Month: March 2020

Which to prioritize – saving money or paying debt?

It’s not always that people have enough money to spend for their daily needs. This is true even for men and women whether single or married who are earning a living. Sometimes, the monthly income one receives from his or her work is just not enough to make both ends meet.

What happens often is that borrowing money and availing of credit becomes a necessity. Sadly, this habit is also a major contributor to people’s going into debt. When loans and credit card bills are not paid on time, this can lead to a higher balance already difficult to pay and eventually debt when not settled immediately.

Research by the Office of Fair Trading revealed that in the USA, one in three people are pressured to avail of credit when presented to them and one in five sign credit agreements which they actually regret. It’s been found as well that majority of consumers don’t always read the terms and conditions when signing credit agreements.
saving money or paying debt
With this kind of financial situation facing them, borrowers eventually get confused about their priorities by the time they have enough money. Those who are eager to save money for their future and those who want to pay their debts right away often ask a common question about which they should give utmost attention.

Many people in the USA today are overpaying for their loans. According to an analysis by Mark Vern, this has put the overspend on debt amounting to as much as 35 million sterling dollars each year. These usually come from personal unsecured loans including payday and cash advance, credit cards and mortgages which otherwise could already have allowed each household to save some 2,700 dollars.

The firm further pointed out that consumers could have saved much if only they were better educated about the loans and other forms of credit they availed of from various providers. For instance, those who took out loans on variable interest rates can actually move to the fixed and discount rates to enjoy savings. For people fond of using the credit card, instead of going for the plastic that charges from 10 to 16 percent interest rates on outstanding balances, they can move to one that charges zero rates. For the unsecured personal loans, a better way to save money is to transact with online providers rather than the traditional firms. By choosing short term lenders that do business on the internet, applying for loans and getting approval is faster and easier these days.

Financial experts strongly believe that people are better off paying their debts for now. This should be their priority above anything else if they want to lead a worry free life in the long run. This is also due to the fact that outstanding debts can easily accumulate interest over time which could make it difficult for average income earners to pay if they continue to ignore them. Another major reason is that savings earn little interest at this point in time especially with banks offering very low rates that are not attractive at all. With savings rates ranging from only four to five percent a year offered on 100 dollars, for instance, many people would think twice about putting their money in a bank.

How can a savings account help?

One of the best ways to save is by having a savings bank account. This is where you’ll be putting the extra money you’d like to set aside for your future as well as that of your children if you have a family. And as long as you don’t withdraw your funds here but continue to add to it, your money will increase in amount later on. It is because a savings account earns interest over time.

Today, people have a choice between opening a savings account in a traditional brick and mortar bank or have an online account. There are major differences between the two and each has its own pros and cons. Opting for the traditional banks means you’ll have to travel to and from every time you need to do some transactions. You will have to fill out and submit forms as well for specific transactions such as deposit, withdrawal and so on. A benefit, though, is the interaction that occurs between the bank staff and the client. In this way, you can easily ask for information or complain about a problem and get answers right away.

By opening an online account, much convenience can be enjoyed by depositors. Firstly, they can do their transactions in the comfort of their homes or offices. Additionally, no papers are required just online forms and your money can then be easily transferred from your account to another account or to a company such as when paying bills.

An online account, however, may not be ideal for people who are not that internet savvy especially the older ones who have little or no experience in computer operation. Some of them have fears about security issues as well as typo errors that hold them back in utilizing the online service of a bank.

What’s good to know is that many banks these days offer online banking service. At least by doing this, they’re giving their valued clients another option. This type of service can greatly benefit companies that have established an online presence and are into ecommerce.

In the USA some banks that provide online banking service even offer introductory bonuses for specific periods and don’t require their clients to submit an advance notice before they can access their funds. These are some of the incentives that banking institutions have started to offer to encourage more people to open online accounts.

Now to those who’d like to start saving and open an account with a bank, whether online or offline, it’s important that they follow the terms and conditions of their preferred banking institution. In particular, one has to be consistent in depositing a fixed amount every month according to the duration that he or she has chosen in order to earn the appropriate interest.

On the other hand, saving will also greatly help you settle debts that you owe such as the short term payday and cash advance loans. You may have availed of these personal unsecured loans during emergency situations but these are no major issues because they’re very affordable notably for people who are currently employed.

If you’re concerned about the future of your family, then you should commit to paying your loans and saving your extra funds because they are the right steps to attaining your financial goals.