Consolidating credit card debt
Is consolidating credit card debt a good option?
Well, the answer will more often be yes than no. Consolidating credit card debt is often regarded as the first step towards credit card debt elimination. However, even before you move to take first step towards consolidating credit card debt, you must understand that consolidating credit card debt (or balance transfer) is an action that you are taking to eliminate credit card debt. Consolidating credit card debt is not a means of deferring the problem for later.
Consolidating credit card debt is indeed a good option in more than one sense. Not only do you get relief from the rapid increase in your credit card debt, but also get other benefits too. Offers for consolidating credit card debt are in abundance and are very attractive indeed. Almost all the offers for consolidating credit card debt have an initial low APR period during which the APR is generally 0% (or some low figure). In fact, this is one of the main things which make consolidating credit card debt a very attractive option. Besides this low APR, the offers for consolidating credit card debt also include things like no interest rate on the purchases made during first 5 months (or some other initial period) of balance transfer. This is another thing that lowers the speed at which your credit card debt gallops. So these are the two most important benefits that credit card suppliers deploy to attract people into consolidating credit card debt with them. Then there are other benefits which include things like additional reward points on the member’s reward program of the credit card you are consolidating credit card debt to. These reward points can be redeemed for other attractive goods/rebates/rewards etc. Sometimes, the new credit card (i.e. the one you are consolidating credit card debt to) might be a credit card that caters more to your current spending needs both in terms of the credit limits and the way you spend your money. For example, the new credit card might be a co-branded one offered by an airline that you have started travelling with very frequently in the recent times and consolidating credit card debt on such a card may open up much more benefits as compared to your current credit card which was based on your needs at the time of you applying for your current credit card. The credit card you are consolidating credit card debt to might open up discount offers to you.
Consolidating credit card debt
College student credit card debt
Credit card debt doesn’t shy away from anyone who doesn’t want to shy away from it. It treats everyone equally irrespective of whether the person is a seasoned professional or just a college student. So college student credit card debt isn’t uncommon either. Since the credit limit on college student credit cards is much lower, the college student credit card debt cannot rise to the levels it does for other credit cards. However, college student credit card debt is an even bigger menace because a lot of students are already in debt due to the loan they have taken for their education. If they pass out of college with college student credit card debt, they will have to payback not just the loan they taken for studies but also their college student credit card debt.
Since most of the college students are inexperienced in the usage of credit cards, they can easily fall prey to what we call as ‘college student credit card debt’. In fact, college student credit card debt is one reason why the credit card suppliers keep a lower credit limit on college student credit cards. The solution for avoiding college student credit card debt is similar to what it is for avoidance of any type of credit card debt. So, the first thing for avoiding college student credit card debt is to understand the concept that credit card is not free money and that whatever you pay-for using your credit card has to be paid back to the credit card supplier when your credit card bill arrives. So don’t treat credit card separate from hard cash. Avoid overspending e.g. do not buy things just because they are on sale, sales keep coming and going and there are always better offers each time; buy only those things that you really need. A good thing to do is to prepare your monthly budget and follow it religiously. Never budge from your budget. Another very important preventive measure for avoiding college student credit card debt is to avoid going for a second credit card. Some students have a tendency to go for multiple credit cards just because the credit limit on college student credit cards is very low. However, this is a perfect recipe for getting into a college student credit card debt. This is how college student credit card debt builds up. One credit card is more than enough for any student.
College student credit card is really meant to be treated like a training ground for learning more about credit cards. It should not be make an instrument of debt (college student credit card debt).
