Credit Card Debt Isn't Age-Specific

Stereotypically, college students are the group plagued with credit card debt. While cash isn't readily available for them, credit is. But college students aren’t the only ones who have a high debt load. Credit card debt affects virtually every age group from 20-somethings to senior citizens.

Society’s focus on consumer goods encourages people to use credit cards to maintain a certain type of lifestyle. Rather than pushing us to make wise decisions about the things we purchase, culture says, “If you don’t have the money for it, just charge it.” Meanwhile, credit card balances rise higher and higher, with minimum payments increasingly becoming out of reach.

It’s a vicious cycle that quickly snowballs into a huge debt that’s nearly impossible to manage. Credit cards don’t become less appealing as you get older, which is why it’s urgent that you learn to make good decisions earlier in life.