I am tired of interest charges being like a loan shark charges in the USA. Who agrees?

Question

Finance charges are so horrible in the USA. They will never go down.

For those who claim I am a dumb blond. I only owe for my home. 3 acres 4 bedrooms, 2 bath, Over 2500 sq feet and less then 10 yrs old. My 3 cars are paid off AND NO CREDIT CARDS! Banks are rip off artists, and if you say they are not you must be making money from the banks via everyone else who is paying high interest rates. So before anyone starts on me make sure you know damn well what you are talking about!

Answer 1

the best way to buy is with cash but I know everyone can't do that
but the rates are too high if you look at the prime rate

Answer 2

I totally agree that MOST finance charges (other than the person citing the low rates that she has) are way too high. That's called the Credit card trap. You want to check the interest rates on the card, not only for the initial period but the long term and what happens when late charges are applied. A credit card company can add all sorts of penalties and late fees. That's why it's always best to read the fine print on the credit card acceptance agreement.

Your best bet though is to pay off those high interest rate credit cards. These rates make the lending institutions a lot of money and the more you have on your balance, the more they continue to make. I forget how much you ultimately pay if you pay just the minimum payment on a 7,000 credit card balance, but if you just pay the minimum payment each month, you pay several times that amount of money over a period of several years. You have to pay off the principal amount each month to stay ahead. If you can't do that, pay over the minimum amount due to avoid these penalties.

Good luck to you. Your best bet may be to find a lower interest rate credit card and figure out a way to not spend on things you don't have the money for.

That's why I only have a debit card, which ties into my account balance. If I don't have the money in my checking account, I can't buy it.

Answer 3

I agree with you. I do not have any credit cards either. The rates out there are loan shark rates regardless. And especially those who have not so perfect credit. I have seen many times friends and family go into major debt because of high rates. If the rates had been low they would have been able to pay the debts off quickly and in a timely fashion.

Answer 4

Under Reagan we learned that as Government Debt goes up. Interest charges also go up on Americans credit. We did not pay attention then.
Government debt was $ 7 trillion 932 billion at the end of 2005.
In March of 2006 Congress raised the debt ceiling to just under $9 trillion. In 1990 Government debt was $3 trillion 233 billion.
Between 1980 and 1993 the debt went from only 30 percent of GDP to over 58 percent of GDP.
If you have debt your screwed under Republicans, they love debt.
Republicans also made Bankruptcy harder for all Americans and Republicans do not want Credit Cards allowed to be included in bankruptcy.

Answer 5

Yes those interest rates will never go down even though the prime rate is very very low. Don't be a sucker! Don't spend over your head, pay off your cards and only use them to the point where you can pay off the balance within the month. Balance transfers are no good, look at the fees they charge, low interest rates only last till they have an excuse to raise them to 23%. There was a time not too long ago where families got by without charge cards.

Answer 6

You are perfectly correct, the financial industry is the greediest of all, with a license to print money. But with a large house, three cars and no credit cards you must be one of the idle rich. Why are you complaining about high interest charges?

You live in US, the center of capitalism and nothing is going to change that soon. Buy a load of bank shares, Bank of America, City Bank etc and become one of the exploiters rather than one of the exploited. It beats working for a living.

Answer 7

Sweet,

I SO agree with you! Mortgages and credit cards are legal loan sharking.

I always get 0% interest cards. When the time is up, I get another and transfer the balance.

Answer 8

Are your knee caps or hands still functional?
Don't complain about rates you knowingly agreed to as
an intelligent adult free person.
Don't enjoy the slavery you joined then get out and stay out.
Read The Millionaire Next Door and visit DaveRamsey.com

Answer 9

SO STOP BORROWING MONEY/USING CREDIT CARDS!

If you only buy what you can pay cash for, there is no finance charge.

Interest charges are like a tax on people who can't figure this out.

Answer 10

If you're getting charged high rates, you must have bad credit, otherwise you'd get your money in one of those 0% intro rate deals. That's the best way to go.