Do you cringe each month when the credit card bill arrives? Are you frightened to look at the details and perhaps even leave the envelope unopened in the hope that somehow by avoiding it the debt will disappear? You are not alone. More than 8.5% of credit card balances are 3 months or more in arrears in the UK alone, and with more credit cards in the UK than people that is one heck of a lot of debt.
But how is that so many of us get into difficulties with credit cards, and what can we do to totally eliminate credit card debt forever?
In the western world we live in a materialistic society where it has become the norm to judge our neighbours by the clothes they wear, or the car they drive, or the items that furnish their homes. It is not a fair judgment of course, and is no measure whatsoever of the people themselves, but sadly it has become an unhealthy reality in today's society.
Have your children ever asked for a particular brand of shoes or clothing simply because another child at their school wears that type? This is an example of the kind of peer pressure that is at the root of the problem. The pressure to keep up with the latest trend can be phenomenal; and it is not just children who feel this pressure; adults too can be made to feel like a failure if they don't conform to expectations. This pressure is constantly reinforced by the latest all powerful advertising campaigns from big brand companies who will spend countless millions in their efforts to persuade us to spend ever more.
So it is no wonder that we often turn to the lure of the easy payment solution offered by a credit card on a buy now pay later basis.
The trouble is, unless we are able to pay off the borrowed amount within the allotted time scale (usually a month, but sometimes up to 60 days), we incur heavy interest penalties and if we continue to spend can very quickly become inundated with out of control debt.
Here's the hard part – stop spending money you don't have on unnecessary things! I know it isn't very exciting. But just stop for a minute and think about what you are spending that money on... Do you really need a new mobile phone? Your old one still works fine, so is the replacement you are currently lusting after merely a fashion accessory? Wake up to the relentless pressure of advertising and recognise the latest 'must-have' item it for what it is – a fad that will pass as quickly as it arrived.
If you are one of the 3.4 million people in the UK who pay off only the minimum amount of their credit card balance each month then you will need to change your habits. To totally eliminate credit card debt forever requires discipline and maybe even a shift of attitude and a step back from society's expectations.
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