Don't get caught up in the credit card trap.  It will lead to accumulating debt that will be hard to get rid of.There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run, the sword will always be conquered by the spirit. - Napoleon Bonaparte
spc Bd 1 Bd 3
 
Share This Page

The Credit Card Trap

Credit Card Debt in America

Don't get caught up in the credit card trap.  It will lead to accumulating debt that will be hard to get rid of.

The silent epidemic sweeping the nation today is credit card debt. Americans owe over $800 billion in credit card debt, making the need for financial relief greater than ever. And that’s only credit cards; the average American household also owes mortgage debt, medical bills, student loans, and car loans. Overwhelmed consumers are struggling under this massive burden of debt, resulting in lost jobs, broken homes, and even health problems. Don’t get caught up in the credit card trap, learn the secrets of credit card companies and how to pay your way out of financial ruin.

Due to the dangerous combination of high interest rates and paying only the minimum payment each month, countless consumers are continually playing “catch-up” and have no idea how to eliminate credit card debt. Banks are flourishing from consumers’ desire to buy now and pay later. Americans try to stay optimistic in that they convince themselves they will always make more money to cover their debts, optimistic that the value of the houses we live in will continue to go up, optimistic that the economy will improve and create new jobs.

The danger of this strategy is that at some point consumers do reach a limit when they recognize that they’ve overstepped their bounds. Whether it be the day they max out all their credit cards, or the day they apply for a loan and are turned down, or the day the credit card company doubles their interest rate because of one missed payment. That’ll be the day optimism slips from our faces and we come to realize we should have cut up our credit cards the day we received them in the mail.

 

Stop Credit Card Offers - Opt Out Prescreen

Are you sick and tired of receiving credit card offers in the mail? You know what I mean. They arrive one or two every single day. Now there is something you can do to stop credit card applications. Next time you get one of these, look closely for a box (usually at the bottom of the page) that looks something like this:

Prescreen and Opt Out Notice

You can choose to stop receiving “prescreened” offers of credit from this and other companies by calling toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) See PRE-SCREEN & OPT-OUT NOTICE on other side for more information about prescreen opt out

 

You can also opt out of credit card offers by sending a letter to the three national credit reporting agencies. But, don’t waste time. Call now. These are unsolicited offers of credit and sometimes malicious individuals intercept these offers of credit and they can open account in your name. Don’t use snail mail. Call the number.

When you call 1-888-5OPT-OUT you have the choice to opt-out for five years or opt-out permanently. If you opt-out for five years, at the end of that time the credit reporting agencies will start prescreening you again. If you opt-out permanently, you will need to complete a form that the credit reporting agencies will send in the mail.

Quiz

1. How many credit cards does the average US household have?

a) 6
b) 8
c) 12
d) 16

2. Virtually 144 million Americans have general-purpose credit cards from one of the large credit card companies. Approximately how many of them pay off their bill in full each month?

Money Matters

$$ Over 40% of American families spend more than they earn.

$$ In the US, 1 out of every 100 households will file for bankruptcy.

$$ The average American credit card debt is $8,000, carried from month to month.

$$ Making minimum payments only, an $8,000 debt at a rate of 18%, interest will cost over $24,000 and take over 25 years to pay.

$$ In the year 2000, Americans paid out approximately $63 billion in interest alone.

a) 55 million
b) 75 million
c) 110 million

3. About how many Americans pay only the minimum payment required each month?

a) 25 million
b) 35 million
c) 50 million

5. How much credit card debt does the average American household carry?

a) $5,800
b) $8,800
c) $12,800

6. How much interest does the average American household pay per month?

a) $235
b) $655
c) $1,100
d) $2,500

Answers

d) 16,  c) 110 million,  b) 35 million,  b) $8,800,  c) $1,100

SafeCreditScore.com
Home Debt Consolidation - Legit Companies Watch Out for Unscrupulous Companies Get Out Of Debt Paying Off Debts The Credit Card Trap Manage Credit Card Debt Repair Your Credit Mortgage Calculator Credit Laws Bankruptcy Glossary of Credit/Debt Terms
Report Credit Company Fraud

More Financial
Information


Consolidate Your Debt Strategies for Student Loan Debts Solutions to Credit Card Debt Financial Advice for Students Web Sites That Can Help You Get Out Of Debt About Gerber Life Insurance Solutions to Consolidate Your Debt Link To Our Site Send Us Your Comments Some Related Links Send This To A Friend Link To The Site Map Contact Information Report A Broken Link To Us

s_10






s_11






s_12


Debt Management

B7
 
DebtTriage.com

Site Map | Terms of Use | Privacy & Security | Contact Us | Purchase Agreement | Send Feedback
Debt Consolidation Help
© 1996-2005 by DebtTriage.com All Rights Reserved.