Related Resources. Credit cards typically carry higher interest rates than student loans, and can often exceed 20%. Federal student loan interest usually falls below 10%.
If you're carrying a significant balance, like $20,000 in credit card debt, a rate like that could have even more of a detrimental impact on your finances. The longer the balance goes unpaid, the more the interest charges compound, turning what could have been a manageable debt into a hefty financial burden.
First, credit card debt usually has much higher interest rates than car loans. If your credit card rates are around 20% or more, paying off the credit card debt first can save you a lot of money on interest over time. Car loans often have lower rates, around 4-7%, so they cost less in interest.
Option 1: The “high-interest first” strategy
Paying off high-interest debt first is commonly referred to as the avalanche method. This involves making the minimum monthly payments on all of your credit cards and loans, but putting every extra penny you can toward the card or loan with the highest interest rate.
In addition to the impact on your credit score, high credit card balances can increase your debt-to-income ratio (DTI). You might have trouble qualifying for a new loan or credit card—or receiving favorable offers—if you have a high DTI. You could accrue a lot in interest. Credit cards often carry a high interest rate.
Running up $50,000 in credit card debt is not impossible. About two million Americans do it every year. Paying off that bill?
For those who can't afford to pay off their credit card balance in full, McClary advises working toward a goal of putting 10% of your income toward this debt each month.
A $20,000 loan at 5% for 60 months (5 years) will cost you a total of $22,645.48, whereas the same loan at 3% will cost you $21,562.43. That's a savings of $1,083.05. That same wise shopper will look not only at the interest rate but also the length of the loan.
Yes, you can pay off your loan early by making larger monthly payments or settling the full balance at once. This can save you money on interest and reduce debt, but it's important to investigate potential downsides first.
Requirements for a $5,000 Personal Loan
Requirements for a $5,000 loan vary by lender. But in general, you should have at least Fair credit, which is a score of 580 or above. Lenders may also look at other factors, such as your income and your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), during the application process.
It's a good idea to pay off your credit card balance in full whenever you're able. Carrying a monthly credit card balance can cost you in interest and increase your credit utilization rate, which is one factor used to calculate your credit scores.
Landlords who do accept direct credit card payments have to pay merchant processing fees for the privilege, and it's common for them to pass those fees on to the renters on top of rent. The convenience fee for paying rent with a card typically ranges from 2.5% to 2.9%, which may sound small, but it adds up.
U.S. consumers carry $6,501 in credit card debt on average, according to Experian data, but if your balance is much higher—say, $20,000 or beyond—you may feel hopeless. Paying off a high credit card balance can be a daunting task, but it is possible.
Given an average 10% rate of return on the S&P 500, you need to save about $1,400 per month in order to save up $1 million over 20 years. That's a lot of money, but the good news is that changing the variables even a little bit can make a big difference.
Here's the average debt balances by age group: Gen Z (ages 18 to 23): $9,593. Millennials (ages 24 to 39): $78,396. Gen X (ages 40 to 55): $135,841.
In a recent NerdWallet survey, 57% of Americans said they were living paycheck to paycheck.
According to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) for 2022 (the most recent study released publicly), the average savings balance for people ages 64 and younger ranged from $20,540 to $72,520, with median balances ranging from $5,400 to $8,700.
Down payment, cash advances or balance transfers
A good rule to abide by is to not rely on a credit card for any kind of down payment. It will add to a larger cost and may be a sign that you shouldn't make the purchase. In addition, cash advances usually charge a higher rate than purchases.
The average FICO credit score in the US is 717, according to the latest FICO data. The average VantageScore is 701 as of January 2024.
37% Americans have maxed out credit card or come close, Bankrate report finds.