Credit Card Epidemic

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Recommended: Importance of credit cards

The silent epidemic sweeping the nation today is credit card abuse. As prices of goods increase faster than average wages, American families slide deeper into debt. In the meantime, the banks are flourishing from their desire to buy now and pay later. It is amazing how a small piece of plastic can be so dangerous. Society today almost requires people to carry credit cards. In my opinion, credit cards are one of America’s family’s most underrated problems.

One could assume the banks encourage spending on impulse in order to secure their future. The access to credit cards make it possible to make large purchases instantly. The banks set low minimum payments; however, by doing so all you pay on the account is interest. In turn, a consumer is opted to make a purchase on impulse only thinking of how much the monthly minimum payment will increase. The stores thrive on this type of spending, and even target credit customers with such offers in their advertisements.

Next, in today’s society, more service providers are requiring that you use credit cards to pay for and receive their services. One example is Internet service providers. It is almost impossible to acquire Internet service without using a credit card. The regular payment by check is not acceptable to many providers. Most of the time, a person needs a credit card in order to make reservations at a motel or restaurant. Also, if someone wants to purchase tickets to a popular concert coming to the area, the prefer...

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