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Top 3 Reasons People Pile Up So Much Debt

by Steve Bis

Credit card debt and other debts that are not secured such as personal loans, have turned into a big problem for the greater part of families in America . Debtors have become to accustomed to just utilizing their plastic card to get whatever it is they want, whenever they want it, without sincerely having the cash to pay for it. Below I am going to list the top three reasons that people end up becoming so indebted with credit card debt.

1. Impulsive Buying and Weak Spending Habits!

Impulse buying shows lack of self-control. People will merely see an item in a store and charge it on their credit card, because they just can't wait to get whatever item it is they bought, regardless of whether they have the income for it then or not. Credit cards feed into impulse buying that is what the cards are there for to satisfy our need for instant gratification. You know there is a saying "patience is a virtue" if some debtors kept to that belief debt would not be a problem for them.

Poor spending behaviors run along the same line as impulse buying. Some debtors just pamper themselves far to much in life. A good example might be, somebody might go to a four star restaurant, and instead of getting a sandwich and fries, they get the prime rib, the pre meal appetizer or two, the drink special, and the ice cream special. And of course charge it on their plastic. Don't take me out of context every once in a while splurging isn't bad, but for some of us it's an everyday occurance. And these weak spending behaviors can stack up to a skyscraper of debt very fast.

My Advice: Upon the next time you find yourself at a store any type of store, and you are going to make a charge with your credit card. Think twice about the items you are about to buy and think to yourself "Do I really need these things?". If you see yourself charging something that is more of a want then a need put it back, and promise yourself when you have "real money" not a credit card, to come back and purchase that item for yourself without using your card. The essential point here is to establish the difference between wants and needs, your groceries are a need, your soap is a need, the brand new James Bond flick is a want, the brand new pair of sandals are a want. A tune up for your vehicle is a need, a turbocharger for your vehicle is a want.

2. Obtaining Too Many Credit Cards!

This is the next largest problem to debtors getting into debt problems. People basically just cannot say no to the credit card offers they receive. They get these cards in the mail saying your pre-approved and your credit limit is five thousand. For some people this is too much to take on and they will accept every card and almost instantly use them.

My advice:Simply throw them in the garbage! You don't need them. Think of each one of these credit solicitations you receive in the mail as a large financial time bomb waiting to blow you out of the water. The only way to cut it off is by throwing them promptly into the trash. Learn to turn down the new credit applications you don't need them, this cannot be stressed enough.

3. Cash Advances!

This is a very tremendous factor in people piling up debt. It seems just all to convenient to go to the automatic teller machine and use cash against your card. Becoming extremely addicting to debtors and becomes a large reason why they pile up such large debt amounts.

My Advice: Stay away from cash advances. This basically is almost the same as just charging on your card, you still pay interest and rack up debt.

Steve Bis is a debt analyst and research assistant with the US Consumer Advocate, which primarily practices in credit card debt settlement.

Published December 10th, 2007

Filed in Career, Education, Finance

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