Spending Tomorrow's Money Today
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Spending Tomorrow’s Money Today In today’s society, more and more people are Debit cards offer some of the same advantages using credit on a daily basis. Many of them do as using credit without some of the not appreciate the effect it may have on their disadvantages. Like credit cards, debit cards financial future. The average family today has are safer and more convenient than cash. six credit cards. For those families who do not However, unlike making purchases with credit pay off their balance in full every month, the cards, there are no interest charges when using average amount of debt debit cards and fewer they carry on their Here are some tips for fees. In addition, using credit cards totals using credit to your advantage: a debit card reduces $8500. At one time, if your ability to you wanted a new ♦ Limit the number of credit cards you have. overspend since you television, you would This will limit your potential for debt and cannot spend more have to settle for your allow you to keep track of how much you money than you have outdated model until owe and to whom. available in your you could afford to buy ♦ Plan ahead when using credit. Determine checking account. a new one. Today, with what expenses you already have by the ease of both developing a spending plan. Make sure There are, however, a obtaining and using that your income will be able to cover all few important things to credit, most people your basic living expenses in addition to keep in mind when would go to the your debt payments. using debit cards. One, appliance store and buy you don’t have the ♦ Always pay your bills when due. Pay the television on credit more than the minimum amount due so flexibility to pay for using either a credit that you can reduce finance charges. items over time card or an installment because the money you ♦ Make sure credit payments do not outlive loan. withdraw comes out of the items purchased. your checking account ♦ Use credit infrequently. Instead, pay with immediately. Two, you Credit can be part of a cash, checks and debit cards. sound financial don’t have the same management plan if right to withhold used responsibly. payment for defective There are good reasons for using credit, such merchandise as you do with credit cards. as financing a home, home improvements, and Three, debit cards are not protected under the education. Credit can also be useful in the same law that applies to lost or stolen credit case of financial emergencies if you have not cards, so your potential for financial loss is built up a sufficient emergency cash reserve. much greater with debit cards. Finally, debit There are also situations when you should cards may make it easier to overdraw your avoid using credit; for example, buying luxuries checking account if you are not careful to that you cannot afford or buying products that record all transactions in your checking account will not outlast the credit payments. register. Penalties and fees for overdrawing your account can really add up. © 2006 Center for Personal Financial Education Spending Tomorrow’s Money Today the number of payments, the amount of Understanding the Contract each, and when they are due. When you sign or co-sign an application for ♦ The TOTAL AMOUNT of the payments. credit you are agreeing to all of its terms. If you are approved, the application becomes a ♦ The PREPAYMENT PENALTY, if contract and you are legally bound to the terms. applicable. This is a charge for paying the It is important to understand the terms used in a loan in full before the end of the loan period. contract before you sign on the dotted line. ♦ The LATE PAYMENT CHARGE if By law, a creditor must disclose all the the payments are not made on terms of the agreement in writing on time. The consequences of not the application. This is called the making payments on time is Truth in Lending Disclosure. also explained. The type of credit applied for will determine the terms that ♦ The SECURITY INTEREST, must be disclosed. Two types if any. For example, with a of credit are available to car loan, the car becomes consumers: closed-end and the security for the loan. If open-end. Closed-end payments are not made credit includes installment as agreed, the loans and mortgages. creditor can take Credit cards and home the car. equity lines of credit are examples of open-end ♦ INSURANCE CHARGES, credit. if any. For example, credit life insurance will pay the loan in Closed-end credit is a loan full if the borrower dies. This which requires the same coverage is optional, at the payment each month for a borrower’s choice, and is an expensive specified amount of time, at a way to buy life insurance. specified interest rate. This type of credit is often used to purchase cars, furniture Open-end credit allows consumers to incur and appliances and for personal loans. The new debt before paying off old debt. The following disclosures must be made in writing borrower receives a line of credit and agrees to prior to the loan closing: repay at least a partial amount each month. Most credit cards are this form of credit. The ♦ NAME of the company financing the loan. disclosures are different than those required for closed-end credit. Look for the following terms ♦ The AMOUNT FINANCED and a list of in an application for open-end credit: WHAT IS and IS NOT INCLUDED in the amount financed (purchase price, down ♦ ANNUAL FEE: An amount charged to you payment, taxes). once a year for the opportunity to use the credit. Not all open-end accounts have ♦ The FINANCE CHARGE which includes annual fees. interest and other fees, expressed in a dollar amount. ♦ ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE: The annual percentage rate (APR) is the annual ♦ The ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE interest rate you will be charged on any (APR). This is the cost of the credit unpaid balance. Some creditors offer set or expressed as a yearly rate. fixed rates, while others may have a variable rate (a rate that may change from ♦ The PAYMENT SCHEDULE which includes month to month). If there is a variable rate, © 2006 Center for Personal Financial Education 2 Spending Tomorrow’s Money Today the disclosure statement will tell you how ♦ CASH ADVANCE: The cash advance the rate is determined, how often it may feature allows you to make cash change, and by how much. withdrawals against your line of credit. Withdrawals can be made through an ATM, ♦ MINIMUM PAYMENT: The minimum at a bank or by cashing special checks. amount which must be paid by the payment Interest rates on cash advances are usually due date; usually between 1.5-4% of the higher than those on purchases. Moreover, unpaid balance. there is no grace period on cash advances. ♦ LATE AND OVER LIMIT FEES: The ♦ DEFAULT RATE: If your payment is late, amount that you will be charged if you are you miss a minimum payment, pay with a late with a payment or go over the credit check that bounces, or exceed your credit limit. limit, your APR may increase. This new rate is called the default rate. If the agreement ♦ GRACE PERIOD: The number of days you also says that the “rate will increase if you have to pay off your bill before interest is fail to make payment to another creditor charged. Typically grace periods are 20-25 when due,” this is a universal default days in length. The grace period only exists policy. Your rate can increase dramatically if you do not have a previous balance. Not based on your poor payment history with all open-end credit has a grace period. other creditors, even if your payment record with the creditor who uses the universal default policy is perfect. Before you sign or co-sign… 1. Read the contract carefully and 3. Make sure that all spaces are filled in. completely. Do not sign the contract if there are blank spaces. Fill in blank spaces 2. If you do not understand the or draw a line through them if contract or if a particular they are not applicable. item is unclear, have someone who is 4. Make a copy of the final knowledgeable read contract after you sign it. and explain each item Keep this copy for your to you. Do not sign the records. application or contract unless you understand everything to which you are agreeing. © 2006 Center for Personal Financial Education 3 Spending Tomorrow’s Money Today Warning Signs of a Credit Crisis How do you know when a credit crisis is beginning? Millions of Americans face financial challenges each year. How do you know if you should seek assistance? Take the following test* to determine if you need help. YES NO ______ ______ Are you unsure about how much you owe? ______ ______ Do you skip some bills to pay others? ______ ______ Do you use credit instead of savings to meet emergencies? If you lost your job, would you have trouble repaying the debt you ______ ______ currently carry? Have you postponed medical or dental appointments in order to ______ ______ make credit payments? Do you argue with your spouse about how credit is used? ______ ______ ______ ______ Are you receiving calls from creditors about overdue bills? Do you buy necessities, such as groceries and gas, on credit ______ ______ because you don’t have any money? Are you using an increasing percentage of your monthly income to ______ ______ pay off debts? ______ ______ Can you only make minimum payments on your credit cards? * adapted from materials developed by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling Now let’s see how you did.