FITNESS INSPIRATION – COLBY

Credit cards can be a great tool for building credit and managing your finances, but they can also be a slippery slope towards debt and financial instability.

One of the most dangerous habits to fall into is only paying the minimum payment on your credit card balance. In fact, there’s a pretty strong case to be made that this is the worst personal finance move you can make.

First, let’s break down what it means to pay the minimum payment. When you receive your credit card statement, you’ll typically see a minimum payment listed, which is usually a small percentage of your balance (such as 2% or 3%).

While it may seem like a small amount to pay, this can actually cost you a lot in the long run!

The biggest issue with only paying the minimum payment is that it will take you a very long time to pay off your balance, and you’ll end up paying a lot of interest along the way.

For example, let’s say you have a credit card balance of $5,000 with an interest rate of 18%. If you only pay the minimum payment of 2% ($100), it will take you over 20 years to pay off your balance, and you’ll end up paying over $11,000 in interest alone.

On top of that, only paying the minimum payment can also hurt your credit score. When you carry a high balance on your credit card and only make minimum payments, it can signal to lenders that you’re not able to manage your finances responsibly.

This can make it harder for you to get approved for loans or credit in the future.

So what’s the solution? The best thing you can do is to pay off your credit card balance in full every month. This will help you avoid paying any interest, and it will also show lenders that you’re able to manage your finances responsibly.

If you can’t pay off your balance in full, aim to pay as much as you can each month, rather than just the minimum payment. This will help you pay off your balance faster and save you money in the long run. In short, paying the minimum payment on your credit card balance is a personal finance move that you should avoid at all costs.