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Credit Wisdom. Managing Money & Credit: A Lifelong Skill. Why Credit is Important. FICO or credit score: Credit Card Issuers & Lenders Determine APR Auto Insurers Determine Premium Employers Are you a worthy hire? Landlords Are you a reliable tenant?. The Three Cs of Credit.
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Why Credit is Important • FICO or credit score: • Credit Card Issuers & Lenders • Determine APR • Auto Insurers • Determine Premium • Employers • Are you a worthy hire? • Landlords • Are you a reliable tenant?
The Three Cs of Credit • Character: The way you handle money and have repaid debt in the past. • Capacity: Your ability to pay the debt after considering other monthly expenses. • Capital: The value of your assets or what you own.
Your Paycheck • 50% of U.S. young adults work • Earn a minimum of $5.15 per hour • Work an average of 20 hours / week • $412 - Monthly • $4,946 - Annual
Where Does All the Money Go? • Food, Snacks & Beverages • Movies • School Events • Music, CDs, Concerts • Clothing, Cosmetics & Shoes • Cars, Gas & Insurance • Cell Phones
Credit Cards – The Perceived Great Equalizer • Credit lets you buy more than they can afford. • Credit and credit cards • Current World Problem • Needs are essentials • Food • Shelter • Clothing • Reliable transportation • Wants are extras • Eating out • Big, expensive house • Shop till you drop • Brand new or an expensive car
Who Uses Credit Cards? • U.S. population = 298 million • Use credit cards = 150 million • Pay off monthly = 50 million • Carry a balance = 100 million • 2/3 of credit card users don’t pay off their balance $9,300 = average debt per household
America’s Love of Credit • 1.6 million bankruptcies were filed in 2004 • Americans are declaring bankruptcy at 10x the rate they were during the depression
Personal Savings Rate Declining • 1974 to 1984 • 10% • 1985-1994 • Fell to 4.8% • 2004 • 1.8% • 2005 • -0.5% • 2006 • -0.7% • Hasn’t been negative since the Great Depression
Saving for the Future • Save 10% of every monthly check • Use savings for: • Emergencies • Big purchases • Trip with friends • Car • Down payment on a home • Retirement
Advantages & Disadvantages of Credit Card • Advantages • Convenient • On-line purchases • Kick-backs i.e. cash, airline miles, etc. • Can rent a car • Disadvantages • Doesn’t seem like real money • Easy to overspend
Use Credit Wisely You should use credit to buy: • House • Car • Education (student loan) and you’ll avoid trouble
Only Buy What You Can Afford • Pay off monthly balances • Avoid interest • Avoid late fees • Know your budget • Know yourself • Are you an impulse buyer?
Pay More than the Minimum • If you have a credit card balance: • Make a plan to pay as much as you can every month • Start with the credit card with the highest interest rate • Pay off the credit cards as quickly as you can
Limit the Number of Cards Americans have an average of 8 credit cards
Always Pay on Time • Avoid late fees • Keep your money in your pocket • Maintain a good credit score • Late payments have the biggest negative impact. • Easiest way to make money is to save money.
Choose a Low Rate • 0% is lowest • But remember the catch • 15.75% average fixed rate. • If you pay your card off every month, the rate won’t matter.
What Not to Use Credit For: Pay Day Loans
Payday Loans / Check Cashing Stay Away! What is it? • Cash Loan • Extremely High Interest • Short-term (14 – 45 days)
How Do They Work? • You postdate a check • They give you a loan • Loan last for 2 weeks • They charge you a fee for borrowing the money—equivalent APR can be over 300%.
Risks of Payday Loans • Not a long-term cash solution • Borrowers get trapped in a payday loan cycle of debt • Take out loan after loan