Why Young People Are Getting Into Debt
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.
The lack of knowledge plays a big part in the debt young people are getting themselves into. Credit cards are often offered to young adults as soon as they get out of high school. Many take advantage of having a credit card without even thinking about the responsibilities that come with it, instead they think about the things they will be able to buy. In “Generation Debt” the author Tamara Draut says that young people are getting into debt younger than ever before. Two of the reasons that are more costly on young students that hit hard on the budget are car repairs, and travel for students who have families and friends in other states (231). From my experience I know first-hand what it was like to be offered credit cards right out of high school, and I didn’t hesitate to get any of them. I st...
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...ey buy things using credit without taking into consideration that life is always changing, there are always some unexpected bumps in the road that catch us off guard and can change our money situation, they are too concerned with being young and having fun, getting things the easy way. Some struggle because of the life situations they were thrown into, but most of them are struggling because they put themselves there and are too unwilling to change their lifestyle to get to a better place. Then there are those who do care but pursuing the dream career they want has left them swamped with school loans. Young people lack the knowledge and responsibility to handle credit cards and taking care of their debt, and some are just trying to get the job they dreamed of since they were young, leaving them paying for it later on in life mentally, emotionally, and financially.
At some point in life, I will need to buy a car, house, or other commodity. There also is a large possibility that I will have a credit card in the near future. Knowing and learning more about this “debt trap” that other Americans are falling into, can help prevent me from making the same mistakes. Also, knowing about this problem can help us as a society be more understanding to people who are lower class. People could be victims of some of these traps and without knowing how someone got to the social status they are, we cannot make assumptions and put the blame all onto them.
Researches have noticed that millennials are better educated than any other generation. However, they tend to have lower earnings and are more likely to live in poverty. They also have significantly higher student loan debts and levels of unemployment, with much lower personal incomes. It seems that, although they are more educated, the cost of this schooling is burying millennials in debt. Only 42% of millennials now consider
Many people would agree that our country’s young adults have and continue to incur a lifetime of debt by enrolling in college. It’s become an almost acceptable understanding that if you plan to attend college, you might as well expect to graduate with an enormous amount of debt. Robin Wilson, a reporter for the “Chronicle of Higher Education,” and author of “A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely” suggests student loans are very real and can be life altering.
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
Cliff A. Robb and Deanna L. Sharpe began their article “Effects of Personal Financial Knowledge on College Students’ Credit Card Behavior” with clarification regarding the study and also a succinct historical introduction to the ‘invasion’ of credit card companies on college campuses. Their study was based on the analysis of survey data composed from 6,520 students at a grand Midwestern University. This study revealed that financial knowledge was a compelling factor in the credit card decisions regarding college students.
Currently there are 1.2 billion active credit cards used in the United States. A typical purchase on a credit card cost more than 112% then a purchase paid for by cash. Americans are not only purchasing items on their credit cards as they go on shopping sprees. They are now paying their rent, tuition, utilities, car payments, and anything else they can think of. 9 in 10 credit cards users say that their credit card debt is nothing they worry about, but 47% of these people refused to tell a friend exactly how much they owe. (Paul Bannister, bankrate.com).
Children of the twenty first century spend nearly 13 years in school, preparing for what is college, one of the only ways to achieve the so-called “American Dream”. College is the best way to start an advanced career and go further than one possibly could if college degrees were not available, allowing people to achieve their view of the American Dream; whether it be large houses, shiny cars, multiple kids, or financial comfort, college is the stepping stone to achieve the American Dream. But all great things come with a price, college dragging along debt. Students who attend college struggle to find ways to pay for it, leading to applying for student loans. These loans a great short term, paying for the schooling at the moment but eventually the money adds up
Most kids that have graduated high school have never been educated on the subject of personal finance, so they don’t know things like how to pay bills, or even how to do something as simple as applying for a job. According to a family friend of mine, Ron Hart; who happens to also be an award-wining author and TV/radio commentator, believes that students in high school don’t learn anything about how to get a job or get prepared financially. He states that, “ Students should prepare for a job. Maybe, instead of taking a fifth field trip to the Trail of Tears site, do one to learn about real jobs in an area they might want.” Hart believes that most basic high schools aren’t teaching students how to become financially stable for their future, which can cause major issues. He claims that “few schools teach about the value of hard work, ingenuity, gumption and entrepreneurship. Those lessons are as rare as Donald Trump bumper stickers in the faculty parking lot.” Hart also goes on to talk about how high school does not prepare you for life the same way college will. There are so many more lessons to learn there that people are missing out on. College is very important due to the fact that it will teach students more skills about finance and job seeking that most high schools don’t. In college, kids will learn how to save and budget their money, pay for their own expenses, and prioritize their needs verses their wants. Learning financial responsibility is also something that kids will carry with them throughout their jobs and their life. Having more freedom to understand the concepts of person finance will allow students to make mature decisions while easing their way into real world
Credit cards are something that are almost needed in everyday life now, as most dont have the money available to purchase a car or house and so need credit, thus needing credit cards to help build that credit. Those cards are hard to handle, and receiving applications in the mail daily, and commercials appearing on television don’t seem to make the struggle of staying away any easier. This starts to spark an interest. So people begin to think, "I think I 'm responsible enough to get a credit card, I 'll only use it for emergencies." Then the application process begins and it may take a couple times to finally be approved for one. This only makes it worse, of course, because realizing how long a credit card wasn’t applicable to life, but now
Credit plays a significant role when it comes to consumer spending, but can have a significant impact if misused. It doesn’t take much for consumers to get in over their head with the overuse of credit, credit debt can quickly mount if left unchecked. According to Stinson (2016), “The road to a credit card debt pileup is often paved with spending that seemed like a good idea at the time. But too many well-intended moves can lead you into a financial ditch and ruin your credit” (Stinson,
Questions like “what is most important?” and “what is needed?” are commonly asked to help provide a focus toward where money will be spent. Having enough money for bills, food, doctor visits, fuel for vehicles, insurance, and an abundance of other things becomes a major struggle. Top priorities must be managed accordingly so there is enough money to pay for what is most important. Having a strict budget also makes it difficult to save money. For instance, if a student were to take out a loan for $15,000 then drop out and work for minimum wage, it would take over two years to pay back the loan. Acquiring a large sum of debt is never a good thing. It causes high levels of stress and fatigue. It also creates a low credit score. A good credit score is needed in order to buy a house, car, and other high price items. Debt can build as time progresses, eventually leading into a whirlpool of financial
One might say there is a strong argument for the requirement of financial literacy for students in America. Americans continue to have increased balances on their credit cards as well as show a continued increase in bankruptcy filings according to statistics. Even the “baby boomer” generation is no longer exempt from financial hardships, as their generation has recently taken the title of “Fastest Growing Bankruptcy Demographic” from the 25 – 34 year olds (Linfield, 2011). Would it not make sense to say that Americans need to learn how to budget and borrow more wisely? Would not the best place to start be in schools? Well, the answer to that question is not a simple one.
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.
Families accrue large amount of debt carelessly. Accumulating debt does not happen overnight. They fall in 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. Parents also get laid off their jobs and it takes months to find another one, so they depend on credit cards and loans to survive with their youngsters. Parents may not recognized the dangers the situation of being in debt. Nonetheless, if they are able to recognize the process of how the get in of debt, they might be able to avoid this stressful situation.