Is Paying Off Your Credit Card Debt Important In This Economy?

Paying off credit card debt is always important. It can improve your financial standing and lead you too that desirable debt-free life everyone wants. Times, however, have changed.

Paying off your credit card debt may not be at the top of your list of goals anymore. The credit card companies have many people trapped and the rules are changing to keep them that way. This is why you might want to place one goal higher up then paying off your credit card debt. Credit card debt may be number two on your list, but this special something else should be number one.

The Credit Trap

You already know about the credit trap. Credit cards have allowed people to get into debt for quite some time, and the economy did not have to help out then as it is doing now. The debt that was there is still there, but the money that was going toward paying it off is in short supply. You may have been limited to making the minimum payments before, and now you are having a hard time making those. Look at some other ways credit card companies are making it especially difficult to get out of credit card debt now.

They are increasing interest rates which means you pay more. It’s as simple as that. As if that were not enough, credit limits in many cases are being lowered too. While before you may have maintained a nice buffer between your balance and your credit limit, that buffer may have suddenly gotten a whole lot smaller. If you were thinking about just not using your credit cards then you should know that inactive accounts are being closed too. This can happen even if you have been prompt with your payments.

You need to keep paying the minimum, or your credit score will be shot and that’s not good in any economy. The problem is that your credit score is not your only concern. People are losing jobs, and you have to be ready.

Your Rainy Day Account

Your rainy day account has turned into your possible unemployment account. It is unpleasant to think about, but many people are losing their jobs. Those who keep their jobs are subjected to reduced hours and lessened pay. This rainy day account must be built up so that if you or your spouse does lose your job then you will be able to manage until you can make other arrangements.

You want to build this account up as much as possible. Financial experts suggest anywhere from 6 months worth of savings to a year’s worth. Basically, you just want to throw as much money as you can toward this account so that you will not be blindsided and in a tight spot. You know the rain might be coming so get your umbrella ready.

Your credit card debt is important, but so is paying your pills. This is why experts suggest that you shift your focus from paying off credit card debt to preparing for the worst. Once you have your rainy day unemployment account in place, you can go back to paying down your debt. Until then, you want to make sure that no matter what happens you and your family will be fine. That’s the most important thing.

Tags: debt, personal debt, credit card debt

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