A national research company recently completed a survey with 1,005 men and women nationwide to gauge their knowledge of the basics of personal finance, budgeting and principles of credit, and test their knowledge of identity theft and finance responsibilities. Their findings may surprise you.
How Knowledgeable Do Americans Consider Themselves On Personal Finance?
· 65% of Americans think they are very or highly knowledgeable about personal finances.
· Do Americans understand credit scores and the impact they have on their lives?
1. 66.7% didn’t know
2. 31.7% responded incorrectly
3. 35% when asked to define a good credit score replied 700 (it’s actually 740 and above)
4. 54% responded incorrectly that age is a factor in determining credit scores (it’s not – I sold a $40,000 vehicle to a 23 year old kid with a 740 FICO once)
Are Most Americans Doing Everything Possible To Protect Themselves From Credit Fraud? And Do They Know Enough To Protect Themselves?
· Not surprisingly 52% do not check their credit report regularly
· 23% (almost 1/4) say they have never checked their credit report
· 35% say they check their credit report once a year
· 76% (the majority) are misinformed about liability for purchases if their credit card is lost or stolen
· And finally – look at this – 47% of those polled say they didn’t believe they were responsible for any of the charges (oh, yes they are!)
Is There Any Difference Between The Older Generation And The Younger In Managing Personal Finances?
· Older Americans (70+ years) are not checking their credit reports, which makes them extremely vulnerable to credit fraud and identity theft
· 46% of Americans age 70+ have never received their credit report
· 50% of Americans in their 30’s check their credit report every year
· Young Americans are budgeting more – 80% of the 18-19 year olds use a budget while only 46% of those polled 70+ do
What Percentage Of Americans Report That They Use Budgets To Manage Their Finances?
· 64% of those polled regularly use a budget
· 29% report that they change or modify their budgets sometimes weekly
· Compared to 32% who maintain the same budget to keep track of spending
· More than 36% of Americans polled say they do not use a budget to manage their family expenses
Bottom line – people are all over the map when it comes to understanding the importance of credit scores and credit protection!
For more information on how credit works MyFico.com has a great informational site.
quicken.intuit.com Quicken Online is 100% free online personal finance software. Manage your online banking and personal finances in one place.
Imagine setting out on a cross-country car trip with no itinerary, no maps, no money and no source of help. Jumping in the car, and heading across the country with no direction and no planning may sound like fun (and it might be for awhile), but what happens at the first sign of trouble? Living without a budget is a lot like that car trip.
It may seem easy enough to buy what you want, when you want it, use credit cards to handle those nuisance bills that come along very few months (like car insurance, vehicle tags and registration and even a prescription or two), but what do you do when something big hits? Would you find yourself in serious financial trouble if your income suddenly changed due to layoffs or a career-change; the roof needs to be replaced; or an unexpected baby arrived?
Spending plans, otherwise know as budgets, are just that: a plan for how you handle your money, to better prepare you for all of life’s twists and turns. Most people hate even the thought of budget. Why? Because they have been taught that a budget limits what they can have; what they can do; and what they can spend. Smart financial planners know that the opposite is really true. A good budget can be used to set the stage for financial security, and gives the freedom to spend money on honestly, anything.
Imagine the next time that bi-annual car insurance bill arrives in the mail: you open it, looked at the total and reach for your checkbook, knowing that the entire amount is there, just waiting to be paid. Whew! Sound too easy? It doesn’t have to be. Setting up, and living by, a good budget can free you of the stress and chaos of juggling paychecks and credit cards to meet the bills. It’s a way for consumers to break free from the bondage of debt and have the money for the fun stuff , without the worry of how to pay for it later.
What else can a budget do for you? Here are 5 important benefits of budget-based living:
1: Following A Realistic Budget Helps Free Up Cash For The Fun Stuff.
Budgets aren’t designed to deny the user from doing or having the things that are important to them. Budgets are an excellent tool to help stop wasting funds on little things that you don’t need, but sure can add up! For instance, one smart budgeter realized that if she just bought her favorite soda from the grocery store and took it to work with her instead of buying it from the machine, she could pocket nearly $400.00 a year! She took that soda money and used it for a weekend at her favorite spa! Instead of denying her of her favorite soft drink, her budget simply alerted her to an unnecessary expense, which ultimately allowed her to use that money for something she really wanted, yet didn’t think that she could afford.
2: A Budget Helps You Prepare For Emergencies.
Eventually something big is going to beak and need replaced. It may be a $400 washing machine, or it could be a $20,000 car. Are you ready for the inevitable? Budgets allow the user to see where their money is going, and to help them better equip them to both save for emergencies, and clearly see where changes can be made if an unexpected expense comes up. When Bob was suddenly laid off from his job, he and his wife Nancy had very little saved, but they used their budget figures to immediately see what temporary cuts could be made to get them through a few lean months with very little stress and worry.
3: A Budget Can Both Get You Out of Debt; and Keep You Out Of Debt.
The average American household owes more than $9,000 in credit card debt. That doesn’t even begin to account for the hundreds of thousands of dollars we each carry in additional mortgages, car, and student loans debt. Owing money is an American epidemic. It has even been cited as the #1 reason for divorce in the United States. Creating a budget the whole family can live with, will ease the burden of debt on the American household by teaching everyone in the household how to curb their overspending habits and live a more sensible, and stress-freeing financial life.
4: Budgets Teach Responsibility.
We see in every magazine, on every billboard, and in every commercial: you want it, you deserve it, go get it – no matter what the cost. The instant gratification of American credit has taken a severe toll on our sense of responsibility. After all, we can buy now, and pay later, much later, so who needs to think responsibly? Unfortunately, those bills eventually come due, and many people aren’t ready for them. Budgets help reign in over spenders, and teach them real financial responsibility.
5: A Budget Eases Stress.
Money concerns are a top stress inducer in today’s over indulgent society. It has been reported however, that those who live by a budget experience less stress in their daily lives. Surprisingly, that was true for both minimum wage workers, as well as high-income workers. It didn’t seem to matter how much (or how little), income a household reported, the fact that they knew how to best spend their money seemed to play a significant role in the stress they reported in their overall life.
Creating a budget may seem like an exercise in futility to some, but the statistics are clear: budgets are good for you! What do you have to lose except for a little worry? Try one and see what unexpected benefits you find yourself reaping.
CPA / personal financial specialists are experienced professionals who are in the best position to help their clients to stay on track with their financial plans regardless of the economic condition. The clips youre about to watch, provides advice to help you manage your financial situation.
Any suggestions (other than Quicken) for budgeting and personal finance software for a Mac?
Over the past few weeks many people have given their credit cards a good bashing, using them to fund their Christmas purchases and take advantage of the early sales that were put on by many retailers. Whilst this may have proven convenient at the time it may also have left many of us with high balances on our credit cards, and with Christmas now over we are left to deal with the financial hangover resulting from our Christmas spending.
Most of us are aware that this coming year is going to be a difficult one, with the recession setting in and financial conditions still difficult. With this in mind many may be looking to reduce their credit card debt, and this means dealing effectively with the debt that you may have accrued on your credit card over the Christmas period.
According to reports the first two weeks of January are set to be amongst the busiest of the year when it comes to applications for instant decision credit cards, with many of us hoping to compare credit cards and get hold of a low interest or interest free credit card to help us to manage the debt that we have accrued. However, industry officials have warned that people thinking of doing this will need to act quickly, as the credit card industry is becoming increasingly constricted, which means that getting a suitable credit card later on may be even more difficult than it already is.
You may find that if you compare 0% balance transfer credit cards to switch to a promotional rate you could reduce the amount of interest that you pay and help you to save money. However, officials have warned that if you cannot do this and you have a high interest credit card with outstanding debt on it you need to try and repay the debt as quickly as possible to save money on interest and get rid of the debt altogether.
Those that are already dreading getting their statements and do not think that they will be able to handle their credit card debt need to speak to an industry professional for assistance. One official recently stated: “Many people will look for a new start in the New Year and getting finances in order will be top of the list. If you feel your borrowing is out of control or you are concerned about servicing debts or slipping in to arrears, seek advice.”
The credit card industry has had some bad press recently. Some companies have resorted to secretly increasing customers APR and minimum payments to make themselves more financially able, much to the disappointment of their customers. Credit card owners have never felt so uncertain as what will happen to their credit cards and their money. However, help is now at hand- the government has introduced some new guidelines which credit card companies must abide by, hopefully making it easier for those struggling to pay off their credit card debt.
Struggling customers will now be given 30 days to come up with a payment plan to begin repaying their debt. During this time they have the option to use a free debt advice service, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau. The debt advice service will help you to come up with an affordable repayment plan, and offer advice and guidance wherever needed. During these 30 days, credit card companies are unauthorised to chase you up for payments, whether it be phone calls or sending letters. If an agreement hasn’t been made in these 30 days, the customer then has another 30 days to devise a plan with a debt advice service.
Following the recent uproar, credit card companies will also have to give customers 30 days notice before they can increase their interest rates. This will give customer’s time to either transfer their balance to another credit card, or close the account altogether. If taking out a new credit card, card issuers cannot increase your minimum payments or you interest rate within the first year. After the first year, your account can then be reviewed every 6 months, if necessary, and again you will be given 30 days notice before any changes are made to your account. All of these guidelines were made in January, and will be applicable to everyone who owns a credit card account.
When looking for a good deal on credit cards, always compare what is available on the market. Use an online comparison tool to compare balance transfer credit cards and interest free credit cards. This way you should be able to find a good deal with a low interest rate.
Student credit cards can help kids build their credit history. A student credit card is available to kids in college and offers a number of benefits to customers. Kids can build their credit history and improve their credit score with help from a student credit card.
Teach Kids About Responsible Credit Card Use
Parents need to work with kids to teach them how to use credit cards responsibly. Experian and USA TODAY surveyed college students in 2006 and found that more than 25% of college graduates surveyed delayed buying a home, 14% waited to have kids and 11% delayed marriage because of credit card and loan debt. Ordering children’s free credit reports are a great way to get the conversation started. Parents should share their credit histories with their kids and have open discussions about the responsible use of credit cards and debt.
Warn Kids About the Risk of Identity Theft
Kids need to be warned about the risk of identity theft. According to the Federal Trade Commission, people between the ages of 18 and 29 represent the largest group victimized by identity theft. College students can order their free credit report annually and review it for mistakes. Suspicious items found in credit reports should be immediately reported to the credit bureaus. Kids also need to use caution when throwing away mail to avoid the risk of identity theft . And students should keep all personal and financial information hidden when they are in class.
Build Credit History With a Student Credit Card
Kids can start to build a solid credit history with a student credit card. Kids benefit from student credit cards, designed for the unique needs of college students. Student credit cards include rewards cards, low interest cards and balance transfer cards. Student rewards credit cards give customers cash back or rewards points for purchases. Low interest credit cards and balance transfer credit cards can be used to pay off or reduce high interest credit card debt.
Encourage kids to talk about the credit card offers they receive, and take the time to help them review before they apply.
Lisa Nichols is a freelance writer, website content strategist and marketing and PR strategy consultant. Originally from Eugene, Oregon, Lisa is currently based in Covington, Kentucky (also known as greater Cincinnati, Ohio).
Cash back credit cards can be a really fun way to get a little something extra out of your credit cards. There’s also the bonus that, the more you use your card, the more cash back you get; which also equates to the fact that the more you use your card, the more credit you are building in your name. Having good credit is so much more than the ability to get great rewards from your cards. Ultimately, it is also about being able to live the life you want to live, without wondering how you are going to come up with the money to feed your family, find a place to live, a car to drive, etc.
If that last sentiment seems a bit extreme to you, think about it. Your ability to rent an apartment, buy a home, take out a mortgage, get a loan, buy a car, etc, is all predicated on your ability to pass a credit check and seem like a safe investment for a loaning institution. If you have bad credit, your options are extremely limited, and sometimes non-existent. If you take a look at the bad credit credit card offers out there, it will become even more clear how hard it can be to rise up from the gutters of bad credit. Such cards usually have high interest rates and low limits- great for helping people learn to be more conservative with their spending, but not so great for making large purchases.
Other great credit card offers to take advantage of- when appropriate, of course- are the balance transfer credit cards. There are several reasons why such a card would be desirable but the main reason is that if you can transfer your existing balance onto a card that has a grace period of six months to a year before you owe interest on it, you can pay off an existing debt interest free. Of course, in order to do that you’ll need to be able to use some pretty good self control, as building up more debt to pay off after your grace period ends really would defeat the purpose of the card.
Regardless of of what kind of credit cards you have, or how you use them, fiscal responsibility cannot be stressed enough. Set financial goals for yourself. Don’t just coast along hand-to-mouth, using anything extra for luxuries and fun. Save money, both in long term savings as well as in short fund goal-driven savings. Want to go play in Costa Rica? Save up for that trip, while still putting some money aside, either for retirement or for investments. Use your credit cards as tools to gain better credit ratings, as well as for tools to use in terms of their benefits, be it cash back, travel discount or a points system that gains you any number of prizes.
With Christmas just around the corner many people have already started purchasing their Christmas gifts and items, and despite the global credit crunch and the difficult financial climate many people have indicated that they will still be spending around the same amount that they did last year on Christmas.
Much of the spending that will take place in the run up to Christmas is likely to be on existing credit cards, as consumers will find it very difficult to get any other finance in the current financial climate and many do not have savings to throw at Christmas this year given the increase in living costs and bills. In fact, officials from the Association for Payment Clearing Services (APACS) estimate that around eleven billions will be spent on credit cards in the run up to Christmas.
If you have a credit card that charges high rates of interest but you find that using your credit card is your only option at present, then it is worth considering the fact that by transferring your balance to a 0% balance transfer credit card once the festive season is over could prove very lucrative, as it could save you a fortune in interest, making Christmas far more affordable.
For those of you that do decide to take this option there are a couple of things that you need to bear in mind. Firstly, recent reports have shown that the number of 0% balance transfer deals has been falling, and this makes it more important to do your research as early as possible and to compare credit cards and apply for your card early on to avoid disappointment.
Another thing to remember is that you should use the new credit card for balance transfers only and not to make purchases. One industry official has advised: “It’s a good idea to be prepared for January by taking out a good credit card deal. But don’t use it for purchases because your payments will always go towards the cheapest debt first. Though some cards with 0% deals extend them to purchases, this is usually only for the first few months.”
Over the past year finances have been tight for many of us, and as a result of this more and more of us have been turning to our credit cards to tide us over. With Christmas just over many of us have accrued even larger levels of debt on our credit cards, and the time has now come for us to start making repayments on the balance that we have built up over the festive season.
However, whilst we may have entered into a new year, the situation in terms of the financial climate is no better than last year and for many people is set to get worse. Industry officials have said that lending is set to get more stringent, the economy is set to get worse, and as many of us have already realised unemployment levels are set to soar.
Some officials have said that rising unemployment, coupled with other economic factors, are likely to result in a rising number of us defaulting on our credit card repayments as the year goes on simply because we do not have the cash to keep on top of these payments. With this in mind, it is worth taking the time to consider whether increasing repayments on your credit card balance might be a good idea in order to try and clear the debt whilst you still can.
If you compare 0% balance transfer credit cards there are still offers available up to 16 months in length and switching to a 0% or even a low rate life of balance transfer credit card deal could help to see your debt repaid much quicker as more of your payments will go towards paying off the principle balance.
Some life of balance transfer credit card deals now have no handling fee so there is a less of a cost to move and the low rates last until the balance is repaid in full.
None of us want to dwell on depressing things such as redundancy and the like, but the fact is that in the current climate more and more of us are finding ourselves without an income. By stepping up your repayments now whilst you do have money coming in, and by clearing the balance as quickly as possible, you could benefit in a number of ways. You will reduce the amount of interest that you have to pay on your debt, you will have one less debt to worry about in the event that your income is reduced, and you will have an available credit card to fall back on if things do get tougher.
None of us know what fate has in store for us, and in such an uncertain climate it is best to try and get rid of as much debt as possible as quickly as possible rather than just paying off a little at a time and then realising that you do not have the capacity to continue with repayments.
If you have a good credit rating you can still compare credit cards and get a cheaper rate of interest on your credit card balance.
If you need help keeping track of all your credit card balances and you are tired of all your monthly payments being swallowed up in interest, then a balance transfer credit card is for you.
With the balance transfer card you would be able to transfer your various debts onto one account and reduce your monthly credit card payments. The benefit of this is that more of your money would be used to pay off your capital as the interest is consolidated as well.
In order to make the most impact on your debt, you would need to make sure you know exactly what your new card offers you as this could determine if transferring your balance is worth it or not.
Your new card should carry a 0% APR on balance transfers so that you would not face a charge at this point. Some cards also carry a 0% APR on all new purchases which means you do not have to worry about paying interest in the introductory months. If there is a balance transfer fee, be sure to factor this into your monthly payment and see if you would be better off.
The length of the introductory period is important; the longer this period is the better. Most balance transfer introductory period averages at about 12 months, but look around as there are many deals on the market.
As spending on everyday items contributes to your increasing credit card balance, look for cards that have added benefits to you. If you use your credit card for gas purchases, look for balance transfer cards that give you cash back on gas and auto maintenance purchases. This could provide a hefty savings on your monthly automobile expenses.
Cash back on normal purchases are available on named cards and this would be another saving you would benefit from. Most of these cards have unlimited cash rewards that do not expire, but do not take it for granted, always check the small print.
When deciding on your balance transfer credit card, look for one with no annual fee and pay close attention to the reversionary APR. No annual fee means that is one less charge you have to pay at the end of the introductory period. The last thing you want to do is pay all the money you saved in interest over the introductory period towards an annual fee.
Likewise the reversionary rate shouldn’t be higher than any of your current credit cards; you should search out the lowest rate possible, the less interest you have to pay on a monthly basis the faster your card balance would go down.
When you add up all these benefits, they provide with you with great savings as you are able to spend less on interest and earn cash back on your necessary purchases. And the more you save on expenses the more cash you have to spend or pay towards your balance in order to reduce your credit card debt.
Balance transfer credit cards, as the name suggests, allow you to shift the outstanding amount from your current card to another credit card – often for minimal cost. This new card might offer an interest free period or a more attractive rate of interest. If you are lucky, you may be eligible for offers in which you pay absolutely no interest on transferred funds for up to a year. You may also get rates from some credit card companies which are almost on a par with regular loan rates.
Balance transfer credit cards were very lucrative when they were introduced some time ago. However, the vast majority now charge a fee of some sort and don’t seem to offer as good a deal as before. However, if you use balance transfer smartly, then you can still save a lot of money.
Keep Balance Transfer Cards only for Balance Transfers
Avoid using a balance transfer for both purchases and balance transfers. Your repayments will be allocated to the cheaper interest, which is normally a balance transfer. Your more expensive purchases will be allocated for payment last because this allows your credit card company to gain maximum interest and earn most money from your debts.
So, to get the best deal from such balance transfer cards, you need to:
Opt for a card that offers 0% balance transfers, without any additional fees or surcharges.
Select a card that makes this offer to you for the longest possible period.
Avoid making any purchases from that card. Use another card which offers the longest interest free period to you for making your purchases.
Pay off all your debts and clear all outstanding on your 0% balance transfer card before the interest free period expires. This allows you to keep a good credit score and also prevents you from accruing interest and further debt on the initial amount your borrowed as credit free money from the company.
If you show that you have regularly paid off the monthly outstanding balance then you can negotiate a longer interest free period on your next 0% balance transfer card.
Negotiate a better, lower rate from your existing company just before your 0% interest free period is about to expire. Instead of losing a customer, the company may consider your offer seriously enough.
If they don’t, you can always opt for another credit card that allows you to enjoy your interest free period for a longer period of time. Become a rate tart by all means; at least you will save your hard-earned money in the long run and you will get the better of 0% balance transfer cards.
Matthew Lloyd writes for About Your Money. His articles provide users with useful advice on a variety of financial products, including credit cards. To find About Your Money visit www.aboutyourmoney.co.uk
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