually going to find themselves deep in debt with no way out in sight. Here is a collection of 15 blogs that offer great information that can help you through the tough times. We have many great resources on our site to help you out, and within these 15 blogs you can find more excellent information. Some of these will offer some of the same info but they all have different tips and advice as well.
What is Credit? Understanding How Credit Works – This is a nice simple breakdown all about credit and how it works, from this article there are some other links that are also informative and helpful to the everyday person who wants to understand the ins and outs of the credit industry.
Understanding Credit-Card Fees, Part 1: The Basics – Millions of people have credit cards but many of them do not have a clue about how credit card fees work. This post discusses how fees work in layman’s terms, so if you want to know more about credit card fees this is a great post to read.
How to repair your credit report yourself – This post has some good info on repairing your credit on your own rather than hiring a company to do it for you. It is much easier than you think; it just takes some patience and discipline with your finances.
Rebuilding Credit Rating: DIY vs. Credit Repair programs – If you have a credit card, you should know how important it is to maintain a good credit standing. If you have an exceptional or at least good credit history, it will affect your financial status and how credit companies or other financial institutions regard you.
5 Common Credit Score Myths – This is a nice post discussing common credit score misconceptions and myths. What you thought was true may not be, so do your research and find out all about how credit works and it will help you get your credit back on track.
6 Steps to an Improved Credit History and Score – Here are 6 steps that can help you get your credit back on track and after going through all of this just to improve your credit you will most likely learn your lesson and be more careful in the future.
Ways to Rapidly Thoroughly clean Your Credit Track Record – Here is another post that discusses ways to thoroughly clean your credit score and get yourself financially stable once again, this is something you have to do if you have poor credit and want to buy a car, house, or any other expensive items you need a loan for.
How Credit Works – Here is a nice and simple breakdown of how credit works, this is excellent because they lay it all out in easy to understand terms.
Americans Earn a `D’ on Understanding How Credit Scores Work – A survey that was done goes to show that most Americans do not understand how credit scores work, hopefully this list of blog posts will help some people get a better understanding of the process.
Understanding How Credit Card Travel Rewards Work – There are many people that take advantage of credit card travel points as well as other types of cards where you get something in return for using the card. This post explains how travel points earned through certain cards work. This site is loaded with all kinds of other good info on credit as well.
Understanding How Credit Reporting Works – Credit is much more complicated than keeping a tally at the local grocery. As a credit-active consumer, you need to know how credit reporting works and what your credit report contains.
Money Management & Credit Cards Explained – Another post discussing money management and credit cards and how they work. Thus is another site with a lot of good information on money management and savings.
Basic Money & Credit Management Concepts Simply Explained – Here are a whole bunch of excellent tips regarding credit and money management. These are some great tips to follow and they will definitely keep your credit in good standing as well as keep you on track with money management.
What is APR? – This is a term you see all the time when it comes to credit cards and loans of all types, but there are many people that have no clue what APR even stands for. Here is an explanation of what it is for anyone who may not know.
How Credit Scores Are Calculated – Credit scores are based on the information in your credit report, and each bureau has its own formula for calculating your score. In addition, each lender may have its own proprietary formula for calculating a score.
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Categories: Credit Cards
According to recent studies, over 70% of American families own a credit card. Many people have credit cards for different reasons. Some reasons are better than others. Not everyone needs a credit card. Obviously millions of American citizens choose to go without them. But, understanding the underlying reasons for having credit cards in the first place will enable you to realize why you are using them, why you may be getting into trouble with them, and how to better put them to work in your favor.
The Reasons Tell Ourselves We Use Credit Cards…
1. It Is Easy. Credit cards provide a level of convenience to people who do not want to carry cash with them everywhere they go. I rarely carry cash anymore. I either use my American Express cards for the rewards points or pay with my debt card. Read more…
Categories: Credit Cards

When it comes to finding ways to raise your credit score, you may be wondering if you should pay your credit cards down slowly or pay them off all at once. Your FICO score, determined by the Fair Isaac Corporation, is determined based on a collection of your repayment history for credit and loans. Knowing how to handle each credit card to best impact your FICO credit score will give you the upper hand in raising your score and improving your credit overall.
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Categories: Credit Score