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About consumer influences
Influences on consumer behavior
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Society has brainwashed people to want that which they cannot have. People put themselves beyond their means to buy objects and houses they cannot afford to own. The credit card companies are monsters that prey on peoples wants and needs, and turns on their customers when payments are not on time. However it is not entirely their fault and it would be foolish to place all the blame on these companies.
The reason why people get into credit card debt is because they do not understand how they work. People do not want to save their money to buy the items they want or think they need because this can take a great deal of time. Also people often think that by having expensive items other people will think highly of them and buy these things to boost their egos and show off to their friends.
People do not truly understand how credits card work. There is more than swiping and paying for the items later. The credit card charges interest on items that people buy with their cards and these people end up paying big time for those little items later. If people were taught how credit cards work and were exposed to calculation charts before they used their plastic cards, less people would probably use credit or use it for only emergencies.
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Having good saving skills is essential to having a credit card. Too often people get credit cards and head straight to the mall and buy all these unnecessary items. People who use credit cards with no intent on paying the full amount should be extremely frugal when spending money with credit cards. Missing a single payment on a credit card bill can make the interest triple and they will do this without hesitation or warning.
As technology makes things more readily available for people,...
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...of them. What people like this do not understand is that even if they buy the brand new car or house, they cannot afford the upkeep for that car or house, and will fail into debt. “Debt robs a man of his self- respect, and makes him almost despise himself”
People also get into debt by trying to provide the best for child or by over compensating for their child. The parent may not have had very much growing up, so they showered their children in over abundance to make up for their childhood. The parents will end up in debt and will also end up with children who will probably have no sense of the value of a dollar. The child will have false illusions of the real world and will believe that money is a luxury that they can always afford and that is not the case. Money should be earned and appreciated and spent wisely so that a person will not end up in financial debt.
Through the use of statistics, expert testimony, appeals to emotions, and a few comparisons, Scurlock tries to convey his message saying that because the lending industry’s main concern is maximizing profits, they have made it impossible to not have a credit card and avoid being taken advantage of. He accomplishes his goal of clearly relaying his argument to the audience with the high amount of credible support he provides.
Over-Utilisation of Your Credit Card Limit: People often over utilise their credit card limits and this result in a high credit balance in their account. High balances on credit cards are also a cause of low credit scores. It is always better to pay your credit card bills every month. If you are not able to control your spending habits, then it may make sense to go for a card with a lower limit. This way, you will not build up a large debt and easily be able to pay all your dues. Another thing to note, credit card bills have a minimum sum to pay along with the overall outstanding. If you are unable to pay off the total amount you owe, it makes sense keep paying the minimum amount due until then.
As of today America’s national debt is 18 trillion dollars and approximately 5 trillion of that is held by foreign countries including China and Japan. In the last few years we seem to hear more about balancing the country’s budget and politicians raising the debt ceiling so we can pay on this debt. How have we gotten into such an overwhelming and complicated problem with our nation’s money? Ironically the same can be said for our individual household debt as well as making the same mistakes and trying to find creative ways to be accountable to our financial responsibilities. Teaching the basics of personal finance n our schools can culturally change our financial practices, leading to a more financially literate public and a stronger, more stable, America. If the younger generations can become more financially savvy, then there is an opportunity for our nation as a whole to become less dependent on debt to survive.
There is a disease that is sweeping the U.S. at an alarming pace. It is called affluenza it is very contagious and growing at frightening rates. In 1997, an amazing 1.1 million debt plagued spenders filed for personal bankruptcy that was a 28.6% increase from '96. Economists predict another 1.6 million to file by the end of this fiscal year, (Shop 'til We Drop [STWD], 1997). These are two vivid examples of the amazing rate at which affluenza is growing. These numbers are occurring despite the strong economy and perhaps because of it. With the economy in the U.S. going so well credit card companies are issuing more credit. Consumers are then using their new found credit to buy without even thinking of how they will pay for the products. They get the credit cards because of the appealingly low 5.9% introductory rate and go for it, but the credit card companies usually run those rates up to 18% or more in the first six months before the consumer pays off the purchase, (Insight into the News IIN, 1997). This in turn leads consumers into over extending themselves. Although 96% of all consumers are using credit cards responsibly according to American Bankers Association '97, the typical person who files for bankruptcy takes home less than $20,000 a year and has more than $17,000 in credit charges and of that's not overextending oneself what is. It seems that debt and affluenza go hand in hand and that combination can't be good for relationships.
Credit card debt is one of this nation’s leading internal problems. When credit was first introduced, and up until around the late 1970’s, the standards for getting a credit card were very high. The bar got lowered and lowered to where, eventually, an 18 year-old college student with almost no income and nothing to base a credit score on previously could obtain a credit card (much like myself). The national credit card debt for families residing in the United States alone is in the trillions (Maxed Out). The average American family has around $9,000 in debt, and pays around $1,3000 a year on interest payments (Maxed Out). Many people have the concern today that these interest rates and fees are skyrocketing; and many do not understand why. Most of these people have to try to avoid harassing collecting agents from different agencies, which takes an emotional and psychological toll on them. While a lot of the newly recognized “risky” people (those with a doubted ability to make sufficient payments) are actually older people who have been customers of certain companies for decades, the credit card companies are actually consciously targeting a different, much more vulnerable group of people: college students. James Scurlock produced a documentary called Maxed Out on this growing problem, in which Senator Jack Reed of (Democrat) of Rhode Island emphasizes the targeting of college students in the Consumer Credit Hearings of 2005
Credit card debt is what’s known as unsecured consumer debt. Card debt is not necessarily collected through the use of a credit card. Debt can be accumulated from transfers, such as transferring money to make a payment or to another account. This can get you in a cycle of revolving debt meaning, what you owe can spiral out of control. Many people owe money because of the current financial situation of the U.S Economy. Credit card has a major impact on one’s personal wealth. People who have an asset have personal wealth; some examples of an asset are your house as well as your land. Many people may feel if the house burns down or gets destroy in a tragedy, then they have nothing left but that not the case. You still have your land, but asset also come in form of items that may be more personal such as a car, bank account, stocks and bonds or an item of value that has been passed down for generation.
In the Spring of 1949, Alfred Bloomingdale, Frank McNamara, and Ralph Snyder came up with a new plan for a modern type of credit card. While out to lunch one day in New York, the President of the New York Credit Card Company Frank McNamara had forgotten his wallet at home (Evans 53) . He had a thriving business yet credit cards at the time were only given to selected people. The first modern credit cards was introduced by Diners Club Inc. because of this. The modern day credit card is a small, plastic, rectangle, more than three inches. There is an account number and a name that is embroidered on the front. The first credit card did not look much like what credit cards look today. They were made out of paper not plastic, and they weren’t cards they were a lot like a tiny booklet that had all the same information the modern day credit card has now(Weiss 38). The modern day credit card can carry up to a $200 line of credit meaning you can buy anything you want at that certain time and pay it back at a later date such as months or a year after that time. Some companies require you to pay the full amount of your charge on the card at once, but some allow you to pay in small amounts. In order to apply for a credit card you must be at least eighteen years of age and if you are not you must have an adult sign the paperwork to apply for one. Prior ...
Instant gratification or easy access to almost everything is necessary, to have the right clothes and the right shoes, but usually they have no money to buy it with. This is where credit cards come into play, and where many individuals see credit cards as free money. They assume that they can buy it now, and of course, pay it later assuring themselves and their family that they will have the money. This comes down to responsibility; can college students handle budgeting their money? According to a study conducted by a Midwestern University shows approximately 66% of college students did in fact own at least one credit card. Some students can handle it and some can’t, it all depends on what priorities that person has. If buying a hamburger or new video game and not thinking about it is more important than paying that purchase off and establishing credit than those priorities are not good. Credit cards are just another factor in growing up. It 's learning what boundaries you have and what responsibilities are
When it comes to convenience credit outweighs cash. It’s always easier just to pull out a card and swipe rather than pull out cash and should give exact change. Swiping a credit card is also less time consuming which can be convenient when running low on time. Credit also lets you keep track of your transactions, that way you know where your money is going. I know personally that keeping track of my
Some of the arguments in the article say that the reason why people are in debt is because expenses are higher now than they were in the 1970 's. Another argument is that we are living in a materialistic place, especially in California and New York. Everybody wants to look good and have the best, so they use their credit card to make these expenses. Some arguments blame teens for using credit cards. Teens already use credit cards and spend money. Banks and financial institutions are also blamed for the rise in credit card debt because they lower monthly payments on credit cards. Others just think that Americans are comfortable with having credit card debts.
Here are the most common reasons why people with money in their bank account may still use a credit card.
Debt: a word that seems to strike fear in the hearts of Americans. Unfortunately, that fear is being faced. Most of the people who lived through the Great Depression have a distrust for banks and credit cards. These people learned from trusting the bank with large amounts of money, and now go to extreme measures to protect their money. In 2008, a similar recession hit the United States and caused many people to lose money. Credit card debt continually increased throughout the 20th and 21st century. However, credit card debt decreased greatly after the recession of 2008 because Americans stopped spending freely, similar to the 1930s. It is commonly believed that people would be wiser spenders after the recession of 2008, but now in 2015, credit card debt has actually increased almost back to what it was in 2007.
In today’s world young people are using debt to live what they think is the easy life, buying unnecessary items to keep up with the latest trends, partying, and switching from credit card to credit card to pay off racked up bills. In my opinion young people lack the knowledge, and understanding of how credit works, and what it takes to keep up with the responsibilities of owning a credit card. Another reason young people are getting into debt is from college loans. Some students jump from school to school unsure of what career they want to pursue, and some jump from school to school using financial aid to obtain the luxuries they couldn’t normally afford. I think the biggest reason of all for the debt accrued in the early years of adulthood though is irresponsibility. Young people get into debt because they lack knowledge, have many student loans, and are irresponsible when it comes to handling debt.
...gency (CCMA) (2012), the main reasons people fail to pay a debt were poor financial planning (25%), high medical expenses (22%), business failures or slowdowns (15%), loss of control on the usage of credit cards (13%), and loss of jobs or retrenchments (10%). Therefore, Lea, Webley and Walker (1995) found that debt with economic, social and psychology factor are closely related.
Families accrue large amounts of debt carelessly. Accumulating debt does not happen overnight. They fall into debt by not paying attention to where their money is going due and by their disproportionate spending. Families may also have an expensive, life-threatening health emergency, forcing them into financial struggle. However, life happens in the future.