Millions of people around the world use credit cards and despite our best intentions of clearing the balance very month, most of us will carry a balance. In fact the average outstanding credit card balance is $5700 in the USA (source ValuePenguin) and is over £2500 in the UK.
Chances are when you take out a new credit card you will be offered the opportunity to pay via direct debit either the full balance or the minimum amount every month. Since most people use credit cards as flexible spending for emergencies or contingencies it can be difficult to commit to paying off the full amount. This is especially true when transferring a balance from another card.
Statistics show that over 65% over credit card holders carry a balance from month to month
Did you know that if you opt to pay the minimum balance you could take over 20 years to pay off the card? It is far better to agree a fixed monetary amount each month than the percentage which is often suggested by the credit card company.
The video below explains in more detail and you can prove it for yourself by using a credit card calculator
For more financial education tips and videos visit The Personal Finance Academy
