CREDIT CARDS:
ОNG VO "A NGC"
hay LI LN "THIN NG"?

NGUYN NINH HA

C CHUYN SHOPPING KIU "TR TH"

My tun nay, nhiu bn b cho chng ti bit rng mi ngy i lm v h thܩng nhn ܮc nhng th pre-approved (ng trܧc, hay chp thun trܧc) ca cc hng credit cards (th tn dng). Nhng hng ny ha s cho no l gold cards (th vng), no l free annual fee (min chi ph nin lim), no l credit line hay l credit limit (s tin ti a ܮc s dng) tht nhiu... c nhng th y, c khi trong lng rn r ln kht vng i shopping cho ǩi, cho x lng. Trܧc y bn nh, u c iu kin m i shop v thiu tin (v cng chng c ai cho mnh mua chu) m nu c tin th hng ha u c nhiu hay u c p nh bn ny m mua. Ni nh th th bn mi hiu cho rng trong nhiu ngܩi chng ta, con ma i shopping dܩng nh ln qut u y, ci lng thm thung i shopping dܩng nh b c ch hay b dn nn ni no m ch ch c dp l bung ra, l ngc u dy. Ni nh nh phn tm hc Sigmund Freud, lng ham mun i shopping dܩng nh b dn nn vo tim thc hay v thc g v ch c dp l th u ra m tung honh cho . Mt ngܩi bn ca chng ti cn bn thm rng anh thch ci t "tr th" hay "b ght" lm. V d khi anh ra khi t, anh bo ti: "Thi mnh tm ci g n cho b ght, n Nj tr th nhng thng ngy phi nhn i trong t." Th y, c lc chng ta cng ri vo tm trng i shopping Nj tr th, Nj b li nhng ngy thng thm thung i shopping ljn nh ri. C khi trong bn v trong ti c mt ni thm nh th.

CI G CNG SHOP!

Trong cn thm nh th, trong lc thiu tin i shop m gp phi ci credit cards th cn g qu bng, ging nh bun ng gp chiu manh hay kht gp nܧc... Mt s ngܩi cn quan nim rng Hoa K ny ai m chng n, khng n khng phi l dn M. Mua ci nh, n mt s gn kinh khng. Chng l mua ci nh mi, m u phi ci xe c trn drive way th coi sao ܮc, li phi i tm chic xe mi cho n "match" (hp) vi ci nh mi. Bn b ljn nh chi, thy nh mi, thy xe mi, chng l my mc dng trong nh li c, th l phi i tu b xa lng mi, my CD mi... Ti c mt ngܩi bn "mc bnh" i shop kiu nh th, shop ljn n ngp u, ht dng tin mnh li dng tin ca con shop tip, ngܩi con bn than van "to ting" vi ng gi: "Ba i, u phi ci g ngܩi ta c l mnh phi c u ba? Ba v c nh s b n ngp u, phi tr n cht lun !" ng bn gi vn hin ngang i shop tip coi nh th gian ny u c g m s.

Nhiu ngܩi qua lu hiu cuc sng Hoa K hn th s phi n lm.

Mt ng bn cn tn vo: "Trong my thng trܧc ma shopping - ma Thanksgiving, ma l Ging Sinh, ma Tt Ty, cc hng credit cards thܩng to ra "cn lt" th mi khch hng np n xin th credit cards. Cc hng credit cards "sn lng" nhng khch hng ca h mt vi thng trܧc ma mua sm bi h tin rng cng cp nhiu th credit cards cho khch hng, khch hng s s dng nhiu hn v nh th hng credit cards s thu hoch ma "bi thu". Trong sut mt nm, cc cng ty bun bn ch ch ljn ma ny. Thnh cng trong ma ny l thnh cng trong c nm v ngܮc li. Cc hng credit cards cng vy, h tn dng ma shopping hng nm Nj kim thm khch hng. Chng ti tin rng hu ht cc bn hay gia nh cc bn t ra cng nhn mt vi th "pre-approved" nh th trong vi tun qua.

Nu ch cn c thm vi ba th mi vi credit limit ca mi th gn vi ngn M kim, chng ta s c trong tay kh nng tiu xi ln ljn mc vi ba chc ngn M kim cng l chuyn thܩng, s tha h shopping ty thch, n tiu x lng khi cn hay mua nhng g lu nay mnh ܧc ao m cha mua ܮc! C nhiu ngܩi m thm "ct" nhng ci th vo mt ch no Nj khng bao gi thy li bi h s b i vo mt con ܩng nguy him, con ܩng khng km ch ni mong mun tiu xi ca mnh Nj ri n ngp u. Mi ngܩi c mt cch ring Nj x l nhng th kiu "pre-approved" nh th ca cc hng credit cards.

CN C MNG CA CREDIT CARDS: N!

N credit cards l mt trong nhng cn c mng hay cu chuyn hi hng m nhiu ngܩi hin nay ang tri qua.

Trong lch s my ngn nm ca con ngܩi, t lc con ngܩi bit pht minh ra tin v bit xi tin, chng ta c mt thi quen: Dng gic quan Nj cm gic vic tiu tin ca mnh. ng tin d l bng g i na (v d nh tin giy, tin cc, tin bng kim loi g ...) khi xi l trao cho ngܩi khc, khng cn trong tm tay s hu ca mnh na. Mi ln tiu xi l mi ln ti vi, mi ln v xp hay mi ln tay cm s b lng i. Ci cm gic , chng ta cm nhn ܮc v do vy thܩng chng ta s tiu lm v s cm gic mt i, s cm gic khng cn na. Th nhng, khi xi credit cards, thܩng chng ta khng c cm gic y. Chic th v tri nhng y quyn nng y u c gim trng lܮng khi b "ch" nhiu ln. Mt ngܩi bn cho bit ln no cm ci bill hay credit card statement l anh hong hn bi b x "ch" d qu. Anh em chuyn ra ni th s v bun m khng ni th s ln su vo n. Mt hm, anh nh phi "nghin rng" ly can m "trnh by" cho v. Nghe xong, ngܩi v thng cm vi ni lo ca anh ta, nhng t than rng: "Khng ng mnh tiu cng d tht!".

Ci cu ni tht l kinh khng: Nhiu lc chng ta khng bit rng mnh ang xi bao nhiu qua credit cards; c "ch" v tin c m thm chy ra nh khng hn ngy v... n lc nhn li con s n, th i thi, khng ng... Qu l ch khng ng y kh au.

C MT CUC CHIN NH TH: CUC CHIN U THOT KHI N CREDIT CARDS.

Rt nhiu ngܩi ti Hoa K ny c rt nhiu th credit cards trong tay. C ngܩi c nhiu credit cards ljn ni m chng ta tܪng rng h ang chi credit card collection (su tm credit cards). Credit cards l mt phng tin thi thܮng trong li sng hin nay. Th nhng, bt c ci g nu chng ta xi qu tay, xi khng ng, NJu gy nhng hu qu khng tt c.

Ngܩi vit c mt ngܩi bn. Trong thi i hc, anh xin ܮc kh nhiu th v anh xi trn nhng credit line ca cc th . Sau khi ra trܩng, cc th credit line ca cc credit cards ca anh b xi sch v c mt thi gian khng tr ni c minimum payment. Chuyn ny dn ljn hai hu qu: Th nht, anh b ci gi l "bad credit" v th hai l n "ngp u" t tin n ljn tin li chng cht ln. Sau khi c vic lm, hai phn ba s lng ca anh l Nj tr tin li, mt phn ba cn li dng Nj sng qua ngy. Nu khng c bin php ǥc bit no , n lc no , c ǩi ch l mt s ko di ging nhau: i lm Nj tr n credit cards l chnh v sng l chuyn ph.

N credit cards l mt iu kinh khng m chng ta thܩng khng "quan trng ha" vn NJ ngay t u, tuy vy mt s ngܩi cng sm t ra "cnh gic" vic "ch" cards ca mnh.

Mt vng trong internet, chng ti thy mt vn NJ ܮc nhiu ngܩi ǥt ra v quan tm, l: "Lm sao thot ra khi n credit cards?"

Nhiu ngܩi a ra nhiu gii php tht th v nhng nhn chung nhng cu tr li NJu l mt kinh nghim ring, mt quyt tm ring Nj thot ra khi n credit cards.

Mt s ngܩi cho rng cuc chin thot ra khi n credit cards l cuc chin u "t gii phng mnh" hay "cuc chin u Nj tr nn t do".

Mt s NJ ngh rng: "Hy ly tt c credit cards v ܧp lnh n. ng vy, hy ܧp lnh n trong ngn ca t lnh v bt c khi no m bn mun s dng n, bn s mt nhiu thi gian Nj sy kh n v lc bn t ni vi mnh rng thi th khng nn cng thm vo danh sch n nn na. Hy c thot ra khi n...". c kin , chng ta thy c mt quyt tm to ln Nj vܮt ra khi cuc sng n ngp u, Nj tr thnh ngܩi t do...

Mt ngܩi khc c tn l Neil Schebetta cn a ra mt danh sch 11 iu cn phi lm Nj gip bn thot ra khi thm cnh n credit cards, Nj tr thnh ngܩi thot n... 11 NJ ngh nh sau:

1/. Phi tha nhn rng n l mt vn NJ ca ǩi sng.
2/. Gom tt c giy n (bill) vo mt h s ring.
3/. Tnh ra tng s n, mc li sut, v phn loi theo ngy thng phi tr tin.
4/. Ly v ra, ly tt c nhng credit cards b vo mt phong th v dn kn .
5/. Hy c gng sng qua mt ngy m khng s dng bt c th credit no Nj khng tng thm n na.
6/. Sau khi sng qua mt ngy khng n nn nh th, bn hy lm mt mc tiu khc: sng mt ngy khc khng n nn tip.
7/. Hy tip tc ngy ny qua ngy n cho ljn khi bn ch Ƕng khng s dng credit cards na.
8/. Khi k hn tr tin ti, ly tin ra khi nh bng, mua money order Nj tr.
9/. Trc tip mang tin i tr (trong iu kin c th). Tht l cn thit cho bn khi phi trc din vi mn n ca mnh v nhn thc rng mang n d hn tr n.
10/. Tr nhiu hn s tin tr ti thiu m hng credit cards yu cu Nj gim n xung nhanh hn.
11/. T thܪng cho mnh bng cch m trng mc tit kim (savings account) d cho ch b vo mt s tin ti thiu.

Li mt ln na, chng ta thy quyt tm tht cao Nj thot ra khi n ca ngܩi tng n credit cards.

Mt kin khc cng kh hay l to ra Credit Cards File (H s cc th credit cards). H s ny gip bn nh r nhiu chuyn t chuyn bn c bao nhiu th tn dng, credit limit l bao nhiu, khi no mua th g vi card no, tr lc no v bao nhiu, li sut cao hay thp, n hin nay l bao nhiu, lc no phi tr... Bng cch lm ny, bn lun c thc v tnh hnh n nn v mua sm ca bn. Tuy mt cng mt t, nhng phn thܪng li ln bi v bn ch Ƕng ܮc tnh hnh ti chnh ca bn, khng mt kim sot vn NJ quan trng ca bn v gia nh bn.

Mt ngܩi bn khc k li kinh nghim nh sau: "Nu bn c tin Nj tr ton b n credit cards, hy nn lm nh th ngay lp tc, d rng Nj thc hin vic y, bn phi dng tin v hu (401k, IRA...) ca bn. Nu bn loi hn n credit cards ton b, v hn ch s dng credit cards, bn s b ngc nhin kinh khng khi thy mnh c tin Nj thc hin nhng mc tiu khc trong ǩi ca bn m xa nay cha bao gi dm ngh ljn. Gn y, ti tr xong n credit cards ljn vi ngn la v tit kim ܮc vi trm hng thng t vic tr tin li." Ngܩi ny cn cho rng nh vic gii quyt n credit cards, anh ta to ra s thoi mi trong tin lun lu (cash flows) v quan trng hn l cnh thot n.

Trong danh sch cc kin ng gp v tho lun v n credit cards m chng ti c ܮc, c ljn vi trm kin m trn y l mt vi kin tiu biu.

Nhn chung c hai cch Nj gii quyt v nhng kin nu ln: Th nht, t mnh ch Ƕng hn ch hay hy b thi quen xi credit cards mt cch qu tay m chuyn ny khng d dng t no, lun i hi ngh lc bi phi t b mt thi quen, mt tm l c hu ܮc hnh thnh qua bao nhiu nm thng. Trong mt ngha no , b mt thi quen cng kh, nhng to mt thi quen mi, thi quen khng xi credit cards, cng khng d g. Th hai, hy c tr hn mc minimum payment (mc ti thiu) m nh bng yu cu Nj tng nhanh vic gim n. D dng ngn ng g, d ni bao nhiu iu, cn bn lp lun ca nhm kin trn cng th hin hai yu cu m thi Nj thot n credit cards.

Bn cng cn nn nh mt iu l thnh tch xu trong h s tn dng ca bn thܩng tn ti cho ljn 7 nm v trong trܩng hp khai ph sn, h s xu tn ti ljn 10 nm. iu ny chc bn cng khng mun nu bn cn nhng chuyn lin quan ljn ti chnh, tn dng v thng mi. Cng ngh nh th, quyt tm hn ch to ra n v quyt tm thot n (nu c) cng mnh m hn.

NGU G M B CREDIT CARDS!

Trong lc nhiu ngܩi ln n credit cards, coi nhng tm th ny l nguyn nhn ca nhng chuyn au kh, nhng chuyn hi hng, hay ngun gc ca n ngp u,... th cng c nhiu kin ca ngi th credit cards nh l mt sng ch tht tuyt vi, v tht l "ngu" nu b i nhng th nh credit cards. Dܧi y l mt on ngn ca Joexer ܮc trch t mt cuc trao ǰi nhau v vic nn ct b credit cards hay khng trn h thng internet: "Credit cards c th l ngܩi bn tt nht ca gii my ru hay ca phi yu nu n ܮc s dng mt cch thng minh. Lm sao bn c th dng tin ca ngܩi khc free (khng phi tr tin li) trong vng 30 ngy? C tr sch s tin phi tr (balance) hng thng, bn u phi tr tin li. Hn th na, nhng th credit cards c chng trnh "thܪng" (bonus) nn ci chng trnh ny cn tr tin cho bn na ch. Cho ti gi ny, ti kim ܮc trn 75 M kim qua th DISCOVER v hn gi tr 50 M kim khc ܮc tr bng xng vi hai th credit cards khc ca ti. Ti cha h tr mt xu tin li no c. Nh th ti c ܮc thm 125 M kim trong ti, v tin ca ti vn cn nm trong ngn hng Nj sinh li, trong lc ti xi tin ca h. Tht l mt quc gia tuyt vi."

Nh th, bn cnh nhng ngܩi t co mun b hay t ra cng mun qun lng credit cards, cng c nhng l lun kh sc bn bin h cho li ch ca vic s dng th credit cards.

CON NGОI - BIN GII GIA THIN NG V A NGC

Dܩng nh trit gia Hegel tng ni rng con ngܩi l gch ni, l giao im, l ln ranh phn i gia th gii thin ng v a ngc, gia thnh thn v qu s...

Cng vy, cng chnh cch s dng hay lm dng, cng chnh s tnh ton cht ch hay li sng ba bi ca chng ta, nhng tm th credit cards tr nn l nhng phng tin tt lnh hay nhng bܧc ln su hn vo nhng cn c mng. Chnh chng ta mi l ngun gc ca hnh phc hay kh au ch khng phi l nhng chic th v tri v lnh lng kia.

i khi vic bit, hay hnh Ƕng nhn thc khng cng cha , m c khi cn i hi c quyt tm na. Trong mt l th khc, mt ngܩi khc th nhn rng anh ta tha hiu chuyn nh trn, chuyn nu tr ht tin thiu trong tng thng, anh ta khng ch khng sa ly vo n, khng b li m li con nng ngp u, th nhng anh ta vn b quyn r, cm d vo con ܩng shopping bng th v sau mt thi gian ngn, n chng cht ln ljn ngp u.

T nhng suy ngh ni trn, chng ta thy rng credit cards ng tht l con dao hai lܫi. Bn cn dao, v s dng dao Nj ct nhng th khc, nhng c khi con dao cng lm t tay bn, lm bn phi chy mu.

ng v chy mu m vi cho rng con dao l v kh nguy him. Cng ng v li ch thi rau hay n ca n tht tuyt m chng ta qun rng con dao cng c lc lm thng tn con ngܩi. Vn NJ khng phi l con dao, khng phi l credit cards, m l ci u ca ngܩi s dng nhng th y sao cho ng cch, sao cho c li cho mnh nht.

Chnh v th, vic t hc, t tm hiu, t khai sng mnh trong vic s dng credit cards (v c nhng th khc) tr nn cn thit hn bao gi ht.


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