“The world of money, of numbers and stock markets and interest rates and credit cards, seems on the surface about as far as it could be from the world of spirituality, of seeking meaningful answers to the big questions of life. ... But these two worlds must flow in and out of each other, because it takes both money and spiritual understanding to sustain it. Truly speaking, what determines where our money with its awesome power will go, and what it will do for ourselves and others? If we listen, those answers come from the center of our being, from who we really are.” IfsWorldTwoBigsSeemsSpiritualSpiritualityUnderstandingInterestAnswersMoneyNumbersFlowRateDetermineSeekingCreditSurfaceMeaningfulCardsCredit CardInterest RateTwo WorldsBig Questions Author:Suze Orman
“Money is the only thing you can use even if you don't have any. ... There's always a credit card.” IfsUseMoneyCreditCardsCredit Card Author:Suze Orman
“If you're in poverty and all you have is a debit card or a prepaid card or you pay in cash, it does not report to a credit bureau. If it doesn't report to a credit bureau, it cannot create a credit score for yourself.” IfsDoePayPovertyCreditCardsReportsScoreCashDebitDebit CardsCredit Scores Author:Suze Orman
“A cash advance on a credit card is one of the worst types of borrowing because the interest rate is typically 21 percent or more.” InterestWorstTypePercentRateCreditCardsCashCredit CardBorrowingInterest Rate Author:Suze Orman
“If you do not have at least an eight-month emergency fund, and you think there's a probability you could loose your job - and it's not just losing your job; you could be in a car accident, get sick - continue to pay the minimum on your credit card every month. Everything beyond that needs to go to establish an emergency fund. And if you have an emergency fund saved, then fund your retirement account before paying down credit card debt.” IfsThinkingNeedsJobsPayCarMonthsLosingSickAccountsEightCreditDebtAccidentsSavedCardsFundRetirementMinimumProbabilityEmergenciesCredit CardCar AccidentCredit Card Debt Author:Suze Orman
“Absolutely pay off your credit card debt, because a child can always get a loan to go to school, possibly a scholarship, a grant.” ChildrenSchoolPayCreditDebtCardsGrantsLoanScholarshipCredit CardCredit Card Debt Author:Suze Orman
“If you have credit card debt and credit card companies continue to close down the cards, what are you going to do? What are you going to do if they raise your interest rates to 32 percent? That's five times higher than what your kid is going to pay in interest on a student loan. Get rid of your credit card debt.” IfsKidsInterestPayCompanyFiveStudentsHigherPercentRaisesRateCreditDebtCardsLoanCredit CardInterest RateStudent LoanCredit Card Debt Author:Suze Orman
“But credit card debt is unsecured debt, which means if you get in trouble and cannot pay off your credit card, you can discharge it in bankruptcy. What are they going do to you? If you're in a financial position to just methodically pay off both credit card and student loans, pay them all.” IfsMeanPayTroublePositionStudentsFinancialCreditDebtCardsLoanCredit CardBankruptcyDischargeStudent LoanCredit Card Debt Author:Suze Orman
“If your company matches your 401(k) contribution, then no matter what, contribute to your 401(k) first. You put in a dollar, they put in 50 cents. It's an automatic 50 percent return on your money. You can't pass that up. I'd rather have the 50 percent than pay 32 percent interest on a credit card.” IfsFirstsMatterInterestPayCompanyReturnPercentNo Matter WhatDollarsCreditCardsContributionCentsCredit Card Author:Suze Orman
“Absolutely pay off credit card debt. If you're not getting a match in your 401(k) and you've got credit card debt, you've got to get yourself out of credit card debt. When you get out of credit card debt, your credit score goes up and interest starts to go down.” IfsInterestPayCreditDebtCardsScoreCredit CardCredit Card DebtCredit Scores Author:Suze Orman
“If you are worried about job security and do not have an adequate emergency fund (ideally eight months' worth of living expenses stashed away in a federally insured bank or credit union), you need to focus more on saving money than paying down the balance on your credit cards.” IfsNeedsJobsFocusSecurityMonthsBalanceUnionsEightCreditCardsSavingWorriedFundExpensesEmergenciesAdequateCredit CardSaving MoneyCredit Unions Author:Suze Orman
“Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward your emergency savings.” ShouldEndsGoalPayMonthsBillsCreditCardsSavingEmergenciesSavingsCredit CardEach Month Author:Suze Orman
“If the only way you can build an emergency fund is to pay the minimum due on your credit card, that is what you need to do.” IfsWayNeedsPayCreditDuesCardsFundMinimumEmergenciesCredit Card Author:Suze Orman
“Late payments also hurt your FICO score. And never, ever take out a cash advance on your credit card.” HurtLateCreditCardsScoreCashPaymentCredit Card Author:Suze Orman
“Make this the year you tackle that credit card debt once and for all.” YearsCreditDebtCardsCredit CardCredit Card Debt Author:Suze Orman
“Those carrying a credit card balance should scale back to making the minimum payment each month so they have more money to put into savings.” ShouldMonthsBalanceCreditScalesCardsSavingMore MoneyMinimumPaymentSavingsCredit CardEach Month Author:Suze Orman
“The most important loan to pay is your student loan. It's more important than your mortgage, car and credit card payments. You cannot discharge student loan debt in the majority of cases.” ImportantPayCasesCarStudentsMajorityCreditDebtCardsLoanPaymentMortgageCredit CardDischargeStudent Loan Author:Suze Orman
“Credit card companies are jacking up interest rates, lowering credit limits, and closing accounts - and people who have made timely payments are not exempt. So even if you pay off your balance - and that's tough when interest rates are insanely high - there's a good chance your credit limit will be slashed, and that will hurt your FICO score.” PeopleIfsMadeInterestHurtChancePayCompanyBalanceLimitsToughAccountsRateCreditCardsScoreClosingPaymentCredit CardInterest RateTimelyGood Chance Author:Suze Orman
“I have always advocated doing everything possible to pay off credit card balances; it's good financial management and the ticket to a strong FICO credit score.” StrongPayBalanceManagementFinancialCreditCardsScoreTicketsCredit CardCredit Scores Author:Suze Orman
“I get so frustrated when people tell me it's unrealistic to create an eight-month emergency savings fund, or have money saved for a home down payment, or pay off their $5,000 credit card balance.” PeopleHomePayMonthsBalanceEightCreditSavedCardsSavingFundFrustratedEmergenciesPaymentSavingsCredit Card Author:Suze Orman
“I love, love, love that you want to use your debit card. But to keep your credit score solid, you still need to keep a few credit cards and use them at least once every few months.” WantNeedsStillsUseMonthsCreditCardsScoreCredit CardDebitDebit CardsCredit Scores Author:Suze Orman
“In January we start saving money, getting out of credit card debt, funding our retirement accounts, and we're doing wonderful. Then, every single year like clockwork, starting in November, all of you fall into this trap that says, 'I have to buy this gift... I can't show up at this party and not have something for everybody.” YearsI CanShowsFallPartyWonderfulAccountsStartingCreditDebtCardsSavingRetirementTrapsFundingNovemberJanuaryCredit CardSaving MoneyClockworkCredit Card Debt Author:Suze Orman
