The Veda Advantage study has indicated that making repayments is a major cause of concern for three quarters of Aussies in debt.
Rising prices, with some commentators expecting inflation to reach 4.6 per cent in 2008, is causing more than half of those questioned in the study the greatest concern about their ability to meet their bills. This was followed closely by rising interest rates, which is making it harder for many Australians to repay their mortgages.
Other factors giving Australians a headache when it comes to repaying their bills are increased transport and petrol prices, the cost of food, and health costs.
The study, carried out for Veda Advantage by pollsters Galaxy Research, also found the level of new debt taken on by consumers had dropped slightly to 15 per cent. But rising mortgage payments, due to higher interest rates, was given as a reason by a quarter of consumers who owed more money. Buying a car, a property or an unexpectedly large bill was also given as a key reason for being further in debt by many of those who found they were deeper in debt.
A Veda Advantage spokesperson said that while 62 per cent of Aussies had said they could still meet their repayments, despite being worried, 16 per cent admitted debts took up most of their budget. A staggering 91,000 people said they were unsure how they were going to pay their next bill.
A separate survey carried out by credit ratings firm, Dun and Bradstreet has shown a growing number of Aussies expect to face financial hardship. The survey, conducted by Newspoll, showed one in five people expect to pay for something they can't afford on their credit card.
Young people are the most likely to turn to their plastic to cover costs, with women between the age of 18 and 24 being the most likely to resort to this tactic. Mature people, the-over-50s, are less likely than any other group to use their credit card to cover expenses they cannot afford, according to the study.
Debt problems are not confined to those on low incomes. Aussies who earn $30,000 to $70,000 expect to face problems with credit card use, with one-in-four in this band expecting to use their credit card to pay for items they cannot afford, the study said.
The Veda Advantage debt study has backed up Dun and Bradstreet findings, which showed that 1 in 4 Australians expect to be in more debt.
Worryingly, 1 in 5 low income Aussies said they didn't expect to pay more than the required minimum monthly repayment on their credit cards, which is double the national average. Eighty per cent of those earning more than $70,000, on the other hand, believed they would make payments greater than the required minimum.
Credit file provider, Veda Advantage, has renewed its call for the government to act to protect Australians from becoming further debt stressed, by changing the law to allow more credit information to be shared.
Three One Credit Report
Your Credit Report (the Boring Part)
Your online credit report is a collection of files and records pertaining to your credit history. It is often referenced for hiring, renting, mortgages, loans, background checks and many other situations which may require an involvement of a larger sum of your income or a need for your personal services. Your online credit report contains the good the bad and yes, the ugly, within its pages. There are 3 major credit report bureaus from which the information comes from: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. For the most they are similar, but between the three bureaus there may be some different items listed.
What If!?
What if your online credit report was only full of positive, correct and up to date items? This would be like a fantasy credit report. You could use it like a tool for certain things like getting a low interest loan or the mortgage you actually wanted. You could use it as a weapon against those creditors who automatically assume that your credit sucks and turn the whole finance game around on them. This fantasy credit report would be like a report card with all A's (something most of us have never experienced right?). Imagine not having to worry about what the results are going to be when the phone rings from the bank because you have total peace of mind that your credit report is not only clean but also free of errors and mishaps. The anxiety of waiting for the results of your credit standing concerning a major purchase can cause equal or more mental tension than a doctor walking in the room with his results for a major medical test.
Making the Fantasy a Reality
Okay, so this whole fantasy credit report thing is exactly just that right? A fantasy. Well... not necessarily. See, you are the only one that can ultimately control what happens to your credit report. Yes, of course there are those 'unknown factors' - BUT, the good news is there is a big first step you can take to help start achieving your own personal fantasy credit report. You can obtain a free copy of your credit report and see what negative items are sitting on your file. More than 70% of all U.S. citizens with credit reports have false or out of date items on their credit file. By spotting these items early and taking the appropriate steps to remove them you can improve your credit rating. What else can you do? Develop a personalized budget. It will take a couple months of re-adjusting but will help you to see where your money is going and begin to mature your spending habits. Also, think about your major purchases before you make them. Too often in our society, consumers buy things without a second thought and "paint themselves into a corner" financially. When you take on more payments than you can afford you have set up your credit report for long term damage. Here is a saying to think about regarding this type of situation: "If your outgo exceeds your income, eventually your upkeep will become your downfall." Remember that the fantasy credit report is waiting to evolve before your very eyes - you just have to make it happen.
To read more about how you can get your online credit report free with no obligations, see what is on your file and find out how to fix your credit report go to http://www.cleancreditonline.com
Both Tristan Dunston & Tom Justice are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Tristan Dunston has sinced written about articles on various topics from Legal Matters, Free Credit Report Score and Stress Management. Tristan Dunston is an independent public relations consultant specialising in finance and privacy matters. He loves whitewater kayaking and photography. Tristan Dunston's top article generates over 2400 views. Bookmark Tristan Dunston to your Favourites.
Tom Justice has sinced written about articles on various topics from Free Credit Report Score, Debts Loans and Credit Cards. Tom Justice is the webmaster for Clean Credit Online and does all the designing, marketing, SEO and maintenance for the site. He has a passion for personal finance and how the economy and consumers are affected by money. To see how you can use Clean Credi. Tom Justice's top article generates over 2400 views. Bookmark Tom Justice to your Favourites.
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