Introduction to Debt
There are many reasons why we get into debt, sometimes it just creeps up on us, and other times you just take on too much! One of the main reasons most people are in debt today is the rise in the housing market and the fact that it is so easy to obtain credit.
Take credit cards, for instance, they lead you into a false sense of security whereby they offer you a 0% interest rate over a period of three, six, and sometimes even twelve months, then when the 0%
interest period is finished they hit you with the standard credit card rate, which can be anywhere between 10 – 20%
Using your credit card and paying the minimum off every month can only spell disaster. Paying the minimum payment hardly ever decreases the amount you have paid off the balance? This is due to
the amount of interest charged to the card after the payment is made. Also if you keep on spending, you will soon find yourself with a huge bill, a huge minimum payment, and a huge amount of interest every month.
The same applies to the high street store card? These cards work almost the same as a credit card but after the initial welcome period or special offer, the interest rockets and you find yourself with an unmanageable bill.
When you eventually realize that your debt is getting away from you, and managing your bills is not as easy as it used to be. You turn to the bank for a loan or get another credit card to pay off the
old card. At this point, we see who is on a downward spiral and who is not? The sensible ones among us will consolidate all debt and take losing control of debt a lesson learned. The not so sensible ones will consolidate and then revert back to using their cards once more, thus doubling their current debt to out-of-control proportions.
Next, you will find some question and answers to debt-related problems:
