By Sarah Senn
Operations Manager
The holiday season is quickly approaching. Holiday lights, music and shopping are just a few of the traditions that we look forward to. For many, the holidays are a time of cheer, for reflecting over the last 365 days, and for being with family and loved ones. For others, there is a looming dread of being able to afford holiday dinners and gifts.
The average consumer spent $928.76 on Christmas gifts in 2019. 21.5% of those surveyed went into debt over Christmas, and 29.7% who went into debt hoped to pay it back with their tax returns. Many had no idea how they would get out of debt. For anyone with fair credit, they may have been charged an average credit card interest rate of 22.84% on their debt.
Only 42% of shoppers said they would be able to pay off their holiday purchases within three months; 58% said it would take them more than five months to pay off the debt. What does this mean for consumers making only the minimum payments on their credit cards? It could take more than five years to pay off the debt. A consumer paying only the minimum monthly payment of $30 on a $1,230 credit card balance would pay around $592 in interest!
Many consumers for whom access to credit cards is not a realistic option turn to payday loans. All an individual needs to obtain a payday loan is an open bank account in relatively good standing, a source of income and an ID. But at what cost? A typical payday loan carries a fee of $10 to $30 for every $100 borrowed, equating to an APR of almost 400%. These loans are typically designed to be a short-term solution paid back within 2 weeks. The CFPB found that 80% of borrowers rolled over loans within 30 days because they lacked the ability to repay the debt within the short time frame. Longer loan terms result in additional fees and interest making it very challenging for the borrower to pay the loan back. The CFPB also states that 1 in 5 payday loans goes into default.
With a little pre-planning now for this holiday season, the stress of a holiday debt hangover in 2021 can be avoided.
Doing your research and preparing financially ahead of the holidays can allow you to make more educated decisions and have a better plan for what is ahead so you can relax and enjoy your time with family and friends.
FinFit offers a variety of financial wellness services and resources, including tools for money management and budgeting, money-saving coupons and financial solutions that can be more affordable than the high cost of credit with other institutions. If you need a little help this holiday season, check with your employer to see if they offer FinFit.
Employers: if you don’t currently offer FinFit, what a great benefit to gift your employees this holiday season!
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FinFit Loans are issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank, Member FDIC. Loans subject to credit approval. Residents of Colorado, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia, Nevada and Massachusetts are not eligible for loans. Nothing in this advertisement constitutes an offer or solicitation for loan products to residents of those states. Actual time it takes for loan approval dependent upon loan verification set up with your employer.
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