Credit Card Debt to meet Living Costs
Are you one of the millions of UK adults who are getting into credit card debt just to cover the everyday cost of living? According to research by the Post Office, ten million adults intend to do so during the first part of the year alone!
As the credit crunch hits home and people are feeling the pinch, credit card debt is likely to be on the rise throughout 2009. This research also shows that 2.6 million people intend to spend more on their credit cards than last year.
Using credit cards for everyday purposes is not a problem as long as the debt is repaid in full, yet 45% of card holders do not plan to pay off their credit card bills each month. Worst of all, unemployment levels in the UK is expected to rise meaning that for some people credit card debt could lead to repossession.
Az Alibhai, Post Office head of lending, said: “However, what is worrying, is the trend for people to continue to rely on their cards for basic day-to-day purchases, which could be expensive if you only pay off the minimum amount on your credit card each month and have a high rate of interest.”
