Typically, credit card balances follow a seasonal pattern, increasing significantly in the fourth quarter and coinciding with holiday shopping. This year is no exception; unfortunately, it coincides with higher credit card interest rates. With more people than ever depending on credit cards to cover basic expenses due to inflation, this could lead to an ever-increasing debt load.
Being debt-free is a worthwhile goal; unfortunately, for most people, it is unrealistic - especially for those of pre-retirement age with children, a car payment or two, and a mortgage. As such, most people need to focus on managing their debt first since it's likely to be there for much of their adult life. With inflation on the rise (and subsequent interest rate hikes), your credit card debt could be even more difficult to pay off. Eliminating debt is especially crucial for anyone...
Credit card balances typically follow a seasonal pattern, increasing significantly in the fourth quarter, coinciding with holiday shopping, and millions of taxpayers are still carrying debt from last year’s holiday season.
