To ask how much you owe on credit cards ?

[anxiousmotherof1]

Getting to the end of maternity leave and i just realized i owe quite a bit on credit cards ! Dont think is that much but my husband is of the opposite opinion !
So how much you currently owe ?

[Sciurus83]

TheSheep I think your situation is different, circumstances changed and you had unpredictable expenses out of your control. Mat leave is a predictable circumstance change, you get notice!

[VickieCherry]

Zero, don't have one. We put things like holidays and gig tickets on my partner's, and they get paid off immediately.

I had one for a while in my 20s and hated the thought of the debt hanging over me - it just made life more difficult. They have their uses, and I'd rather avoid them if possible.

[anxiousmotherof1]

@Tortoisecharlie how ??

[betteronmondays]

Credit cards are super dangerous! I have zero at the end of each month but use them as flexible spending. Hotels and rental companies need them don't they?

[jq28]

Zero

[LuvSmallDogs]

0, never had one.

[pumpastrotter]

3k but I have splurged this year, there is still residual debt from when I moved house a few years ago and needed an entire house worth of furnishing whilst on mat leave. Next year I hope to pay all or a good chunk off as I say every year

[WhatToDo86]

2.2k also on mat leave (stat mat)

[CantWaitToRetire]

Nothing. I've had thousands over the years but have worked hard to pay them off and I now refuse to have a credit card.

[AdoraBell]

Far too much for my comfort. I’m working on reducing it.

[michellebelle]

Zero, I avoid them like the plague. Too easy to get yourself into a 'situation' IMO

[AnElderlyLadyOfMediumHeight]

'A few hundred or zero depending on whether the direct debit has been credited yet'

This is the case for us too. We use it for online shopping (I get almost all of our clothes online, train tickets when I travel for work about once a month, there is a holiday cottage deposit on there too atm) and pay it off in full by DD every month.

[xyzandabc]

Between 2 and 3k but it's paid off in full every month so never accrue any interest.

[Languageofkindness]

I think your credit card debt is pretty normal - sadly all the posts on here with zero on credit cards is not really representative of real life if you look at the average level of personal debt these days. I expect the thread is too scary for those many people who have way more than you do.

[Tortoisecharlie]

@thesheep I am in similar. Had to repair house to let out, could not sell at the time, put me in initial debt. It was either that or brankruptcy. Credit was actually a life saver. Got a good full time job, reduced debt by 50% in 2 years! Then had a child who is disabled, unable to work, debt crept up unavoidably. Currently single parenting too. Juggling 0% deals as much as possible. Need a plan to reduce the debt again. Upside is I’ve kept my house, which I would have lost, and paid for treatment for child. Some things can’t wait until I next can work, and the debt therefore does not bother me.

[IfNotNowThenWooOoOoo]

TheSheep I think it can be smart to use credit cards of you have a plan and know what you're doing ( a pp up thread puts all her spends on one, pays it off every month and gets cashback for example).
I have been in your situation and it's better than payday loans or other high interest loans because credit cards don't actually harm your credit.
I owe a few k. Can't say it bothers me. I pay cheap rent and own my car outright and will clear my debts when it's convenient to do so.

[Sciurus83]

Good luck anxious I hope you manage, I'm just starting mat leave myself and I have similar spendencies, will need to be careful!

[Ninoo25]

£3400 it’s on a 0% card and I’m making monthly standing order payments which are enough to ensure that it’s paid off before the 0% ends

[Oysterbabe]

I pay mine off in full each month.

[CantWaitToRetire]

@NiceUnusualDifferent. I used to be in the same situation, and just covered the minimum each month. If anything the balances went up because of the interest added the following month. I finally got a low interest loan to settle the credit cards and it was easier paying the loan because it was a fixed amount, low interest and there was a set time period. Finally got out of that horrid debt situation.

It's worth checking if you had PPI on any of your credit cards too. I got quite a good payment back after having cards for years and that helped pay some of the balance as well.

[anniehm]

Nearly £3k but gets paid off every month (I like collecting the points!) amount on credit card is so income dependent - fine for short term lending eg an expensive item paid off over a few months or where income temporarily drops as in your case but always plan to pay off within the year, ideally 6 months otherwise you need to look at your spending pattern and evaluate what is "essential" when we were on a low income I didn't use a credit card except in emergencies.

[NewSparkle]

150

[Oysterbabe]

And I agree they can be a good thing when well managed. I have a Tesco one so get Clubcard points. We went away last weekend and had 2 meals out, went to the zoo and aquarium all paid for with Clubcard points.

[MiddlingMum]

Zero. I've never owned one. I'm from the generation where you saved up for things you couldn't afford (or went without them) and I'm still in that mindset now.

[LuggsaysNotaWomen]

Couple of hundred quid which will be paid off at the end of the month.