Get Out Of Debt

It’s easy to get the terms credit & debt confused. They seem to be interchangeable, however they are two different words with two different meanings.

Definition of Credit

Credit is a financial tool that people seek to acquire from financial institutions. Canadian Banks, credit unions, credit card companies all offer credit to their customers in Canada.

I call credit the “before” part of the equation. You have to have credit before you have debt.

Credit offers come in many different forms.
Mortgages and 2nd mortgages Car loans Payday loans Credit cards Lines of credit There a many other types of credit which I won’t list here

Here’s where people get confused about Credit / Debt.

There are two types of credit available.

Fixed loans Revolving credit

Mortgages and car loans are fix payment loans Lines of credit and credit cards are revolving credit.

Canadian Mortgages and car loans are only credit that are available to you. That means that once you acquire a mortgage or car loan it becomes a debt to you. A mortgage or car loan is never credit to you.

HERE’S WHY:

Where you ‘re shopping for a $250,000 mortgage, you’re looking for credit to buy your new house. You’re shopping for credit at this point.

When you visit your local banker or mortgage broker in Canada you’re doing the following:

Asking the creditors to give you some credit. You’re applying for credit You need to be a approved for credit. Creditors check out your credit worthiness, credit score, credit reports etc.

These are all the activities you do BEFORE you get the credit that you’re requesting.
Credit cards and lines of credit on the other hand can be BOTH credit and debt.

HERE’S WHY

Let’s say you have a credit card with a $5000 limit. At the beginning you have $5000 worth of credit available to you. After a while of using your credit card, you use up $1,000 worth of credit available. That $1,000 of used credit now becomes debt.

BEFORE: $5,000 credit available

AFTER: $4,000 credit still available $1,000 debt owing

This is probably why people in Canada get the terms credit & debt confused. People don’t usually need credit counselling, they need debt counselling. They counselling after they’ve acquired too much debt. ( I guess people could use credit counselling which would help them learn about how they can wisely use their credit that is still available. )

YOU NEVER HAVE TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON CREDIT!!

As I always like to say, “you NEVER have to make payments on your credit available. Credit available DOESN’T ruin marriages. The creditors DON’T make any money on credit available.

You do have to make payments on outstanding debts, or debt that you’ve incurred. Too much debt does ruin marriages, and Canadian creditors love it when you’re indebted to them. That is how they make their money.

Credit / Debt? Debt / Credit?

There is alot of credit available to consumers in Canada. It’s big business. The problem is when Canadians take on too much of that credit which becomes their debt burden.

I hope that this post helps you better understand the difference between credit & debt and how these terms affect your personal finances.

Credit card debt is increasingly becoming a more and more common problem, affecting just about everyone in some way. In fact, the average household owes thousands of dollars on their credit cards alone, which is why settling credit card debt has quickly become a top priority for many people.

Settling your debt means that you won’t be tied down to making payments for years, and also ensures that you will not waste thousands simply paying off the often high interest. In many cases, it means that you can be out of debt in the course of a few years, and means that you will be paying off a lot less – but this all depends on the method you use to settle your debt.

Bankruptcy may seem like the only option for you, but many people in debt are not even eligible to apply for bankruptcy – which could mean you are paying debts for years and years. This is why it’s important to look to all other options first. Debt consolidation is another option which means you take a loan to pay off your debts, which can be a great option to help you get back on track. However, this method may still mean you are paying off your debts for years to come.

Settling credit card debt is best done by taking on the service of a professional agency. Fees for this service will vary (some even work for free or on commission), so do some research before signing up. By finding the right agency you can ensure your debts are settled quickly and easily.

Credit cards are instruments that are used when you are carrying very little cash with you. They are also meant for emergencies, such as paying for medicine or hospital bills. Credit cards should be a means to control your spending because each expenditure is reflected on your credit card bill. Unfortunately, these days, owning a credit card means having carte blanche on spending for everyday expenses such as groceries, utility bills, car payments, and even luxury items that have no place in the budget. Over time, these credit card bills add up to an exorbitant amount that you’ll discover you can hardly pay.

Having a credit card means you are availing of one of the worst kinds of credits because credit cards charge very high interest rates. This is especially true if you are in the habit of paying only the minimum amount due on your credit card bill. It is even worse off if you are late in making payments as the penalty rates are higher still. Cutting your credit cards and paying them off completely would be one of the best decisions you can make for your finances.

There are some credit card debt facts that you need to know if you want some debt help management for your growing credit card debt. If you absolutely necessarily require the use of a credit card, pay-off the ones with the highest interest rates and stick to only one credit card that charges a low interest rate. A zero interest card is your best bet. Paying low interest rates on your credit card is the best way to go.

To avoid paying any interest at all, pay your total amount due each month. Paying your bill in full not only gets rid of the lingering worry you will get from the thought of that remaining amount on your balance, it will also ensure that you don’t pay any interest charged for paying the minimum amount, or a portion of the total bill. This interest adds up, you’ll be surprised how much.

To avoid any danger of missing your due date, pay off your bill way before it falls due. The penalties charged for late payment are even more exorbitant compared to the interest charged for paying less than the total amount that is due. Consistent late payment will get you in trouble with the credit card company and you may end up in their delinquent files for paying your dues way beyond the due date. What’s more, this will have an adverse effect on your credit score, as well.

Once you have weaned yourself from having a number of credit cards, paying only the minimum amount on your credit card bill, and avoiding making late payments on your credit card, you can embark on a method that will help keep you from going on another spending spree – start using cash.

With these credit card debt facts, you’ll be able to cull your credit card spending, lower your outstanding credit card debt, and finally achieve financial freedom.