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Use Credit Cards Wisely

financial
There is increased use of credit cards in many parts of the world. They are becoming the most convenient financial tools available to the masses. However, many people tend to abuse them. Due to the easy access to cash, there is a high probability of the users engaging in spending which is not beneficial. This calls for the users to use them with a lot of caution in a bid of preventing themselves from falling into the debt trap. It is good for the users to put them into their rightful use and purchase things they need. Credit card debt comes with interest attached to it. It thus does not make sense for anyone to misuse the debt since he or she is going to repay back the principal and the interest. Here are some of the negative consequences of abusing credit cards.
Credit cards make one dependent on debt. Remember, it is very easy to get this form of debt since it does not require any security. With such easy access to cash, it is easy for the users to engage in a shopping spree and impulse buying. This danger is particularly pronounced among people who have a shopping addiction. Such people can become dependent on payday loans. The debt is very convenient to access and spend. This makes the consumer have few chances to reflect his or her shopping habits. He or she is likely to shop for anything which comes to his or her eyes. The overall effect is overspending and becoming over-dependent on debts.
Credit cards can make a person form a bad habit of always wanting to purchase things on credit. Some people even go to the extent of applying for more credit cards so that they can have access to more disposable cash. Remember this cash is inform of debt which has to be repaid in the future with interest. Such users tend to pile up the balances which have negative consequences on the financial health.
Perhaps it is worth noting that there are many expenses associated with credit card debt. The first one is interest. Since the debt is unsecured, it tends to attract high-interest rates which must be repaid over a short duration of time. If not properly used, users might strain in having to service this debt together with the interest which comes with them. That is not all. Credit cards have other fees. The annual fee is an example of the charges which the user has to pay for just owning the card. In addition to these fees, there are late fees in case one fails to pay in time and other user fees. In total, the users end up paying more just for holding a credit card. Credit cards come can with some terms and conditions which negatively serve the interests of the user. Unfortunately, these users do not take their time to read and understand these terms and conditions exposing them to a lot of fines and penalties.
Buying things using credit can be more expensive than buying using cash. This is because debt comes with costs like interest and fees. The user is thus forced to run these balances for months. In the long run, if not properly checked, this debt can accumulate and make the user financially worse off. Such huge debts can affect the capability of an individual making sound financial decisions. As such, the user is not in a position to meet the various financial goals. Such huge debts strain the personal finances of the users; it can make their lives to be unbearable.
A good example is when a person with massive credit card debt finds it challenging to save for retirement. Such a person might be forced to work even during his or her old age so that he or she can save enough. This has a ripple effect. People might not be able to save for their dream homes and holidays. The consequence is users living a low quality life yet they are earning an income.
Perhaps people tend to overlook the psychological effect of having too much consumer debt. Such debtors undergo a lot of stress while trying to service these debts. Payday loans are painful to settle since the borrower cannot come into terms with his or her salary being deducted to pay for things he or she never wanted. If not properly checked, this can result in depression and have adverse effects on the overall health of these individuals.
Too much credit card debt increases the probability of such a borrower defaulting the credit facility. Such debts affect the credit scores of such borrows negatively making them unable to access other loans in the future. Lenders are always cautious of lending to people who cannot manage their personal finances. This spells doom for their financial future of such individuals.